Tournament rules

Linden Cup 2026 Tournament Rules

The tournament follows the Finnish Ice Hockey Association (SJL) competition and junior rules, with the exceptions listed below.

Referees’ reports will be submitted for disciplinary review in accordance with normal procedures.

Participation Fee: €800 per team group. In the event of tournament cancellation, participation fees will be refunded.

Players: Players born in 2013 or later. Any over-age (“Y”) players must be agreed with the organizers before the tournament. Teams must play with their own so-called regular players. From an older age group within the same club, players born in 2013 may be used. Teams may be supplemented with younger players from the same club, but seeking a competitive advantage is prohibited. The maximum number of players per game is 2 goalkeepers + 20 skaters (excluding the friendly match JYP–Linden, which is not a tournament game but appears on the website).

A player may represent only one team during the tournament unless otherwise agreed with the tournament organizer.

Goalkeepers: Teams may have several goalkeepers, and they must be played evenly. The use of goalkeepers must not be aimed at gaining a competitive advantage. In exceptional cases, contact the tournament manager. A goalkeeper may play in placement games only if they have played at least one preliminary round game with that team.

Tournament Format and Teams: The tournament will be played in AAA and AA divisions. Each division consists of eight teams.

Preliminary Round: The preliminary round is played as a single round, with each team playing once against every other team in its group. A winner earns two (2) points, a draw one (1) point, and a loss zero (0) points. Team standings are determined by points earned.

Determining Preliminary Round Standings

Standings are determined in the following order:

1.⁠ ⁠Points

2.⁠ ⁠Points in head-to-head matches

3.⁠ ⁠Goal difference in head-to-head matches

4.⁠ ⁠Goals scored in head-to-head matches

5.⁠ ⁠Goal difference in group matches

6.⁠ ⁠Goals scored in group matches

7.⁠ ⁠Penalty minutes in group matches (fewer penalty minutes ranks higher)

8.⁠ ⁠Draw

Placement Games: Based on the preliminary round standings, teams advance to placement games according to the tournament bracket.

Shootout in Placement Games

If a placement game is tied at the end of regulation time, a shootout will be conducted as follows:

•⁠  ⁠The shootout begins with three (3) different shooters per team, named by the coach to the referee immediately after the end of regulation.

•⁠  ⁠If the game is still tied after three shooters, the shootout continues one shooter at a time on a sudden-death basis. Shooters must be changed until all skaters on the team have taken one shot. The game is decided when a player from one team scores and the opposing shooter does not.

•⁠  ⁠Only the deciding goal is recorded as the final result of the game. The goal is credited to the player who took the shot.

•⁠  ⁠The home team starts the shootout.

Game Time

•⁠  ⁠Game time: 2 × 15 minutes of effective playing time (placement games: 2 × 20 minutes of effective playing time).

•⁠  ⁠Maximum total game time: 45 minutes (placement games: max. 60 minutes).

•⁠  ⁠Intermission is 1 minute. Teams change ends during the intermission.

•⁠  ⁠No time-outs are used.

•⁠  ⁠Teams must be ready well in advance (5 minutes) before the scheduled game time near the rink, fully equipped and ready to start. If a team does not arrive on the ice according to the schedule, it will be ruled a 5–0 loss.

•⁠  ⁠A game may start earlier than scheduled if both teams and referees are ready.

Player Lists and Jerseys: Teams are requested to complete their player rosters in GameResultsOnline by 6 April 2026 at the latest, and to update any last-minute changes directly in the GameResultsOnline system no later than 30 minutes before the start of the tournament.

In the match schedule, the designated home team wears dark jerseys and the designated away team wears light jerseys.

Statistics: Games will be recorded in the GameResultsOnline.com service.

Referees: Games are officiated by referees from the Central Finland Ice Hockey Referees Association (Keski-Suomen Jääkiekkotuomarit ry).

Penalties and Major Penalties: Penalties follow the current SJL U13 junior competition and special rules, as well as the IIHF rulebook.

The tournament jury will review every 5-minute penalty plus game misconduct as soon as possible after the game. If necessary, the jury will hear both teams and review video footage if available. The jury has the right to exclude a player from the tournament based on a single major penalty. The tournament manager will inform the team manager of the penalized player as soon as possible whether the penalty resulted in exclusion from the tournament. If a player receives a second 5-minute penalty plus game misconduct during the tournament, the player is automatically excluded from the remainder of the tournament. The jury may also review other major penalties on video and exclude a player from the tournament or impose, for example, a one-game suspension. Any penalties imposed by the jury will always be discussed with the parties involved.

A game misconduct penalty given to a team official results in automatic exclusion from the tournament.

Awards:  The top three teams in both divisions will be awarded medals and trophies.

After each game, the “Ottelun makein pelaaja/Sweetest Player of the Game” will be awarded from both teams.

Insurance and First Aid:  Each player and team official must have valid insurance in accordance with SJL rules. The tournament organizers are not responsible for any accidents involving participating teams. The organizers will provide first aid coverage appropriate to the size of the event. Contact information for first aid is available in the arena lobby, locker rooms, and player and officials’ benches.

Schedule Changes:  The tournament organizer reserves the right to change game schedules, durations, and ice times if necessary. Any changes will be communicated promptly to participating teams.

Tournament Jury and Protests: Protests are handled by the tournament jury, whose decision is final. Protests must be submitted in writing within 10 minutes of the end of the game. The protest fee is €200 and will be refunded if the protest is upheld. The jury consists of tournament managers Eeva Merikivi and Nina Kuusinen, and Harri Laamanen. To uphold a protest, the jury’s decision must be unanimous. The jury is not obliged to explain its decisions.

Amendments:  The tournament organizer reserves the right to make changes.

General: By registering and paying the tournament fee, teams agree to the following terms:

•⁠  ⁠The tournament organizer reserves the right to take photographs during the tournament and publish them online and on social media.