Tournament rules

Rules

TOURNAMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS

The Tournament Management reserves the right to change or alter these rules at any time without prior notice in order to act in the best interests of the  tournament. Playing rules are translation of tournament rules of Finnish language and in case of discrepancy between rules that of Finnish are those to be obeyed.

GENERAL RULES

Tournament Management is committed to creating a safe and fair environment for all participants. Respect for the game, opponents, coaches and officials is a part of the environment and that of sportsmanship and fair play. 

Zero Tolerance: Taunting or berating of any players, officials, staff, or tournament volunteers will not be tolerated under any circumstances by parents, players, team officials or other spectators. The Tournament Management reserves the right to eject any person whom it deems in its sole discretion to be acting in an improper manner.

Team officials are responsible for the conduct and supervision of all of their team’s participants at all times. No shooting, stickhandling or passing of any objects is permitted anywhere in the facility other than inside rinks and designated places. Any pre-existing damage or severe mess in the dressing room must be reported immediately when found.

The Tournament will not provide any insurance for participating parties. Every team must be carrying sufficient liability, personal and property insurance to cover all its members who participate in the tournament.  All team members must have injury insurance that covers those risks that exist within the sport of hockey.

GENERAL RULES FOR THE TEAM

Jersey Colors: A dark jersey will be worn by the HOME team, whereas a white or light coloured jersey will be worn by the AWAY team.

Home team will be the team placed 1st on the Tournament Game chart.

All Teams have to be game-ready within the rink 5 minutes prior to game starting time. No warm-ups on ice.

ALL players MUST participate in at least one round-robin game in order to qualify for the quarterfinal and later rounds (goaltenders are exempt from this).

SAFETY RULES

Each player is personally responsible to wear protective ice hockey equipment for all games, on ice warm-ups and ice practices. Such equipment should include gloves, shin pads, shoulder pads, elbow pads, padded hockey pants, protective cup, tendon pads plus all head protective equipment. 

Players are required to wear an approved helmet with full face mask and neck guards at all times during play.

Players, including goalkeepers, violating this rule shall not be permitted to participate in the game until such equipment has been corrected or removed.

PLAYING RULES

Playing rules will be those recognized by the Finnish Hockey Association, Youth Hockey rules with following exceptions and adjustments.

Games will consist of 2 x 15-minute stop-time periods, however maximum game time is 50 minutes as of ruling time. 1 minute intermission between periods. Late from game start time or no-show team will lose the game 5 - 0

TIMEOUT is NOT in use due to the limited maximum game time 50 minutes.

All games are played with the Body Checking rule of Competitive Contact hockey.

If a player is assessed a match penalty, the player is suspended for the team's next game. If a team official is assessed a match penalty, the team official is suspended for the next 3 games.

Referee’s Decisions: All referee’s decisions are final and may not be appealed

GAMES TO BE PLAYED

for game plan and games played refer to GameResults “Groups and Standings”

AAA+ level: 10 teams

Round robin (RR) four (4) games to all teams in two (2) RR-Blocks of five (5) teams. RR-Blocks’ firsts play in the final. RR-Blocks’ seconds play for results 3-4. RR-Blocks’ thirds play for results 5-6. RR-Blocks’ forths play for results  7-8. RR-Blocks’ fifths play for results 9-10. Five (5) games for all teams.   

AAA level: 16 teams

Three (3) Round robin (RR) games to all teams in four (4) RR-Blocks of four (4) teams. RR-blocks’ winners play in semifinals. Semifinals winners play in the final and seconds play for the bronze medal. RR-Blocks’ seconds play for the results 5-8.  RR-Blocks’ thirds play for the results 9-12. RR-Blocks’ fourths play for the results13-16. Five (5) games for all teams.   

AA level: 12 teams

Two (2) Round robin (RR) games to all teams in four (4) RR-Blocks of three (3) teams. RR-Blocks’ firsts and seconds play in quarterfinals . Winners of quarterfinals play in semifinals. Winners of quarter finals play in semifinals. Semifinals winners play in the final and seconds play for the bronze medal. Quarterfinal seconds play for results 5-8. RR-Blocks’ thirds play in Block of four (4) teams for results 9-12. Five (5) games for all teams.   

A level: 8 teams

Three (3) Round robin (RR) games to all teams in two (2) RR-Blocks of four (4) teams.  RR-Blocks’ first and seconds play in semifinals. Semifinals winners play in the final and seconds play for the bronze medal. RR-Blocks’ thirds and fourths play for results 5-8. Five (5) games for all teams.   

 Tournament points:

2 points for a win, 1 point for a tie and 0 points for a loss.

Round Robin Standings: Standings will be based on points.

Tie-Breaker, Round Robin: If tied in points, standings (seedings) will be determined based on the following order:

The head to head result involving the teams tied.

The head to head score result involving the teams tied

Team with the most number of goals in games involving teams tied

Team with the best goal difference

Team with the most number of goals

Team with the lowest number of penalty minutes accumulated in round robin play.

Coin toss by the tournament coordinator or a designated representative.

When the rule settles the rankings for three or more tied teams only partially (some still tied), the rankings of the remaining teams are continued from the first regulation of the series (taking into account only the matches of teams still tied).

At quarterfinals and later rounds, if the game is tied at the end of time, a shootout with 3 skaters from each team will start immediately. The coach of each team will provide the game officials with the list of these three players. The team that scores the most goals with these three skaters will be declared the winner. The VISITING team will start the shooting rounds. A player from one team will go, followed by a player from the other team, and so on until all 3 designated players have gone. 

If still tied, a sudden-death shootout with one player from each team. Each shooter must not have participated in any prior round of the shootout. 

Repeat step above until no skater remains that has not yet participated from either team. At this point the shootout will continue in reverse order starting with the player who has most recently shot. This will continue until a winner is decided.

GENERAL INFO

Ice resurface between every second game and before finals and bronze games.

Team Warm-Ups: Around the Hockey Center is sports park with excellent warm up places. 

Free admission (no admission / gate fees) for all spectators.

Sportti Thurman Hockey Shop (Pro Shop) at Hockey Center with skate blade sharpening service.

The Tournament has emergency staff around the rinks. In case of severe injury 112 is the emergency number in Finland.