Rules

Rules

The tournament follows the current U11 competition and game rules, junior rules, and regional special rules of the Finnish Ice Hockey Association (SJL), together with the tournament rules stated below.

Games are played 5 vs 5, on a full-size rink, with a black puck and standard goals.

Any exceptions (e.g., regarding over-age or female players) must be submitted before the tournament and approved by the Tournament Director.

Venue and Schedule

All tournament games will be played on April 10–12, 2026, at the ice rinks in Espoonlahti, Laaksolahti, and Leppävaara.

Changing rooms are located in the arenas and nearby sports facilities. Each team will be assigned a designated locker room.

Tournament Format

Teams are divided into three divisions (AAA, AA, A).
AAA and AA divisions include 20 teams each, and the A division includes 10 teams.

Each division is split into groups of five teams, which first play round-robin matches within their group.

Game Time

Total playing time is 2 × 15 minutes effective time.
Maximum total game duration is 45 minutes. Official time is based on the arena clock.

Teams must be at the players’ bench in full gear 5 minutes before the scheduled start.
A team not present on time will forfeit the game 5–0.

Organizers reserve the right to change game times if necessary. Any changes will be communicated to teams in advance (approx. 1 hour beforehand).

Referees

Games are officiated by certified referees from the Finnish Ice Hockey Association, as well as junior referees from Kiekko-Espoo.

Penalties

A Match Penalty (MP) always leads to disciplinary review and may result in suspension from games or activities.

During the review process, the player may continue to play unless:

• their accumulation of misconduct penalties is exceeded, or
• the Match Penalty was given at the end of the game.

For team officials, an MP automatically results in a suspension for the next three (3) games. The disciplinary authority may impose a longer suspension if deemed necessary.

An MP for violent conduct automatically results in suspension for the next game. Additional suspension may also be imposed.

An MP counts as one entry toward a player’s misconduct accumulation.

The tournament jury may, regardless of the above, suspend a player for one or more games or remove the player entirely from the tournament.

Team Size and Officials

Maximum number of players per game: 2 goalkeepers + 19 skaters.

Awards

Medals will be awarded to the top three teams in each division, and trophies to the winners.

Pennant exchanges take place on the ice after each game and are distributed within the team group at their discretion.

Each team will nominate a “Fair Play / Spirit Player” of the tournament.
The player is selected by the coaching staff and must be reported to the officials’ booth before the end of the final game.

Jury and Protests

Only the team manager may file a protest.

Protests must be submitted in writing to the tournament jury within 15 minutes after the game ends or after the incident in question.

The protest fee is €200, which will be refunded if the protest is upheld.

The jury consists of the Tournament Director, a division/venue manager, and one appointed referee representative. The jury may also consult referees and/or teams involved.

A unanimous decision is required to uphold a protest.
The jury is not obligated to explain its decisions.

Liability

Tournament organizers are not responsible for any injuries or damages incurred by participating teams.

All players, coaches, and actively involved team staff must have valid licenses and insurance.

General Conduct

Kiekko-Espoo players are committed to fair play rules, including respectful behavior and respect for others.

We expect the same from participating teams and their supporters.

The Tournament Director has the right, after a warning, to remove any player, team official, or supporter behaving inappropriately from the tournament area.

Results Service and Team Rosters

Tournament results are managed electronically via www.gameresultsonline.com, where schedules, teams, and live results are available.

Each team must submit their roster to the organizers in advance according to given instructions.

Any roster changes must be made at the tournament office no later than 30 minutes before the game.

Teams must also provide details of the head coach, team manager, and equipment manager in the tournament system, and submit the same contact details (email and phone number) to the tournament office before the tournament begins.