TOURNAMENT RULES
1. Game Rules. All USA Hockey rules shall apply. In addition, fighting is not allowed in Silver Stick competition. Any player or team official engaged in a fight will be assessed the appropriate USA Hockey penalties and SUSPENDED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TOURNAMENT. Any player or team official who is assessed a match penalty will also be suspended for the remainder of the tournament.
2. Score Sheet. Each team is required to have one of its officials complete the game score sheet no later than fifteen (15) minutes prior to the designated game start time. Each team is asked to bring 3 stickers for each game sheet with their players roster.
3. Game Format. Squirt games shall consist of 3 twelve (12) minute stop time periods (12- 12-12). Peewee games shall consist of three stop time periods (12-12-15). All Bantam games shall consist of three stop time periods (13-13-15). All Midget games shall consist of three Fifteen (15) minute stop time periods (15-15-15). All games shall begin immediately upon completion of a three (3) minute warm-up. There is no overtime in round robin play.
4. Game Start Time. All teams must be prepared and available to play fifteen (15) minutes before their scheduled game time.
5. Forfeit. If a team fails to appear for a game as scheduled that team shall be considered the loser of that game by a 3 to 0 score. The Tournament Director retains the right to reschedule the game or any games in his/her discretion.
6. Mercy Rule. If five (5) or more goals separate the teams at the end of the second period, or at any time in the third period, running time shall commence. If the losing team comes within two (2) goals stop time will resume for the remainder of the game. Five (5) goals is the maximum differential allowed for purposes of calculating the goals for/goals against (plus-minus) for each game.
7. Quarter Finals: In the event of a tie score at the end of regulation in a quarter finals game, teams will play one five (5) minute sudden-death overtime period of 3-on-3 hockey. Teams will defend the opposite side of bench. If a penalty is assessed during the 3 on 3 overtime the team that was not penalized will be awarded an additional skater and the penalized player will go to the penalty box. Following the first whistle after the expiration of the penalty the player can leave the box and both teams will resume playing 3 on 3. If at the end of the five minute overtime the game is still tied, a shootout will decide the winner. Shootout will begin with three (3) designated shooters from each team. If still tied after first round of shootout, it now becomes a “SUDDEN DEATH” shootout. A sudden death shootout is defined as each team attempting a shot. Should one team score and the other team not score, the team that scored wins the shootout. A team may not repeat shooters until all skaters are used. Home team shoots first. Players in the penalty box at the end of overtime cannot shoot during the shoot out.
8. Semi-Final and Championship games. All semi-final and championship games are played to a winner. In the event of a tie a five (5) minute 4 on 4 overtime will commence. If tied after the first overtime a series of five (5) minute 3 on 3 overtime periods will continue until there is a winner. Teams will defend the opposite side of bench (3 on 3 overtime only). If a penalty is assessed during the 3 on 3 overtime the team that was not penalized will be awarded an additional skater and the penalized player will go to the penalty box. Following the first whistle after the expiration of the penalty the player can leave the box and both teams will resume playing 3 on 3
9. Handshake. Players and coaches will shake hands after each game at center ice.
10. Jerseys. The home team shall wear a white or predominantly light colored jersey. In the event of a conflict the team that is unable to comply with this rule shall advise an on-site tournament official no later than thirty (30) minutes prior to game time.
11. Resurfacing. Flooding of the ice shall occur prior to each game and, at the discretion of the referee or Tournament Director.
12. Time outs. There are no timeouts during round robin play and quarter finals. Each team will be allowed a single one (1) minute timeout during semi-final and championship games regardless of the duration of the game.
13. Credentials. All teams and players must be properly registered with MAHA and USA Hockey. A stamped copy of the team roster(s) must be received by the Tournament Director prior to the start of the first game for each team. A team official must be prepared to present their team’s credentials at any time during the tournament.
14. Protests. There shall be no protests. All Tournament Rules are to be interpreted and enforced by the Tournament Director in his/her sole discretion. All rulings by tournament officials are final.
15. Tie Breaking Rules to Determine Standings. If two or more teams have an equal number of points, their positions in the standings shall be determined by the following tie-breaking format. If one tie-breaker establishes a position for one or more teams, each team is placed in the applicable position. Once a team is placed, the remaining teams shall start the tie breaking process over again at step 1. (If all tied teams have not played each other than proceed to step 2. Note: a team may go into the tiebreaking process having defeated another of the tied teams and still not advance).
The tie-breakers are as follows: 1. The results of the head-to-head games played between the tied teams in the following order: a. Standings – Most points (2 points for a win; 1 point for a tie; 0 points for a loss). b. Differential (plus/minus) – Subtracting the total number of goals scored against from the total number of goals scored in the round robin games, the positions being determined in order of the greatest surplus. The maximum differential for each game shall be five (5) goals. c. Quotient – Dividing the goals scored in the round robin games by the goals scored against, the positions being determined in order of the greatest quotient. A quotient involving dividing by zero (0) has higher standing than a quotient from dividing by any number other than zero (0). Where two or more teams have no goals against and the quotient tie-breaker is required, the teams shall be ranked high to low in descending order of “goals for”. The maximum differential for each game shall be five (5) goals. d. Fewest penalty minutes – The team with the least amount of penalty minutes acquired during round robin play shall advance. All penalties will count towards the total penalty minutes, including misconduct penalties which shall count as 10 minutes each. e. Quickest first goal – The team that scored the quickest goal in their round robin games shall be ranked highest. The time shall be calculated from the start of that team’s first game until its first goal of the tournament was scored. 2. If after applying the formulas of 1(a)-(e) the tie still exists or if all the tied teams have not played each other than the tie-breaker formula shall be the results of all the games played by the teams tied in the following order: a. Standings – Most points (2 points for a win; 1 point for a tie; 0 points for a loss). b. Differential (plus/minus) – Subtracting the total number of goals scored against from the total number of goals scored in these games, the positions being determined in order of the greatest surplus. The maximum differential for each game shall be five (5) goals. c. Quotient – Dividing the goals scored in these games by the goals scored against, the positions being determined in order of the greatest quotient. A quotient involving dividing by zero (0) has higher standing than a quotient from dividing by any number other than zero (0). Where two or more teams have no goals against and the quotient tie-breaker is required, the teams shall be ranked high to low in descending order of “goals for”. The maximum differential for each game shall be five (5) goals. d. Fewest penalty minutes – The team with the least amount of penalty minutes acquired during round robin play shall advance. All penalties will count towards the total penalty minutes, including misconduct penalties which shall count as 10 minutes each. e. Quickest first goal – The team that scored the quickest goal in their round robin games shall be ranked highest. The time shall be calculated from the start of that team’s first game until its first goal of the tournament was scored.