International Silver Stick
Newmarket Finals
Tournament Rules 2025
1) All Teams must register in the arena Tournament Office one (1) hour prior to each game. Should the ‘game schedule’ be ahead of time, teams are to be ready to go on up to fifteen (15) minutes early. Late teams may forfeit warm-up time or game (see rule 10). Only the most recent ‘web-published’ first game time/place is confirmed. The remainder will be confirmed upon arena registration at the first game. This Tournament uses electronic game sheets. All staff members must come to the arena Tournament Office prior to the game to sign the iPad. Instructions to access the game sheets after the game will be provided.
2) Any player or team official suspended during a Regional Qualifying Tournament (RQT) may be disqualified or suspended from participating in the Finals Tournament by a decision of the Final Tournament Committee. Teams advancing from RQT’s receive invitation on the recommendations of the Qualifier Tournament Director. No Tier 1 (USA) team shall participate and in Canada AA and below are eligible to advance from the RQT’s to this Final. All teams must be ‘minor aged’ as defined by their sanctioning body.
3) All players (to a maximum of 21) including goaltenders, may be signed to the roster entry form. Approved Hockey Canada or USA HOCKEY current Official Team Rosters must be submitted prior to the first game of the tournament. All teams must provide a valid permission from their local association. Out-of-Branch (non-OMHA) must provide a valid travel permit from their home associations before taking to the ice. Non-OMHA teams may be reclassified by level by the Tournament Committee. (see rule 4)
4) The Tournament Committee reserves the right to make all decisions regarding certifications, interpretation(s) of rules, classifications, scheduling objections, suspensions and protests or any aspect of the tournament. All decisions will be final.
5) This is an OMHA Sanctioned tournament. As such, Hockey Canada, OHF and OMHA rules, suspensions and permits will govern all games. Uniform, equipment and staffing regulations will be governed by a team’s home ruling authority notwithstanding rule 4. Teams agree to ‘share’ trainers during games, if required and/or requested.
6) Any participant using foul or abusive language, as judged by Tournament Officials, anywhere in tournament venues may be suspended or banned from arenas for the balance of the tournament. Suspensions of teams or team members may be extended to other International Silver Stick Tournaments and subsequent years by a ruling of the International Silver Stick Association at the annual meeting.
7) Where, in the opinion of the Tournament Officials or Referees that sweaters conflict, it will be the responsibility of the team designated as the HOME team to change. The designation of Home and Visitors will be as indicated on the game sheet by Tournament Officials. Note: It is the responsibility of each team to ensure they have an alternate colour of sweater. The HOME team will in all cases wear the light-coloured sweater.
8) Teams will be scheduled to play a minimum of 4-games. All periods will be stop time. A flood will be done at the beginning of each game. All U10 games will be 12-12-12 minutes. All U12 and U14 games will be 12-12-15 minutes. U16 games will be 12-15-15 minutes. With the exception of the U16 divisions, the top two point getting teams from each division will advance to the Playoffs. See rule 11 for tie-breaking. No timeouts can be called during round-robin play however, 1 30-second timeout is available to each team during playoff games. For the U16 divisions the 1st place team in each division will advance to the semi-finals along with 1 wild-card team. The wild-card team will be determined by the team with the highest accumulated points after round-robin play. In the event of a tie then see rule 11 for the tiebreaker. Once all 4 teams are identified then they will be seeded based on the tiebreaking scenario. The semi-final matchups may differ from how it is represented on the website schedule placeholder.
9) Point structure for games is as follows: Win=2 pts.; Tie=1 pt; Loss=0 pts
10) Any team failing to appear for a game at the appointed time may forfeit the game and may face suspensions. Two (2) points will be awarded to the non-defaulting team and the score will be registered as a 1-0 victory.
11) In the case of a tie in points between two or more teams after the preliminary round, the tie will be broken as follows:
a. The result of head-to-head play, if ONLY two teams are tied.
b. Total goals FOR divided by the SUM of the total goals FOR and AGAINST. The highest percentage moves forward.
c. If they played each other, the team scoring the first goal in that game would advance.
d. If they played each other, the team with the least number of penalty minutes in that game will advance.
e. If the teams did not play each other and/or are still tied then the order of finish, highest to lowest will be determined by: (i) the total goals FOR in the first periods of round-robin play (ii)the total goals FOR in the first two periods of round-robin play.
f. Champions from Regional Qualifying Tournaments will advance over Finalists (invitees).
g. Tournament Committee Decision (coin toss or card draw or best 3 out of 5 – rock/paper/scissors between Team Managers)
12) Playoff Game Tie Breakers:
There will be no change of ends after regulation time has expired. Penalties and suspensions carry over to all subsequent overtime periods. Goaltenders can be pulled to allow for an extra attacking player.
a. Overtime will be 3-on-3 skaters in period lengths of 10 minutes until a winner is declared (SUDDEN VICTORY)
b. Penalties: The Offending team will place a player in the penalty box but continue with 3 skaters. Non-offending team will add 1 skater (power play – 4-on-3). Once the penalty expires the offending player will return to the ice and 4-on-4 play will continue until the next stoppage, at which time it will revert back to 3-on-3 play.
13) Fighting: Automatic ejection for the duration of the tournament.
14) Match Penalties: Automatic ejection for the duration of the tournament.
15) Major Penalties: Any player or team official receiving TWO (2) Major penalties of any type shall be ejected for the duration of the tournament.
16) Travesty of the Game: Any player, team official or parent found to be making a travesty of the game shall be expelled from further tournament participation.
17) Abuse: Any player, team official or parent found to be abusive toward ANY TOURNAMENT OFFICIAL, will be expelled from further tournament participation.
18) Game Ejection: Any player or team official ejected from a game for any reason shall remain in the dressing room for the duration of the game. Failure to do so, will result in expulsion from further tournament play.
19) Parents: Any parent that is ejected from the arena during the tournament MUST LEAVE IMMEDIATELY and shall not be allowed to participate as a spectator for the duration of the tournament. Should the parent(s) refuse to leave in a timely fashion, the game shall be forfeited. Team officials ARE required to supply the name of any parent(s) ejected to the Tournament Officials. Failure to do so, shall result in the immediate withdrawal of the team from tournament play.
20) The use of mouth guards and neck guards are dictated by the team’s home centre policies regarding equipment.
21) The Mercy rule is in affect for all non-elimination games: The time clock will go to running time for the duration of the game should any team gain a 5-goal advantage in the 3rd period. During running time, minor penalties will be 3-minutes and majors will be 7 minutes and misconducts will be 12 minutes. It will go back to stop time with ‘regular’ penalty lengths, if the gap in score becomes 3.