2015 EASTERN REGIONAL SILVER STICK TOURNAMENT PLAYING RULES AND PROCEDURES
The Eastern Regional Silver Stick Tournament is sanctioned by USA HOCKEY and the INTERNATIONAL SILVER STICK HOCKEY ASSOCIATION, INC. The tournament will be conducted under the rules of those governing bodies, with the exceptions as described herein.
CREDENTIALS
All teams must be properly registered with USA HOCKEY. Either the Team Manager or the Head Coach must submit a copy of your current USA HOCKEY Team Roster Registration Form 1-T that has been approved/signed by your District Registrar prior to your first game of tournament play.
GAME PROCEDURES
Teams are required to be on the ice at the listed game time, or they will be charged with a forfeit. Each team must be prepared to play 15 minutes prior to their scheduled game, in case the tournament is running ahead of schedule. You will be notified by the tournament marshals at the rink if your game will be starting earlier.
Warm-up time before each game will consist of three (3) minutes for all age levels. The warm-up time will commence when the Zamboni has left the ice surface, the gates are closed, and the referees are on the ice. No team is to take the ice without a referee's approval. Violation of this will result in a 2 minute delay of game penalty.
Game duration and time definitions:
| LEVEL |
MAX. GAME DURATION |
PERIOD LENGTH |
MINOR PENALTY |
MISCONDUCT |
| Squirt |
65 Minutes |
12 / 12 / 12 |
1 ½ min. |
8 min. |
| PW / Bantam / Midget |
75 Minutes |
10 / 15 / 15 |
2 min. |
10 min. |
** Please note all periods are stop time
Players Bench: Only team players and a maximum of four (4) team officials will be permitted in the player’s bench area
Each team will designate one (1) player as Team Captain. The on-ice officials will communicate, when necessary, exclusively with designated Team Captain or Head Coach. Extensive delays caused by coaches and/or players will result in a minor penalty for delay.
If one team is leading the other by six (6) goals during the third period, the game clock will go to running time, until such time when the lead is less than six (6) goals. The only exceptions to the running time procedures will be during injuries, assessment of penalties, and when a goal is scored. Running time in these situations will resume with the ensuing face-off.
Off-ice officiating (time clock) will be done by HCYHC approved personnel only. The Home team will supply an off ice official for scorekeeping if determined by HCYHC. Each team must provide their own penalty box coverage
PENALTIES
All Minor penalties at the Mite and Squirt age levels will be 1 ½ minutes in duration. Major penalties will be four (4) minutes in duration while Misconduct penalties will be eight (8) minutes long. At the Peewee, Bantam and Midget age levels all Minor penalties will be two (2) minutes in length. Major penalties will be five (5) minutes and Misconduct penalties will be ten (10) minutes in length.
Any player or coach removed from any game by the referee for a Game Misconduct penalty shall not be permitted to participate in that team’s very next game and must have a meeting with the Tournament Discipline Committee prior to their next scheduled game.
When a Match or Gross Misconduct penalty is assessed, the incident shall be reported immediately to the Tournament Discipline Committee. The player shall be suspended for the remainder of the tournament. Those suspensions shall be reported to the USA HOCKEY DISTRICT and the home league of the player or team official
ZERO TOLERANCE - FAN BEHAVIOR
Profanity or excessive taunting will not be tolerated from players, team officials, parents or fans. Players and team officials will be assessed penalties in accordance with USA HOCKEY’S ZERO TOLERANCE philosophy. Spectators guilty of the above will be asked to leave the facility.
ARTIFICIAL NOISE MAKERS
The use of artificial noisemakers such as air horns, cowbells and coin-filled bottles is strictly prohibited during Silver Stick games. This rule will be enforced by the tournament staff.
NO PROTESTS
No protests will be permitted under any circumstances. The decision of the Tournament Director is final in all cases.
GAME OFFICIALS
All on ice officials are USA HOCKEY registered. A two man system will be used in all games. The Tournament Director has the option to utilize a three man system for Midget games (one referee – two linesman) .
UNIFORM COLORS
The home team (as randomly selected by the Tournament Committee) will have the first choice as to color of jerseys it will wear.
LOCKER ROOMS
Locker room assignment will be posted at the front of the rink and at the check-in table. A team official must be present before players will be allowed access to the locker room. Locker rooms must be cleaned of all tape and other articles prior to the team vacating the locker room. A trash receptacle is located in each room. PLAYERS MUST DRESS IN THEIR ASSIGNED LOCKER ROOM.
MEMENTO EXCHANGES
Off ice exchanges of small mementos between competing teams are encouraged but not required.
CHAMPIONSHIP DETERMINATION
Tournament results are posted at each rink on an ongoing basis throughout the duration of the tournament. Tournament Divisional standings will be decided on a point system. Points will be awarded on the basis of the following:
- 2 points for each game won
- 1 point for each game tied
- 0 points for each game lost
Forfeitures: The winning team will be awarded two (2) points. A forfeited game will not be used as a determining factor in a tie-breaking situation.
PLAYOFFS
In divisions with 4 teams or less, there will be 2 semi-final games and the winners of the two semi-final games will then meet in the championship game.
In divisions with 5 to 12 teams, the top 4 teams in that division move on to the playoff round. The # 1 seed will face the # 4 seed in one semi-final and the # 2 seed will face the # 3 seed in the other semi-final. The winners of the two semi-final games will then meet in the championship game for that division.
In divisions with 13 teams or more, the top 8 teams in that division move on to the playoff round. The # 1 seed will face the # 8 seed in one quarter-final, the # 2 seed will face the # 7 seed in another quarter final, the # 3 seed will face the # 6 seed in another quarter final, and the # 4 seed will face the # 5 seed in the other quarter final. The winners will move on with the highest seeded remaining team facing the lowest seeded remaining team in one semi-final, and the other two teams facing each other in the other quarter final. The winners of the two semi-final games will then meet in the championship game for that division.
TIEBREAKERS
If two or more teams in a division have an equal number of points, their position in the standings will be determined by:
* Winner of head-to-head between tied teams (only if two teams are tied)
* Fewest total goals allowed in tournament play
* Lowest total penalty minute total in tournament play
* Coin Flip
QUARTER-FINAL, SEMI-FINAL AND CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
Should a tournament quarter-final, semi-final or championship game result in a tie at the end of regulation time, a five (5) minute sudden death overtime period shall be played. That five minute sudden death overtime period will be played 3 vs. 3. If a penalty occurs during the overtime, it will go to a 4 vs. 3 format. If the same team takes two penalties, it will go to a 5 vs. 3 format. If after the overtime the game is still tied, a five (5) player shootout will be held. Before the shootout, each Head Coach will give the referee a list of the five (5) shooters, listed in the order of taking the shot. A coin toss will determine which team will shoot first. The team that wins the coin toss may elect to shoot first or shoot second. In the case of a tie following this shootout, a sudden death shootout will then take place. Each team will again present a list of 5 different shooters than those that competed in the first round of the shootout. That process continues if necessary until all players are used in the shootout, before any player can shoot again.
WITHDRAWALS
If a team withdraws prior to the start of and/or during the Tournament, it will be up to the discretion of the Tournament Directors as to how to reformat the schedule to insure a three game minimum for the remaining participating teams in that age bracket. Entry fees for any team which withdraws will not be refunded.
FINAL DECISIONS
In all cases, the decision of the Tournament Director (or attending rink Tournament Marshal) is final.