GSHC Tournament Rules – 2017
1) Home & Visiting Teams: Home team will wear white or light color jerseys and visiting team will
wear dark jerseys.
2) Round Robin Play: Teams will be awarded 3 points for a win, 2 points for a shootout win, 1point
for a shootout loss and 0 points for a loss.
3) Dressing Rooms: Dressing room assignments will be posted each day on the Main board. A key
to the dressing room must be obtained from the arena office prior to each game.Any damage to the
room will be charged to that team (if you see any damage when you first enter your room please
contact the arena attendant or tournament office immediately) . The tournament committee would
appreciate if all dressing rooms were clean and free of debris. The tournament is not responsible for
lost, damaged or stolen property.
4) Game Lengths:

U10 - All round robin games consist of three 15-minute stop time periods.

U14 and all Playoff games – consist of 20-minute stop time periods

Teams will be allowed a 5- m i n u t e warm-up. Warm-up pucks will be provided. In the case
that a game is running too long due to penalties or any other reason the tournament
committee reserves the right to adjust the playing time and ice cleaning schedule of any
game.
5) Ice Floods: Ice will be flooded every two periods during play. If games are running behind
sc hedule, games will be played without an ice resurface. The tournament committee will make the
final decision. When there is no flooding between periods, each team will be given a 1-minute break.
For games that are starting with no flood, teams should be ready to begin their warm-up
immediately following the preceding game.
6) Mercy Rule: run time will apply when there is a 5 goal difference at any point during the 2nd or 3rd
period. If the lead is decreased to a 4 goal difference, the game will return to stop time.
7) Referees:

U10 - The two-man system will be used for referees

U14 – The three-man system will be used for referees

The referee's decisions are final in all matters pertaining to rule interpretations, assessment of
penalties and awarding of goals and assists .
8) Penalties:


During stop time: minor is two (2) minutes/ major is five (5) minutes/misconduct is ten (10
minutes).
During straight time: minor is three (3) minutes from the drop of the puck, major is seven (7)
minutes from the drop of the puck, misconduct is fifteen (15) minutes from the drop of the
puck.

Time Keeper will use their discretion for penalties during straight time. The clock will not be
stopped during straight time while the referee deals with any penalties.


If coincidental penalties are called, neither team will skate short-handed.
Any player assessed a five (5) minute major penalty will also receive a game misconduct
penalty. If the game misconduct is assessed in the last ten (10) minutes of the game or
overtime, that player may be subject to a further sanction from the tournament committee
before the next scheduled game. All match penalties, major penalties for checking from
behind and checking to the head and gross misconducts may also be subject to further
sanction from the tournament committee before the next scheduled game. Additional
sanctions could include one or more game suspensions.
9) Specific Game Rules: No stick measurements at any time. Regular icing rules will apply with the
no touch rule in effect. There will be no red line for offside passes. No body checking allowed.
Home team has the right of last line change. Slap shots are allowed.
10) Team Roster: Team rosters must be final before the start of the first game. No changes can be
made after this point. Anybody who is on the bench (Coaches/Manager/Trainers) m u s t be listed on
the game sheet. Players will not be allowed to be on more than 1 team roster except as permitted by
the tournament committee. Copies of birth certificates for all players must be carried with the team
and be available for inspection upon request. Player's date of birth must fall within the level of the
tournament they are registered or be playing up a level (i.e. 2004 birth year player playing in the U14
division).
11) Start of Game: All games will start at the posted time. Teams must be prepared to play 15 minutes
prior to scheduled start time. Teams will be penalized one (1) goal for every five (5) minutes of
tardiness, to a maximum of three (3) goals. Lost time will be deducted from playing time.
12) Equipment: Helmets, full-face masks and throat protectors are mandatory for all players. Players
not conforming to these standards will not be allowed to play until the required equipment is in place.
Alternate goalies are required to wear protection (including mask) while the game is in progress.
13) Injured player: In the case of an injured goalie, the tournament committee has the right to find
that team a back-up goalie of the same birth year. No roster substitutions will be allowed for any
forwards or defensemen in the case of injury or suspension.
14) Playoff Format: Format will be adjusted to reflect the number of teams in each division. The
seeding of teams will be based on where they ended up after round robin play.
15) Overtime/Shootout: If the game is tied at the end of regulation time, there will be a 5 min 3 on 3 sudden
death period. If still tied, there will be a 3-player shootout. Each team will pick 3 players. The visiting
team will shoot first and alternates to home team until all 3 players have taken their turn. If a winner is
not declared, then each team will choose one player at a time to shoot until a player scores at the
end of the rotation. This will continue until a winner is declared. Players will not be allowed to shoot
more than once until each player on the roster (excluding goalies) has shot.
16) Tie in Standings - Pool Play: To determine the team standings in the event of a tie, the
following criteria shall be used:
a)
Two Teams Tied:
i.
Head to head game winner receives higher seed.
ii.
If still tied, the team with the best win record receives higher seed.
iii.
If the two teams are still tied after i) and ii) have been applied, then the team with the
best goal average receives higher seed. The goal average of a team is to be
determined in the following manner: Total number of goals for divided by the total
number of goals for and against. NOTE: All games are included. NOTE: A maximum of
seven (7) goal difference per game will be used in the calculation of the game ratio.
This will be calculated from the actual "goals for" of the losing team in the particular
game. Example: total goals for = 10/total goals for + total goals for and against = 14
{10+4)/ 14 divided by 10 = .714 NOTE: The highest percentage gains the highest position
iv.
If the two teams are still tied after i), ii) and iii) have been applied, the team with the
least number of minutes in penalties throughout all games receives higher seed.
v.
If the two teams are still tied after i), ii), iii) and iv) have been applied, a single coin toss
will determine which team receives higher seed.
b)
Three or More Teams Tied:
NOTE: The three-team tiebreaker is used to determine the seeding of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd seed of the
tied teams. If any step in the tiebreaker only seeds one team, that team assumes that position. The
Three- team tiebreaker will continue to determine the seeding of the two remaining teams. At no
time will teams using this formula go back to the two-team tiebreaker. If three teams or more are
tied, the point record established in the games among the tied teams only will be used as the first
tie breaking formula in deciding which team(s) shall advance.
i.
The team with the most wins (among tied teams) would gain the highest position.
ii.
If teams are still tied after i) has been applied, then the team with the best goal average
gains the highest position. Example: total goals for = 10/total goals for + total goals for
and against = 14 (10+4)/ 14 divided by 10 = .714
NOTE:

All games are included.

A maximum of seven (7) goal difference per game will be used in the
calculation of the game ratio. This will be calculated from the actual "goals for"
of the losing team in the particular game.

The highest percentage gains the highest position(s)

The exercise of ii) establishes the team or teams with the highest position(s) by
percentage. These team(s) will advance. If there are still teams tied, they go to
the next step. They do not go back to the "Two Team Tiebreaker".
Example 1:

Team A - .714 = 1 seed - Advances

Team B - .500 = 3 seed - Does Not Advance

Team C - .650 = 2 seed - Advances
Example 2:
 Team A - .714 = 1 seed

Team B - .500 = Still Tied with Team C - go to next step

Team C - .500 = Still Tied with Team B - got to next step
Example 3:
iii.

Team A - .650 = Still tied with Team B - go to next step

Team B - .650 = Still tied with Team A - go to next step

Team C - .500 = Does not advance.
If teams are still tied after i) and ii), the team with the fewest goals against (all games
played) will gain the highest position
iv.
If teams are still tied after i), ii), iii), the team with the most goals for (all games played)
will gain the highest position
v.
If teams are still tied after i), ii), iii) and iv), have been applied, the team to qualify would
be the team that received the least number of minutes in penalties throughout all games
played
vi.
If teams are still tied after i), ii), iii), iv) and v) have been applied, a coin toss shall
determine the winner. In a 3 team coin toss, the odd team gains the highest position
17) Time Out: Each team will be allowed one (1) 30 second time-out per game. Should an injury
occur when the mercy rule is in effect, the clock will stop only at the direction of the referee and
timekeeper.
18) Team Insurance: Each team will need to arrange their own team insurance. The tournament has
its own coverage.
19) Protests: Protests will only be allowed when the eligibility of player is in question in the
circumstance of playing in an age division where she is too old. A player in violation of this rule will
result in the player being disqualified from the remainder of the tournament. The team in violation of
this rule will have all their games that resulted in a win or tie reduced to a loss of 1-0 and all their
points in the standings will be reduced to 0. Team affected who lost or tied against the team in
violation will receive an official score of 1-0 and receive 3 points. Under no circumstances will
protests be allowed after the round robin portion of the tournament is over. All other protests will not
be allowed.
20) Tournament Photographer: will be allowed on the bench during game play.
21) ALL DECISIONS OF THE TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE ARE FINAL. ANY ISSUE NOT ADDRESSED BY
THESE RULES WILL BE DETERMINED IN THE SOLE DISCRETION OF THE TOURNAMENT COMMITIEE.