Tournament Rules

Tournament Sanction Number
2025-2026-3156

MUSIC (New for 2025)

The Home Team for each game is responsible for providing a designated individual to run music during the game. This person can be a family member, team manager, or other team representative and may operate the music wirelessly from their seat.

The tournament will provide two options for playing music:

  • Option 1: Use the tournament-supplied pre-loaded MP3 players, which connect wirelessly to the arena’s Bluetooth system.
  • Option 2: Use a personal smartphone to connect to the arena’s Bluetooth system and play one of the tournament-approved online playlists.

All music must be family-friendly. Music containing profanity, offensive language, or inappropriate content is strictly prohibited. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to immediately stop any music that violates this rule.

The designated music operator must ensure that music does not interfere with on-ice officials, team communications, or game play.

The designated music operator must check in with the Tournament Ambassador at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the game to receive instructions and any necessary equipment. All equipment must be returned to the Tournament Ambassador immediately following the game.

    TOURNAMENT FORMAT
    The tournament will guarantee each team a minimum of 4 games.

    Each game will consist of three 20-minute stop time periods with a full ice clean after each period; this includes a 5-minute warm-up. Where time dictates, the referee and tournament committee may eliminate the ice cleans. Play will then recommence after a two-minute rest period.

    The Home Team will be the first team listed on the schedule. The Home Team will be required to wear DARK coloured jerseys and will be responsible to change sweaters if there is colour conflict while wear LIGHT jerseys.

    Format Details
    Flight 1 Division (8 Teams) 4 Round Robin Games, Semi Finals, Finals.

    Top two teams for each pool after the round robin make the Semi Finals. Teams seeded 3rd and teams seeded 4th will play against the team with the same seeding following the round robin in a consolation game.

    Pool A (Flight 1)Pool B (Flight 1)
    Team 1Team 5
    Team 2Team 6
    Team 3Team 7
    Team 4Team 8

    Tied games at the end of regulation in round robin play, will remain tied. Three points will be awarded for a win, one point for tie and no points for a loss.

    Flight 2 Division (8 Teams) 4 Round Robin Games, Semi Finals, Finals.

    Top two teams for each pool after the round robin make the Semi Finals. Teams seeded 3rd and teams seeded 4th will play against the team with same seeding following the round robin in a consolation game.

    Pool A (Flight 2)Pool B (Flight 2)
    Team 1Team 5
    Team 2Team 6
    Team 3Team 7
    Team 4Team 8

    Tied games at the end of regulation in round robin play, will remain tied. Three points will be awarded for a win, one point for a tie and no points for a loss.

    Tie Breaker:
    Once the first seeded team is identified in the 3 or more-team time breaker, the process begins back at the two-team format and is repeated until all ties are resolved.

    Example: 3 teams are tied. We use the 3-team tie break format to identity the top team . After that, the remaining 2 teams go back to the 2-team tie break format for their placing.

    When 2 teams are tied:

    1. Head-to-Head record
    2. Team with the greatest number of wins
    3. Team with fewest goals against
    4. Team with most goals
    5. Team with the least amount of penalty minutes
    6. Coin Toss

    When 3 or more teams are tied: This format will be used until the top team is determined and then the process will begin from the first step, continuing until only two teams are remaining, at such time shall revert to the 2 teams are tied process.

    1. Team with the greatest number of wins
    2. Team with fewest goals against
    3. Team with most goals
    4. Team with the least amount of penalty minutes
    5. Coin Toss

    TOURNAMENT RULES

    1.   Follow the current PCAHA, BC Hockey and Hockey Canada Rulebooks.
    2.  All players must wear BCH approved helmets, with face masks securely attached and chinstraps, properly fastened under the chin.
    3. All teams must wear all approved equipment that is required by their own provincial / state governing hockey body.
    4. Each team must provide the tournament committee with an official team roster prior to the start of the tournament HC or U.S. equivalent registration cards for all roster players and must be available for review by the Tournament Committee at any time. The team roster shall be comprised of no more than 21 Skaters and 3 Goalies, which includes affiliated players (with registration cards). The roster is frozen once the tournament starts.
    5. The referee(s) and linesperson will be appointed to officiate each game by the referee-in-chief / Assignor.

    Tournament Committee

    1. Disciplinary rulings shall apply for the duration of the tournament. A written report of any disciplinary ruling by the Tournament Committee will be sent to the appropriate governing body as required.
    2. Coaches and Managers are responsible to ensure that any suspensions are appropriately served by their team members. At a minimum, BC Hockey minimum suspension guidelines will be followed.
    3. Coaches and Managers are responsible for the behaviour of their team and supporters. Inappropriate behaviour shall be subject to disciplinary action by the Tournament Committee.
    4. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to alter game times and locations as circumstances warrant. Team managers will be advised of changes. Team must be ready to play at appointed times.

    MERCY RULE
    If after the second period of play, during any game in the tournament, a five-goal differential occurs, the clock will be set to running time following the subsequent face-off. Should the differential become less than five goals, the clock will revert to stop time when the goal is scored. The penalties during running time will be the same length as in stop time.

    TIMEOUTS

    • One thirty (30) second time out will be allowed for each team during a tournament game.
    • Timeouts cannot be used when the Mercy Rule is in effect.

    PLAYOFF GAME OVERTIME FORMAT
    If a playoff game ends in a tie during regulation time, the following overtime format will take place:

    Teams will not change ends, after a 2-minute break team will play a 5 minute (3-on-3) stopped me overtime period. The game shall be concluded on a sudden death victory goal.

    If no goal is scored during the 5-minute overtime the game shall be decided via an NHL style shootout. Each team shall select 3 different players to participate in the initial stage of the shootout. The team scoring the most goals after the first 3 shooters of each team have gone will be declared the winner. If the teams are tied after the first three shooters one at a me until one team scores and the other team doesn’t allow a goal.

    Shootout Eligibility:
    Only active players on the roster can participate in the shootout, injured players whether previously listed on the roster or for injuries occurring during that game are exempt. Players serving suspensions, or serving penalty me for major penalties, misconducts or game misconducts are ineligible to participate in the shootout. Players serving minor penalties at the end of overtime are eligible to participate in the shootout.

    Overtime periods are considered as part of the whole game. Penalties will carry over into overtime periods. If a team declines to play in a necessary, overtime period that game shall be declared a loss for that team.

    ***Where time constraints dictate the referee, and the tournament committee may eliminate the 5-minute overtime period and proceed straight to the shootout at the end of regulation time.

    CHAMPIONSHIP GAME OVERTIME FORMAT
    In the event of a tie in the Championship game at the end of regulation time, the teams will not change ends and after a 2-minute break, will play a 5minute sudden-death 3-on-3 overtime period. All play will be “stopped time”. If the game is still end after the overtime period, the above shootout format will determine the tournament champion.

    PLAYOFF ROUNDS SHOOTOUT RULES
    During the playoff rounds, if the game remains ed at the end for the 5-minute overtime period (or 10-minute overtime period in the Championship game), the teams will proceed in a shootout. The rules governing the shootout shall be the same as those for a penalty shot.

    The teams will not change ends for the shootout. The visiting team will shoot first. The teams shall alternate shots. Teams shall remain on their respective benches except for the goalies and the player currently taking their shot.

    Three players from each team shall participate in the shootout and they shall proceed in such order as the coach selects. (see shoutout eligibility above)

    Once the shootout begins; the goalkeeper cannot be replaced unless he is injured. No warm up shall be permitted for a substitute goalkeeper. Each team will be given three shots unless the outcome is determined earlier in the shootout. After each team has taken three shots, if the score remains tied, the shootout will proceed to a “sudden death” format. No player may shoot twice until everyone who is eligible has shot.

    PROTESTS
    Any protest must be made verbally to the Tournament Office within 15 minutes after the game in question has ended.

    A written account of the protest along with a $200.00 cash protest fee must be submitted to the Tournament Office within one hour after the game has ended.

    The Tournament Committee will act on the written account as soon as they believe all facts are available. All rulings made by the Tournament Committee WILL BE FINAL. If a protest is rejected, the ensure protest fee will be forfeited. No protests will be allowed on judgement cals make by on-ice officials.