Tournament Rules

THIS IS A NO-CHECKING TOURNAMENT

  1. Specific Kansas City Ice Hockey Tournament Rules and Regulations are outline below.  If a situation arises that is not covered by these Tournament Rules, then USA Hockey Rules and Regulations apply.  All decisions of the Kansas City Ice Hockey Tournament Director are final.
  2. Rosters: Only players (including goaltenders) listed on the official team roster may play in tournament games. Substitute goalies are a case-by-case basis under the Tournament Directors’ discretion. All Players must be registered with USA Hockey.  A player’s name may only appear on one (1) roster in a division. If a player is rostered in more than one (1) division, the two (2) divisions must be adjacent to one another. Any team using a player suspended for any reason will forfeit that game (1-0) and the suspended player will be ejected for the remainder of the tournament. Suspended players may attend tournament games but are not allowed on the player bench area.  Players must play in two (2) round-robin games to be eligible for the championship game.
  3. Misconducts: Any fighting or match penalty will be reviewed by the tournament director and may result in a tournament suspension. Game misconduct penalties will result in a minimum one game suspension.  The Kansas City Ice Hockey Tournament Directors’ decisions are final. All ejections will be reviewed by tournament director and officiating director. Any players requiring to serve a suspension from prior USA Hockey game must complete suspension prior to playing first game, example: if a player incurred a suspension in his last game prior to the tournament this suspension must be served even if they must miss the first game of the tournament. This is USA Hockey’s policy that we must follow. We cannot override it.
  4. Rule 607 Checking from Behind:
    1. A minor plus a misconduct penalty, or a major plus a game misconduct penalty, shall be imposed on any player who body checks or pushes an opponent from behind.  When a player injuries an opponent as the result of “Checking from Behind” the Referee shall have no alternative but to impose a major plus a game misconduct penalty on the offending player. (Note) Checking from behind may also be treated as “Attempt to Injure or Deliberate Injury of an Opponent” under Rule 603.
    2. A major plus a game misconduct penalty shall be imposed on any player who body checks or pushes an opponent from behind head first into the side boards, end boards or goal frame.
  5. USA Hockey compliant helmets (HECC Certified) must be worn at all times during warm-ups, games, handshake line and in the bench area.  The only exception is after championship games, for pictures.
  6. Game Lengths: Tournament games are allotted as follows:  3-12 minute periods;  The scorekeeper will mark the official start time on the score sheet at the start of the warm-up period.
  7. All teams must be ready to begin play fifteen (15) minutes prior to the scheduled start time of each game (with exception of the first game day).  The scorekeeper will begin a warm-up period of three (3) minutes once the Zamboni doors are closed. If a team is not ready to begin at that time, it will be given a one (1) minute grace period.  If a team is not ready to start at the conclusion of the grace period, the game will be forfeited (1-0). Games must begin with 6 players from each team on the ice for the opening faceoff. Otherwise, the game will start at the conclusion of the warm-up period.
  8. ALL PLAYERS SHALL REMAIN OFF THE ICE SURFACE UNTIL THE ZAMBONI DOORS HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY CLOSED AND ON-ICE OFFICIALS ARE PRESENT.  Failure to do so may result in a minor penalty assessment.  With the exception of the tournament finals, all players should exit the ice surface in an expeditious manner after the center ice handshakes.
  9. Warm-up period: Three (3) minutes, there will be a one (1) minute break between each period.  All games will be played to completion.
  10. Run Time: If at any time during the third period the goal differential reaches five (5), the game clock will go to running time and will not stop for any reason other than at the direction of the on-ice officials until the game ends or the goal differential is reduced to less than five (5).  The game clock will not be stopped for goals scored, penalties (except to enter the penalty), serious injury, or any other reason while the “mercy rule” is in effect, unless directed by the on-ice officials.
  11. Time Out: There will be one 1-minute Timeout available to each team during all games.
  12. Tie Games:  For round-robin games:  If the game ends in a tie, each team will be awarded a point.  There is no overtime or shootout in round robin play. Championship shootout guidelines are outlined in item #15.
  13. Points: Will be awarded in the following manner for all games (maximum points awarded for a win will be 2 points regardless of how it is achieved).
    1. 2 points – Win in Regulation
    2. 1 point – Tie in Regulation
    3. 0 points – Loss in Regulation
    4. -1 point –  Major/Game Misconduct (IF tournament Director deems the penalty egregious)  could result in a negative point to the Team.
  14. Tie-Breaker:  If two or more teams are tied in points at the end of round robin play, the following tie-breaker formulas will be used to determine the order of finish (seeding) after bracket play:
    1. Head-to-head record between 2 or more teams with equal points· Teams that do not play “head to head” default to tie breaker b and so on.
    2. Fewest Penalty Minutes
    3. Most Wins
    4. Goal differential (‘Goals for’ minus ‘goals against’; Max 5 goals allotted for each game)
    5. Fewest Goals Allowed
    6. Coin Toss.
  15. PROCEDURES for Championship games only
    If the game remains tied after regulation play the following rules will apply to determine a winner:

    1. There will be a 5 minute Overtime Sudden Death period with 4 skaters per team.
    2. If after 5 minutes the game is still tied, then we will proceed to a 3-man shoot out per team.  If a player is injured or is serving a penalty and unable to participate in the shootout the next eligible player is entitled to participate.  Each team will select three (3) players to participate in the shootout.
    3. If still tied after the 3 players shoot, then it will be one shooter per team until there is a goal difference to determine the Championship. Once a players shoots he/she is no longer eligible to participate until every player on the bench (excluding goaltenders, players serving penalties, or players that are injured) have participated at least once.
    4. Players will start at center ice and will begin play at the direction of the referee.  Goalkeepers must remain in their crease until the shooting player has started play by touching the puck.
    5. Players are allowed one shot/shooting attempt only.
    6. Player(s) serving a penalty are not eligible to participate in the shootout.
  16. The Kansas City Ice Hockey Hockey Director shall be responsible for resolving all inquiries or disputes regarding off-ice rule application or interpretation, player eligibility, disciplinary action and any other procedural disputes.  He/she will not overturn any dispute concerning rules and/or the judgment applied by on-ice officials.  All decisions of the Kansas City Ice Hockey Tournament Director are final.
  17. Payments:  All payments are final and non-refundable.  You are reserving one or more slots in our tournament for your sole use.  When you reserve a slot we are unable to sell it to anyone else.  The tournament has a fixed number of slots.  If you reserve a slot with a deposit and do not pay the remaining balance by the tournament final payment deadline you forfeit your deposit and give up your slot.  If your slot is forfeit we have the right to offer your forfeited slot for sale.  We will do our best to try and find another team/participant to purchase your forfeited slot so that we may operate a full tournament.