BLUELINE TOURNAMENT 2014
OFFICIAL RULES 2014
RULES AND REGULATIONS
SANCTION:
This tournament is sanctioned by Hockey Canada as an International Tournament. Hockey Canada, the Ontario Hockey Federation, Alliance Hockey and the Kitchener Blueline Tournament rules and regulations shall apply.
ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
Hockey Canada rules state that a team may sign and use 19 players and may dress 19 players, including two goaltenders for each game (20 players for Midget). Team officials must present an approved Hockey Canada, or affiliate, or A.H.A.U.S. player certificate / Roster for the current season, to the Tournament Official prior to the start of their first game for each team player or affiliated player eligible for tournament play.
PROCEDURES:
1. Teams must report to the arena of their FIRST GAME ONE HOUR PRIOR TO GAME TIME for registration.
2. Final roster and Travel Permit / Permission from home association must also be presented at this time.
3. Teams are required to bring two sets of sweaters, one dark set and one light set. The home team shall wear dark.
4. All games will start on time. Teams must be ready to go on the ice 15 minutes before game time.
5. No time outs allowed in Round Robin Play. One 30 second timeout per team per game in Championship rounds (quarters, semis and finals).
6. NOTE: Spectators are NOT allowed in the change areas or dressing rooms. It is the responsibility of the Team Officials to respect and enforce this rule at all times.
RULE INTERPRETATIONS AND SUSPENSIONS.
As this is an International Tournament and many teams are not in the Alliance Branch, a number of rule interpretations are listed below. Please familiarize yourself with these rules. If you have any questions, please contact the on-duty Convener. NOTE: 2014-2015 O.H.F. minimum suspension list for minor hockey will be followed.
1. MATCH PENALTIES will be reported to that team’s organization
2. STICK PENALTIES (high sticking, slashing, cross checking, spearing double minor, butt ending double minor) WILL BE CALLED CLOSELY. A player receiving 3 stick penalties in a game will automatically receive a game ejection.
3. SUSPENSION (S) of player (s), coaching staff, managers, trainers, etc will be served in the tournament. All suspensions will be forwarded to that team’s organization.
4. Any player (s) who incurs a FIGHTING PENALTY shall be suspended for the balance of the tournament.
5. There shall be no protests; TOURNAMENT OFFICIAL(S) decision (s) shall be final.
GAME DURATIONS
Round Robin Games
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Minor Atom
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10 Stop – 10 Stop – Break - 10 Stop
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Minor Peewee
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10 Stop – 10 Stop – Break - 15 Stop
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Major Peewee
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10 Stop – 15 Stop – Break - 15 Stop
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Minor Bantam
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10 Stop – 15 Stop – Break - 15 Stop
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Major Bantam
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10 Stop – 15 Stop – Flood - 15 Stop
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Midget
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15 Stop – 15 Stop – Flood -15 Stop
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Above Breaks and Flood times will be determined by the amount of time available. At any time during the tournament flood times may be changed to a flood after every two periods.
Mercy rule applies to Round Robin games as follows. When there is a five (5) goal differential in the third period, the clock will change to running time and does NOT revert back to stop time. Minor penalties will be 3:00 minutes and major penalties will be 7:30 minutes during run time.
Final pool standings will be determined as follows:
The total points obtained in Round Robin competition (2 Points for a win, 1 Point for a tie, 0 points for a loss) will determine the higher placing team. In the event teams are tied for play-off positions the following procedures will apply in the order presented:
1. If two teams are tied, and they have played each other in Round Robin competition, the winner of the game between the two teams will be awarded the higher position.
2. If teams are still tied at the end of the Round Robin, the team with the best goal average will qualify. The goal average of a team is to be determined by dividing the total number of GOALS FOR and AGAINST into the TOTAL number of GOALS FOR with the team having the HIGHEST PERCENTAGE WINNING the HIGHER POSITION Example: 10 goals for, 4 goals against, Percentage 10/14 = .714 12 goals for, 6 goals against, Percentage 12/18=.667. This indicates the team with the Percentage of .714 would take the higher seeding. In the calculation of this percentage, the maximum goal differential used for any game will be 5 goals. That means that game scores with more that a 5 goal differential will be reduced to only a 5 goal differential. As an example, a 10-1 score in a Round Robin game will be changed to 6-1 when calculating the percentage for tie breaking.
3. If the teams are still tied after (1) and (2), the team to qualify would be the one that scored the first goal in the game between the two teams (Only if two teams are tied)
4. If the teams are still tied after (1), (2), and (3), the team to qualify would be the team that received the least penalty minutes throughout the Round Robin.
5. If the teams are still tied after all previous methods have been applied, the winner of the playoff position will be decided by a single toss of a coin supervised by the Tournament Chairman or Designate .
Championship Round Format
Seeding of team will be determined by ranking as above as highest to lowest. Team will be matched as highest plays lowest, 2nd highest plays 2nd lowest, etc. If 2 teams have played each other in the round robin, reseeding will occur. The lowest ranked team of the two teams, who have played each other, will move down one position to accommodate this occurrence. If the lowest rank team cannot move down, then they move up.
NOTE: DIVISION RANKING CALCULATED AND SHOWN ON THE WEBSITE MAY NOT BE CORRECT. FINAL DIVISION RANKING WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE AND POSTED AT THE TOURNAMENT OFFICE.
All playoff games – the team with the highest / best record in the Round Robin games will be the home team. Playing times will be the same as the Round Robin. One 30 second timeout per team per game in Championship rounds (quarters, semis and finals).
If overtime is required to determine a winner, a ten-minute stop time sudden victory period will be used with 3 on 3 plus a goalie. In the overtime period, teams will not switch ends.
Floods in overtime will be determined by the Tournament Committee. In the overtime period, player changes may only be done on the fly. No player changes will be permitted during a stoppage of play.
Penalties during overtime
The penalized team may never play with less than 3 players and a goalie. Players are added to the non penalized team (example: first penalty becomes a 4 on 3, second penalty to same team becomes a 5 on 3, etc). On the normal conclusion of a penalty, the penalized player returns to the ice until the first stoppage of play where the teams are returned to 3 on 3 or the appropriate numbers based on any outstanding penalties.
Shoot Out
If the overtime period fails to determine a winner, a best of 5 shoot out alternating between teams will be used. The home team will be given choice to shoot 1st or 2nd in the shoot out round. If after 5 shots in the shoot out the teams are still tied, a sudden victory format will be used. No player may shoot a 2nd time in the shootout round until all eligible shooters have shot once.
Game Forfeit
If team forfeits a game they will be assigned a 1-0 loss. The opposing team in the match will be assigned a 1-0 win.
Playoff Seeding
For single group division, the top four teams will advance and will be ranked 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th, as per the tie breaking rules above.
For 2 Group Divisions, 1st and 2nd place teams will advance. 1st place teams will be ranked into 1st place and 2nd place. The 2nd place teams will be ranked into 3rd place and 4th place as per tie breaking rules above.
For 3 Group Divisions, 3 Group winners will advance and be ranked into 1st, 2nd and 3rd place as per the tie breaking rues above. The best record of the remaining teams will advance as a wildcard and be the 4th place team.
For 4 Group Divisions, 4 group winners will advance and be ranked into 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th, as per the tie breaking rules above.
OFFICIATING STANDARD, RULE INTERPRETATION & EMPHASIS
1. High sticking involves checking or intimidating an opponent while carrying the stick above the normal height of the shoulder.
2. Head Contact penalties are assessed for contact (by stick, equipment, or body) to an opponent above the shoulder. Punches during a fight are still assessed as a fight. Accidental contact may be assessed a minor penalty, intentional contact may be double minor, contact with injury or severe/violent contact may be assessed a major penalty plus game misconduct or a Match Penalty, and contact with intent to injure is a Match Penalty.
3. Low Hits i.e. body checks targeting the knees, will be considered minor, major and game misconduct, or match penalties for tripping, depending upon degree of violence.
4. Stick Penalties i.e. slashing, spearing, butt ending, high sticking, and cross checking violations are strictly emphasized. The stick is to be used to play the puck only. Three minor stick penalties will result in game ejection.
5. Checking from Behind (CFB) i.e. any aggressive physical contact to the back area of an opponent, (not simple brushing or touching). Degree of violence of impact will determine minor penalty plus game misconduct, major plus game misconduct, or match penalty assessment. This is a strict penalty emphasis.
6. Illegal Defensive Tactics i.e. placing the stick between the legs of an opponent (can opener), will be considered hooking, interference, or tripping. Lifting the stick into the groin area of the opponent will be considered slashing.
7. Shared Respect. Any action considered to demonstrate disrespect toward opponents, team officials, spectators, or game officials. This may include intimidation, profanity, slurs, insults, abuse, gestures, etc. This may result in minor, misconduct, game misconduct, or gross misconduct penalty assessment.
8. Roughing after the Whistle. (RAW). Any unnecessary contact with an opponent (by body or stick) after play is whistled down (minor, major, or match penalty). For mutual roughing, officials are encouraged to issue a time penalty to the instigating offender, i.e. 4-min. and 2-min., or 2-min. and 0.
9. Reducing Delays. When the line change procedure is complete, and the officials' hand is lowered, a whistle will warn centers of a 5-second time limit to place their sticks for a face off. Offending centers will be removed from the face off. The second violation by that team during the same face off will result in a minor penalty for face off violation (FOV). Similar consideration will apply to delays in setting up for the face off (quarter backing) and repeated encroachment.
10. Penalty Standard. Restraining fouls, including hook, hold, interference, tripping will be zero tolerance with any consequence, I.E., loss of balance, control, position, momentum, progress, ability to pass or shoot, cause to fall, slow down, impedes motion, etc. Only legal body checks and stick checks upon the puck carrier. Player may occupy his space, gain position, and use strength and balance to battle for the puck. Clean hockey skills, speed, and strength are encouraged, not illegal acts upon the non-puck carrier. All other rule emphasis from prior years are still in force.
11. Unaltered CSA helmet, face protector (or USA equivalent), BNQ neck guards and CSA ear-guards (according to home Association rules) are mandatory.
12. All games will play without use of the center red line for offside passes.
13. No limitation is placed upon the curvature of the stick blade (unless dangerous).
14. No time outs allowed in Round Robin Play. One 30 second timeout per team per game in Championship rounds (quarters, semis and finals).
15. All major penalties incur a Game Misconduct.
16. A minor penalty may be assessed for minimal helmet, mask, throat guard, chin strap, or hair grabbing, where punishment or advantage is not cited.
17. Intentional contact with the goaltender, in or out of crease, will be penalized
18. The referee's decision is final on all matters of judgment, ie. degree of violence.