St. Thomas Minor Hockey Association
SPECIAL TOURNAMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS
SANCTION
All STMHA tournaments are sanctioned by the OMHA and are governed by the OMHA Tournament Rules and Regulations. All playing rules are CHA with the following exceptions.
ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
A team may sign and use seventeen (17) players for each game, which includes two goaltenders. ALL players must be approved prior to the start of your first game.
Team officials must present their approved team roster for the current season to the tournament office prior to the start of their first tournament game.
Affiliated players (AP) must be registered with the team and listed on approved roster as AP’s. Please note; a player may only play for one team during the tournament.
PROCEDURES
A Team Representative must report to the tournament office at least one-hour prior to their first tournament game in order to check in. Teams must be prepared to start 15 minutes before each of their scheduled game times should we require games to start early.
All Non-OMHA teams must provide a travel permit from their member association (Alliance, GTHL, etc) to participate in this tournament. All OMHA teams may provide a travel permit from their home association to participate in the tournament.
Dressing Room locations will be assigned and posted at the arena.
Note: Spectators are asked to not attend the change area or dressing rooms. It is the duty of the team’s manager to communicate and respect this rule at all times. Where applicable, a female dressing room will be provided. Please notify the tournament convenor upon your arrival if a separate dressing room is required.
FORMAT
PRELIMINARY ROUND - TYKE
Each team will play 2 preliminary round games, determined by a random draw.
PRELIMINARY ROUND POINTS
A team’s standing in the preliminary round will be determined by the total points accumulated. No overtime will be played in the preliminary round. There will be five (5) points awarded for each game as follows:
(a) Two (2) points will be awarded to the winner of a game.
(b) One (1) point will be awarded to each team of a tie game.
(c) One (1) Point will be awarded to the team who scores the most goals during the period for each period of every game.
(d) Half (½) a point will be awarded to each team if no team scores in the period or each team scores the same number of goals in the period.
After the Preliminary round teams will be ranked 1-24 according to their record and divided in 3 divisions A, B,& C,
Teams 1-8 will be seeded in the A division.
Teams 9-16 will be seeded into the B division.
Teams 17-24 will be seeded into the C division
PRELIMINARY ROUND - NOVICE
Each team will play 3 preliminary round games, determined by a random draw. Top 2 teams in each division will move onto the Semi-Finals.
PRELIMINARY ROUND POINTS
A team’s standing in the preliminary round will be determined by the total points accumulated. No overtime will be played in the preliminary round. There will be five (5) points awarded for each game as follows:
(a) Two (2) points will be awarded to the winner of a game.
(b) One (1) point will be awarded to each team of a tie game.
(c) One (1) Point will be awarded to the team who scores the most goals during the period for each period of every game.
(d) Half (½) a point will be awarded to each team if no team scores in the period or each team scores the same number of goals in the period.
TIE-BREAKER
In the event teams are tied in points at the end of the preliminary round the following procedure will apply:
a) The teams will be ranked in the standings with the team with the highest goal average securing the higher position in the standings. The goal average of a team will be determined by dividing the total number of goals for and against into the total number of goals for. (ie. 10 goals for, 4 goals against; goal average is 10/14 = 0.714).
b) If after still tied after a) the team with the least number of goals against will be seeded higher.
c) If the teams are still tied a) the team with the least penalty minutes throughout the preliminary round will advance.
d) If the teams are still tied after all previous methods have been applied, then the winner will be decided by a single coin toss. The team determined to have traveled the farthest distance will have the ‘call’ on the coin toss.
OVERTIME (QUARTER & SEMI-FINAL ROUNDS only)
In the event of a tie score at the end of regulation time during a Quarter-Final or Semi-Final game one sudden victory five (5) minute stop-time period will be played. Each team will be allowed four (4) skaters and one (1) goaltender on the ice. Penalties being served at the end of regulation will carry into the overtime period.
If the two teams are still tied after this overtime period, then a three (3) player shoot-out will occur.
The Teams will not change ends for the shootout. The home team will have the opportunity to choose to shoot first. The teams will then alternate shots.
Three (3) players from each team shall participate in the shootout and they shall proceed in such order as the Coach selects. All players are eligible to participate in the shootout unless they are serving a ten minute misconduct or have been assessed a game misconduct, gross misconduct or match penalty.
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 victory" format. No player may shoot twice until everyone who is eligible has shot
OVERTIME (CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES)
There will be NO shoot out in the Championship games. The five (5) minute overtime periods will continue until a winner is determined. The four-on-four format will continue in each overtime period.
TIMEOUTS
There will be NO timeouts permitted during the preliminary or semi-final rounds. One (1) thirty (30) second timeout per team will be permitted during the Championship game.
GOAL DIFFERENTIAL
In the event of a five (5) or more goal differential at any time in the third (3rd) period, the clock will revert to ‘running time’. Stop time will not resume until a three (3) goal differential is secured. Minor Penalties incurred during running time will be three (3) minutes in duration.
FIGHTING
All fighting Majors constitute expulsion from the game and the team’s remaining games of the tournament.
Any verbal abuse of an official will result in an automatic game misconduct.
STARTING LINEUP RULES
The Starting lineup rule will be waived for all games in this tournament.
TEAM COLOURS
Teams are to bring two sets of sweaters - one dark and one light. The home team designated on the game sheet will wear the light colour. In the event of conflicting colours, the home team designated will be responsible for changing sweaters.
EQUIPMENT
“The Ontario Minor Hockey Association implemented a ‘mandatory mouth guard’ policy for all OMHA Registered Players. Effective January 1, 2002, As such ONLY OMHA players must wear a mouth guard for all OMHA sanctioned events.”
Approved neck protectors are mandatory for all participants as per CHA rules.
PROTESTS
ALL REFEREE RULINGS ARE FINAL. The tournament committee DOES NOT schedule referees and cannot request an alteration to the referee schedule.
Any protests must be submitted in writing to the Tournament Protest Committee within one hour of the completion of the game in question. All Tournament Protest Committee rulings will be final.
BLUE PUCKS – TYKE DIVISION ONLY
As recommended by the OMHA Blue Pucks will be used.
OMHA Policies and Procedures 2.3 f) The lightweight Blue Puck shall be mandatory for all hockey programs for players six (6) years of age and below it is recommended for all hockey program for players seven (7) years of age and below.