2019 Challenge Cup Tournament Rules and Regulations

The following rules will be adopted for the 27th Annual Challenge Cup Tournament.

The Rules of the CAHA and PCAHA will apply with the following modifications:

VERY IMPORTANT! Hockey Canada or USA Hockey does not sanction the Challenge Cup 2019 Tournament. Each team is responsible for their own insurance for the Tournament.

1) DOCUMENTATION & ROSTERS

Each player’s parent or over 18 players MUST sign the waiver form. No player will be permitted to play unless this form is signed.

All teams must provide proof of age with copies of Birth Certificates of each member on roster.  These must be present at the tournament with a manager or coach during the tournament. They must be shown to a tournament official prior to your first game time. Only the players registered on the roster will be permitted to participate.

Please Note:

Roster Changes can be made until May 16, 2019 at 5:00 PM. Roster changes and additions after this date will NOT be accepted. Changes made at this point will not be reflected in the Challenge Cup Tournament Program. The Challenge Cup reserves the right to make exceptions to this date or change the date as necessary.

Players are only allowed to play for one team. This is regardless of age or gender and at no time during the tournament are players permitted to change teams.

Each team is permitted to have 6 (six) registered staff with only 5 (five) staff behind the bench at one time.

Each team is permitted to dress 21 players, 18 skaters and 3 goaltenders.

Players must play at least two round robin games to be eligible to play in elimination / play-off games.

2) GAME TIME PROTOCOL

Teams cannot take the ice for warm-ups until the Zamboni gates are fully closed and officials are present. Failure to comply may result in a two minute penalty assessed.

3) CHECKING FROM BEHIND

2 Minute Minor in the first two periods will be an immediate ejection from that game.     

2 Minute Minor in the third period will be an immediate ejection and next game suspension.

5 Minute Major Penalty. Every Major penalty will be reviewed by the Disciplinary Committee but will hold a minimum one game suspension.

4) THREE STICK INFRACTIONS

Any player who receives three stick infractions in one game will be assessed a game misconduct and ejected from the game. This ruling does not have any effect or carry over onto the next game.

5) THREE HEAD CONTACT PENALTIES

Any player who receives three head contact or check to the head penalties in one game will be assessed a game misconduct and ejected from the game. This ruling does not have any effect or carry over onto the next game.

6) MAJOR PENALTIES

Every major penalty will be reviewed by the Disciplinary Committee and could potentially have a carry-over suspension.

7) GROSS MISCONDUCT

Every Gross penalty will be reviewed by the Disciplinary Committee but will hold a minimum two game suspension.

8) MATCH PENALTIES

Every Match penalty will be reviewed by the Disciplinary Committee but will hold a minimum three game suspension.

9) FIGHTING

Fighting majors will result in an automatic one game suspension with the instigator receiving a minimum two games suspension. Further suspensions may be imposed by the Disciplinary Committee as deemed necessary. FIGHTING MAJORS WILL BE DEALT WITH FIRMLY!

10) BODY CHECKING

Body checking will be permitted at the Peewee Major (2006) through to the Midget levels only. All Female Divisions (Peewee, Bantam and Midget) will NOT have body checking. We remind coaches at all levels to warn players of the dangers of checking from behind.

11) EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

Please note that neck protectors are required for all teams and mouth guards are recommended.

12) ZERO TOLERANCE

There will be zero tolerance of referee ABUSE. Offenders will be ejected from the game. The referees will be instructed to give a single warning before ejecting any coach from the game. Any unsportsmanlike behavior will not be tolerated.  Abusive spectators will be required to leave the premises.  We therefore ask that all managers and coaches instruct the parents and players to understand and promote the "SPIRIT OF THE TOURNAMENT".

13) GAME DURATION

Each game will be 3 – 20 minute periods the format is as follows:

• First period will be 20 minutes running time
• Second period will be 20 minutes stop time
• Third period will be 20 minutes stop time

Ice cleans will be at the conclusion of the second period and end of the game (after overtime if the game requires overtime).

Penalties during running time will be 3 minutes in length for a 2-minute minor, 6 minutes for a double minor and 7.5 minutes for a 5-minute major. Penalties incurred during the first period that carry over to the second period will NOT be adjusted. Penalties during stop time will remain normal length.

The following adjustments may be made to the game, if necessary:

• Games tied at the end of regulation will proceed to overtime (see the overtime format below).
• The total elapsed time including ice cleans cannot exceed 90 minutes per game. The tournament reserves the right to make adjustments to accommodate for delays in schedules.
• If necessary, the time established for the third period will be determined by dividing the remaining time available by 2. This decision can only be made by a tournament official.
• Mercy Rule: If one team leads by five goals, running time will be established at the start of and at any time during the Third Period ONLY.
• Timeouts: Each team is allowed ONE thirty second timeout per game.

Please note: All teams are to be prepared to begin their games 15 minutes prior to start time. Any team who is not prepared to begin the game at the appropriate time will be required to serve a 2-minute minor penalty at the start of the game. In addition, the clock will start at the appropriate scheduled time.

14) POINT FORMAT

Points for this 2019 Challenge Cup Tournament will be awarded on the following basis:

                  - 3 points for a regulation win

                  - 2 points for an overtime/shootout win

                  - 1 point for an overtime/shootout loss

15) STANDING TIEBREAKERS

The following is the format to determine the final standings in the event of a tie:

1. Most points
2. Team with the greatest number of wins (including overtime wins)
3. Games against team with equal record (this will not be utilized if the tie involves 3 or more teams)
4. Basic goal differential GF – GA

If teams are still tied after the basic goal differential has been applied, the total goal differential is to be determined in the following manner:

Total number of goals for minus goals against (basic goal differential) and then divided by goals for:

5. Total Goal Differential = (GF-GA) / GF

Example:

Team A & B are tied with 7 points heading into the playoff round

                  Team A: Has 16 goals for and 6 goals against and their basic goal differential is +10

                  (16-6) / 16 = .625                Team A’s total goal differential is +.625

                  Team B: Has 18 goals for and 8 goals against and their basic goal differential is +10

(18-8) / 18 = .556                Team B’s total goal differential is +.556

Team A would gain the higher ranking as they have the higher percentage.

The team with the highest percentage gains the higher position

6. Team with fewest penalty minutes
7. Goals for
8. Goals against
9. Most periods won
10. Earliest Goal Scored

*Please note that misconducts will count as 10 penalty minutes and game misconducts will count for 20 penalty minutes.

Playoff Rankings: The highest seed, according to the tie breaking formula, in the standings after the round robin will always gain home ice advantage, no exceptions.  The same process will be used to determine the rest of the rankings with regards to tied teams. The highest seed will be considered the “home team”, jersey color and last change apply.

16) OVERTIME

Overtime will be played in any tournament game as required. All games MUST result in a winner (round robin games included).

The following will be the format for ROUND ROBIN overtime:

1) Five-minute sudden-death overtime, 3 versus 3 players, plus goalies. If still tied:
2) 3 players versus 3 players SHOOT-OUT conducted in PENALTY SHOT FORMAT. The first shooter will be determined by a coin toss called by the home team. The winner of the coin toss will select whether they shoot first or second. If still tied, the shoot-out will continue until an advantage is determined. One opportunity per player, until all players have been used.

The following will be the format for ELIMINATION overtime.

1. Five-minute sudden-death overtime, 4 versus 4 players, plus goalies. If still tied:
2. Teams will play a SECOND overtime period. Five-minute sudden-death, 3 versus 3 players, plus goalies. If still tied:
3. 3 players versus 3 players SHOOT-OUT conducted in PENALTY SHOT FORMAT. The first shooter will be determined by a coin toss called by the home team. The winner of the coin toss will select whether they shoot first or second. If still tied, the shoot-out will continue until an advantage is determined. One opportunity per player, until all players have been used

17) AWARDS

The Championship team at each level, in each age category will be awarded a Challenge Cup Banner and medals.  Best of luck to all!!!

18) JERSEY COLOURS

The home team will be required to wear white, while the visiting team will be required to wear black. In the event of a conflict, the team without the appropriate color will be required to change jerseys. Variations of these are allowed, as long as the two colors are distinct as confirmed by the referee.

19) APPEALS

Any team wishing to appeal any decision will be required to make a three hundred dollar ($300.00) NON-REFUNDABLE payment.  The Tournament Disciplinary Committee will then make a ruling on the appeal.  All rulings made by the Disciplinary Committee will be final.  The Tournament Disciplinary Committee includes: Bill Doherty, Peter Zerbinos and Ash Forsyth.  Teams wishing to submit an appeal should contact the Tournament Desk at each rink as soon after the incident as practical. The Tournament Disciplinary Committee reserves the right to reject any appeal if it is not raised within a reasonable time after the incident.

20) SUSPENSION PROCEDURES

ALL tournament suspensions will be given according to Hockey Canada Minimum Suspension Guidelines, unless otherwise noted in these rules.

Teams are responsible for checking with tournament officials after each game if they are unsure of any suspensions. Teams will not be eligible to appeal a suspension within 2 hours of their next scheduled game.

Forms that contain false information will make a player ineligible for play. Any team using an ineligible player will forfeit each game that they ineligible player has participated in and may result in the team being expelled from the tournament.

21) TEAM & PLAYER DOCUMENTATION

Forms and documentation that contain false information will make a player ineligible for play. Any team using an ineligible player will forfeit each game that they ineligible player has participated in and may result in the team being expelled from the tournament.