THE 16th ANNUAL WALTER GRETZKY
RECREATIONAL HOUSE LEAGUE TOURNAMENT
RULES AND REGULATIONS
1. Playing rules and tournament regulations are those of Hockey Canada, the Ontario Hockey Federation and the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario. The following rules will also apply:
· Team officials must register at the Gretzky Centre Tournament Office, Located upstairs in rink #1, at least one hour prior to their first game. If the team does not play their first game at the Gretzky Centre then registration must take place before their second game regardless of where it is played. Player gifts are to be picked up at the Tournament Office at registration.
· Teams must have approved rosters and/or player and coaching cards available for tournament staff to review. Affiliated players are not allowed except at the goaltender position. Affiliated players must be registered before the first game and may only play for one team in the tournament.
· Fighting majors, gross misconduct and match penalties are automatic tournament suspensions.
· There is NO BODY CHECKING ALLOWED in any division.
· Except for the first game of the day teams MUST BE READY TO START THEIR GAME 15 MINUTES BEFORE the scheduled game time. Buffers have been built into the schedule and games will start early when possible.
· All teams must be ready to go on the ice as soon as the ice resurfacer is off and door is shut at which time the two-minute warm-up will start.
· Following the warm-up the referee will ask both teams to shake hands and line up immediately for the opening face-off.
· At the completion of each game both teams will line up on their respective blue lines for the presentation of game MVP awards. Each team is responsible to designate to the referee an MVP from his or her own team. Try to make the selection as objective as possible so the same player does not receive the award in multiple games.
· The designated visiting team will leave the ice first upon direction of the referee and the home team will remain at their bench until the direction of the referee.
· Only arena personnel, referees, convenors and timekeepers are allowed in the area of the timekeeper’s box.
2. Game Lengths:
· All round-robin and ¼ final games in Novice, Atom will consist of 10-10-12 minute periods.
· Peewee will consist of 10-10-12
· Bantam and Midget will consist of 10-10-15 minute periods.
· All semi-final and championship games in Novice, Atom and Peewee will consist of 10-10-15 minute periods.
· All semi-final and championship games in Bantam and Midget will consist of 10-15-15 minute periods.
· No time-outs are allowed in any games.
· In the event of a 5-goal differential in the 3rd period the clock shall run until the differential is 3-goals. 2-minute penalties will be noted on the clock as 3 minutes.
· At any time, at the discretion of the officials in conjunction with the tournament committee, running time may be implemented.
3. Round-Robin Play and Playoff Format:
· Each division from Novice to Midget will be in groups with sizes determined by the number of teams entered.
· 24 teams 6 groups of 4, top team in each group advance to play-offs. These teams are then reseeded 1 thru 6, Top two receive a bye to Semi-final, seeded 3 vs 6 and seeded 4 vs 5 in a ¼ final. Semifinal is seed 1 vs lowest remaining seed, seed 2 vs 3rd remaining seed
· 20 team division 5 groups of 4, top teams in each division will advance to play-off. These teams then re-seed 1 thru 5 with seeds 4 and 5 playing a ¼ final game. Semifinal is seed 1 vs lowest remaining seed, seed 2 vs 3rd remaining seed.
· 16 team division 4 groups of 4 top teams in each division will advance to semifinals. Reseeding of the top teams then 1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3.
· 12 team division 3 groups of 4 top three teams in each division will advance to play-offs. And Three wild card teams next best records. Reseeding of advancing teams Division winners will be seeded 1-3,Three wild card teams are seeded 4 to 6. Seed 3 vs seed 6 and seed 4 vs seed 5. Seed 1 and 2 have a bye to semifinals.
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· In all groups the teams advancing to the semi-finals and championships games will be re-seeded to determine match-ups.
4. Two points are awarded for a win and one point for a tie:
· In the case of two teams tied in points after round-robin play, the tiebreaker system shall be as follows in the order shown:
· Head to head winner in the round-robin play will advance.
· Team with most wins.
· Best percentage based on (total goals for) divided by (total goals for plus the total goals against).
· If teams are still tied then the team with the least total amount of penalty minutes in all round-robin games will advance.
· Flip of a coin
· However, in the case of three teams tied in points after round-robin play the team with the best goals for/against average will advance.
5. A tie existing at the end of regulation time in a 1/4final, semi-final or championship games will be decided by sudden victory and the following shall apply:
· Both teams will start with four skaters and a goaltender for three minutes.
· If no goal is scored, then each team will play with three skaters until a goal is scored.
· Player changes may be made at any time during the overtime and teams may pull their goaltender.
· Penalties will carry over from regulation and overtime periods.
· No timeouts are allowed in overtime.
6. In the case of any disputes the decision of the tournament committee will be final.