47th Annual Wayne Gretzky International Hockey Tournament   December 27-30, 2016

Rules and Regulations

1. Registration
   Team officials must register at the Wayne Gretzky Sport Centre Tournament Office at least one hour prior to their first game.  If the team does not play their first game at the Wayne Gretzky Sports 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 along with travel permits for tournament staff to review.  Affiliated players must be registered before the first game and may only play for one team in the tournament. Affiliated players can only play for another team if their team has been eliminated AND they can not play more than 2 games in a day.  Please notify Tournament officials prior to using a player who has played on another team in the tournament.
   
   
2. Body Checking
   Body Checking is permitted in Minor Bantam A to Midget A and Bantam MD to Midget MD.
    
3. 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:
   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.
   Home team will wear DARK jerseys.
   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.
   Teams will shake hands AFTER the game at the referee’s discretion.
   At the completion of each game both teams will line up on their respective blue lines for the presentation of the Player of the Game awards.  Each team is responsible to designate to the referee a player of the game 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, conveners and timekeepers will be allowed behind the area of the timekeeper’s box.
    
4. Suspensions:
   Alliance rules require suspensions to be served in the next scheduled game. Therefore, a player or coach receiving a suspendable penalty must serve it during the tournament regardless of their league's additional requirements.  It is the responsibility of the team's coaching staff to confirm player/coach eligibility after any suspendable penalty.  Due to variations in league rules, any player or coach under suspension entering the tournament is ineligible to participate in the tournament unless first cleared by the Tournament Committee.  Either of the above violations will cause the offending team to automatically lose the game in which either of the above occurred.  If the offending team loses the game, the score will stand.   If the non-offending team loses the game, the score of the game will be recorded as one goal greater for the non-offending team than the offending team’s score.  Both the offending participant and the head coach of the offending team will be suspended for the remainder of the tournament.
    
5. Timeouts
   NO timeouts are allowed in round-robin play.
   One thirty-second timeout will be allowed in Quarter-final, Semi-final and Championship games!!!
   Timeouts are NOT allowed in overtime.
    
6. Game Lengths:
   Minor Novice to Minor Peewee: All round-robin games will consist of 10-10-12 minute periods; Quarter-finals, Semi-finals and Championship games will consist of 10-10-15 minute periods.
   Major Peewee to Midget: All round-robin games will consist of 10-12-15 minute periods; Quarter-finals, Semi-finals and Championship games will consist of 10-15-15 minute periods.
   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.
    
7. Round-Robin Play and Playoff Format:
   Each division will be in groups with sizes determined by the number of teams entered.
   In all cases the teams advancing to the quarter-finals, semi-finals and championship games will be re-seeded to determine match-ups. 
    
8. Standings:
   Two points are awarded for a win and one point for a tie. 
   In the case of a 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 goal percentage based on (total goals for) divided by (total goals for plus total goals against).  A maximum of 5 goal difference will be used in the calculation, example if the score is 10-2 only 7-2 will be used in the calculation.
   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.  (Maximum 5 goal difference per game used in calculation)
   Total Number of Goals For divided by the Total Number of Goals (For and Against).
   Note: All games are included
   Example:         Goals For = 10 goals; Goals Against = 4 goals
   Percentage: 10/(10+4) = .714
    
9. Overtime:
   No overtime in round-robin play.
   A tie existing at the end of regulation time in a quarter-final, semi-final or championship game will be decided by sudden victory and the following shall apply:
   
   • Each team will play with three skaters and a goalie until a winner is decided.
   • 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.  Non-offending team will add a skater.
   • No timeouts are allowed in overtime.
    
10. Protests
    A Tournament Committee will hear protests.  No protest will be heard regarding a referee's decision. A $200 deposit, that will be returned if your protest is successful, must accompany all protests.  A protest may only be heard if it is brought to the attention of the tournament chairperson or their delegate within thirty (30) minutes of completion of the game in question.  A formal written submission can follow the initial notification.  A hearing and ruling will be completed prior to the team's next scheduled game. 
    All decisions made by the Tournament Committee are final.