Tournament rules

General rules & penalties

1. Icing is called only during the last five minutes of the game.
2. Minor penalties are two minutes and go on the board.
3. No slap shots and no body contact. Either draws a minor penalty.
4. Three penalties in one game and the player is ejected from that game.
5. A ten-minute misconduct or a game misconduct of any kind means suspension for the rest of the tournament.
6. A fighting major means an indefinite ban from the tournament.
7. All rules and decisions rest with the tournament organizers, and their decision is final.

Goals

1. Goals scored beyond a five-goal differential stay off the board, though they are recorded on the game sheet. Running up a score takes the fun out of it for the team that is down. If you are up by five or more, switch your forwards to defence, or ask your experienced players to pass only.
2. Each player is allowed two goals per game. A third goal by the same player is recorded as a goal for the other team.

Format & tie breakers

1. Every team is guaranteed three games. All games have two referees and a timekeeper.
2. A tied game stays tied, except in championship games where a winner is decided.
3. The top eight teams, one from each pool, advance to the championship games. Four division finals are planned, subject to change based on registrations.

If teams are level, in this order

1. Head-to-head result
2. Most wins
3. Plus/minus, meaning goals for minus goals against
4. Fewest goals against
5. Coin toss, or rock paper scissors

If a championship game is tied

1. Five minutes of four-on-four overtime
2. A three-player shootout, home team first. No player shoots twice until everyone on the bench has had a turn. A player who already scored two goals in that game cannot take part in the shootout.
3. Sudden death shootout

Rosters, registration & eligibility

1. A team needs seven skaters to play. Short benches may borrow skaters from another team at the same level, with organizer approval in advance. This does not apply to championship games.
2. Without a goalie, a team may use an alternate goalie already registered in the tournament. Failing that, the net stays empty and the team plays with six skaters.
3. Nobody plays without being registered and signing the waiver first. Breaking this means an indefinite ban for the player and suspension for the team captain.
4. All participants must reach the tournament age by December 31, 2026.
5. Every team submits its roster to the organizers by August 31, 2026 for approval. Later changes need approval before the tournament weekend.
6. A team found to have used an ineligible player forfeits that game or games, and organizers may remove the team from the tournament.
7. Organizers may refuse entry to any player or team. There is no avenue for appeal.
8. Each team designates a captain, and only the captain may speak to officials on the ice. This is being enforced strictly this year following unacceptable behaviour toward referees in past tournaments.
9. A player must play at least two round-robin games with their own team to be eligible for a championship game.
10. Organizers may remove a player judged to be at too high a skill level, too rough, or showing poor sportsmanship for this tournament.

Sportsmanship & a supportive environment

1. This tournament will be a supportive, fun and safe weekend for everyone.
2. People from the 2SLGBTQ+ community and their allies are welcome here. Organizers work toward emotional and physical safety for every member of the tournament.
3. There is zero tolerance for disrespectful or intimidating language or actions. Anyone asked to leave by organizers or referees over their conduct forfeits their right to play and receives no refund.
4. Please respect the dressing rooms and leave them clean.
5. Higher-skilled players give lower-skilled players the chance to play: room and time with the puck, passes on their own team, equal ice time. If you knock someone down, help them up.