Series Format: 1. Each team will receive a minimum of four games and a maximum of five games. The teams that make the championship game at both divisions will receive five games. 2. There will be two divisions with four teams in each the Futures Division and the Prospects Division: a. In both divisions each team will play every opponent within their division for their first three games. Following that, teams will be seeded 1-4 within their division. The semi-final matchups will be #1 vs #4 and #2 vs #3. The winners of those two games will advance to their respective division s championship. 3. Teams are scheduled to play based on the following criteria: a. Teams will not be scheduled to compete in more than two games per day (except where absolutely necessary). b. Every effort will be made to ensure teams receive two to four hours between games on the same day. Any modifications to game schedules must be agreed on by the head coach of both teams or deemed necessary and approved by tournament officials. c. The age and calibre of teams is taken into consideration when setting the schedule. Every effort will be made to provide teams with a variety of quality opponents while again giving consideration to age and calibre of teams involved. 4. The tournament committee reserves the right to adjust the schedule or change the venue of any games (if necessary). Game Procedures: 1. All games will feature period lengths of 15/15/20 with ice being resurfaced every two periods. This means that some games will begin on dirty ice. 2. All teams must arrive at the venue at least 45 minutes prior to their scheduled start time. Coaches will be required to check-in at the tournament table to review the score sheet (circle starting goaltender, add/remove player names playing/not playing, and sign the score sheet). 3. Teams must be prepared to play 15 minutes prior to the scheduled game time as the start and end times are approximate and the tournament facility will expect games to start following the end of the prior one. 4. Every effort will be made to provide teams with a 5-minute warm-up; however teams must be ready to take the ice as soon as the preceding game and/or ice resurfacing is completed. 5. Tournament officials will list the name of the home team on the schedule. For all tournament games the home team will wear their DARK-coloured uniforms. In the event of any conflict the visiting team will be required to change uniforms. 6. Teams must provide their own pucks for practices and pre-game warm-ups. 7. The maximum goal-differential in any given game will be six goals; therefore, the mercy rule (running time) will be in effect should a team be winning by six (6) or more goals in the third period; however, this will only occur at the losing team coach s discretion. Should the goal difference get to five (5) goals then the clock will revert to stop time again. 1 P a g e
Team Rosters: 1. Players are not permitted to roster on more than one team in the same division except in emergency situations and whereby tournament officials have given approval for the use of said player. 2. Final team roster of no more than 20 players must be submitted to tournament officials by the required deadline. Any roster changes after the stated deadline will be subject to review by tournament officials. 3. Players must meet league age eligibility requirements; the head coach must provide a copy of each player s official birth certificate immediately upon request of tournament officials. Players in violation will be deemed ineligible and disqualified for the remainder of the tournament series. 4. All goals of an ineligible player will be subtracted from the team s record in all games which the ineligible player was part of a scoring play (goal or assist). Series point standings will be recalculated based on the new scoring totals for all games in which the ineligible player participated. 5. A team must start a game with at least 10 rostered skaters. Emergency additions may be allowed for games but unless the minimum number of players from the approved tournament roster is met, the game will be played; however, will go down as a forfeit. Emergency additions must be approved by tournament officials. Player Eligibility: The League Series is a developmental league designed to showcase and prepare athletes to play hockey at the next level. The league encourages teams to fully roster 20 players who have been born in 1997 or later. We strive to provide the best competitive environment for girls hockey; our focus is to develop players to the highest ability we possibly can by providing as much competitive and quality competition. With this in mind, college or post-grad players that are or have been in DI or DIII programs are not eligible to participate in the series. If it has been determined that a player has violated an eligibility rule; that player will be disqualified from the remainder of the league s current calendar year. Rule Modifications: The tournament will be played under current USA Hockey rules as modified by tournament officials. USA Hockey guidelines for equipment are enforced for all teams from the United States. Hockey Canada guidelines for equipment are enforced for all teams from Canada. International teams will abide by their home country s equipment guidelines. A synopsis of the rules used during the tournament include: 1. The red line is used for icing only (i.e., no-touch icing is in effect). 2. The tag-up rule for off-sides is used. 3. Body-checking is not permitted. 4. All players, including alternate goaltenders, in the player s box area are required to wear helmets. 5. A player is to be ejected and a game misconduct will occur after five penalties have been called against that player. 6. The Head Coach will be ejected in any one game in which their team receives 15 infractions. The coach will be asked to leave the playing area after the fifteenth penalty has been called. The coach will be eligible to coach in their team s next scheduled game. 7. Mouth guards are required to be worn by all players at all times. A warning will be given by the officials and then penalties will be assessed for any players in violation. The referees are to warn both benches and coaches during pre-game warm-ups and before the puck is dropped. Once the game starts any player, including the goaltender, can be assessed a two-minute minor penalty. In the case of the goaltender; another skater must serve the minor penalty. 8. Each team is allowed one 30-second timeout per game. 2 P a g e
Penalties: All decisions made by the on-ice officials are final. Questions regarding rule interpretations should be directed to tournament officials. 1. USA Hockey rules governing player/coach/team penalties are enforced. In the event of coincidental penalties neither team will skate shorthanded. 2. When players are penalized at a stoppage of play so as to result in penalties being placed on the penalty time clock to one team, the ensuing face-off shall be conducted at one of the two face-off spots in the offending team s end zone. There are only four exception to this application: a. When a penalty is assessed following the scoring of a goal face-off at center ice, b. When a penalty is assessed at the end (or start) of a period face-off at center ice, c. When the defending team is about to be penalized and the attacking players enter the attacking zone beyond the outer edge of the end zone face-off circle face-off in the neutral zone, d. When the team not being penalized ices the puck face-off in the neutral zone outside the blue line of the team icing the puck. 3. Referees have the discretion of assessing a game misconduct penalty to players and/or coaches for the remainder of any game. Players and/or coaches receiving a game misconduct penalty will be eligible to play/coach at the next scheduled game; however, certain misconducts are governed by USA Hockey Official Rules (i.e., fighting, major/match/gross penalties, etc.). 4. Checking from behind penalties carry a two-minute minor penalty plus a ten-minute misconduct to be served consecutively unless the penalty is deemed to be a major penalty by on-ice officials; which carries a mandatory five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct. 5. Any player and/or coach using remarks that are considered of a racial slur in nature and heard by a game-official will automatically receive a game misconduct. Tournament officials reserve the right to review any racially motivated incident for further disciplinary action, including disqualification from the series. Preliminary Round Competition: 1. There will be no overtime in the preliminary round of play. Points in the preliminary round will be awarded as follows: a. Win 2 Points b. Tie 1 Point c. Loss 0 Points 2. After the preliminary round portion of play has been completed, teams will be seeded based on their accumulated points during the preliminary round. 3. If two teams are tied in points at the conclusion of the preliminary round, then the following procedures will be used to determine the final seeding before the playoff games are played: a. Head-to-head results, b. Most Wins, c. Goal differential: GF GA, d. Goal differential formula: GF/(GF + GA), e. Fewest GA, f. Most GF, g. First goal in head-to-head game, h. Fewest PIMs, i. Coin toss. 6. If three or more teams are tied in points at the conclusion of the round robin portion of play, then the following procedures will be used to determine the final seeding before the playoff games are played 3 P a g e
(as soon as one criteria eliminates one or more teams the process starts over from the beginning with the remaining teams involved): a. Head-to-head results (if one team beat the other teams - among the tied teams only - then that team earns the higher seed), b. Most Wins, c. Goal differential: GF GA, d. Goal differential formula: GF/(GF + GA), e. Fewest GA, f. Most GF, g. Fewest PIMs, h. Coin toss. Championship Competition: 1. The team deemed the higher seed will be the home team in the semi-final and championship games and will wear their DARK-coloured uniforms. 2. In the event of a tie after regulation play in the semi-finals or championship games, a 5-minute (4v4) stop time sudden death overtime period will be played following a 2-minute rest period (teams will not change ends). If a penalty is called the teams will play 4v3. If a second penalty is called against the same team the teams will play 5v3 until one or both penalties expire. Upon a stoppage in play the teams would then revert to the appropriate 4vX format. 3. If no goal is scored in overtime, then a 3-player shoot-out (similar to NHL) follows with the home team having the option to shoot first or last. If the score remains tied then the shootout becomes sudden-death and one additional player shoots from each team until a winner is decided. No player may shoot twice until every eligible player has shot. After all eligible skaters have shot for the team with the fewest skaters, both teams are allowed to have players shoot a second time. A player that is serving a penalty at the end of overtime or has been ejected is not eligible to participate in the shootout. 4. There will be no ice resurfacing between the end of regulation play and any overtime period. AT Personnel: 1. An Athletic Therapist will be on-site for the weekend. AT personnel will be available for minor injuries and taping; however, staff will have minimal supplies and teams/players will be expected to supply any tape or other supplies needed for treatment. Protests: 1. All protests will be decided by the on-ice game officials and/or tournament officials. All protests must be accompanied by $150 before the protest will be heard by tournament officials. The protest must be brought to tournament officials within 24 hours of the end of the game in question. 2. No protests will be permitted regarding rules interpretations or judgment calls made by referees. Only protests related to game rules that can be addressed in the USA Hockey rule book and/or regarding player eligibility will be heard by tournament officials. Code of Conduct: The conduct of players and coaches is to be beyond reproach both on and off the ice. Appropriate disciplinary action is outlined in the Futures Hockey Tournament Series Policies and Procedures, and follows a strict set of rules and guidelines to ensure confidentiality, neutrality, and fairness. 1. Any misconduct will result in immediate and prompt disqualification from the tournament series. 4 P a g e
2. Coaches and chaperones are responsible for the conduct of players and any damages that occur at venues/tournament facilities will be the responsibility of the guilty team. 3. A zero-tolerance policy regarding abusive language and unsportsmanlike behavior toward opposing players, coaches, fans, as well as referees, volunteers, tournament officials, is strictly enforced. Anyone in violation of this policy will be immediately escorted from the venue. 5 P a g e