Rules

  1. Camaraderie is the first and foremost rule. We’re all here to have fun for a good cause. Be friendly.
  2. Outside alcohol is not permitted. Support the cause by purchasing beverages on site.
  3. The winner of a coin toss will determine which goal to defend. Teams will switch goals after first half.
  4. Shoveling the ice is the responsibility of the winning team (or both teams in the event of a tie).
  5. All players must wear helmets and hockey skates. Protective equipment is optional but highly recommended.
  6. No goalies, goalie equipment or sticks permitted.
  7. Rink Monitors may call infractions or eject a player. Rink Monitor decisions are final.
  8. All infractions such as tripping, hooking, slashing and incidental body contact and elbowing will result in a change of puck possession.
  9. All major infractions such as fighting, swearing, intent to injure, and abuse of participant or official will automatically result in ejection of that player/players immediately from the tournament.
  10. No body checking is allowed. The penalty is immediate ejection of that player from the game/tournament upon the discretion of the Head Referee.
  11. No slapshots allowed.
  12. Players cannot fall or lay on the ice in an effort to protect the goal area.
  13. Goaltending is not allowed. A player may not patrol, “camp out” or remain stationary in the crease area and act as a goaltender. A defender may deflect the puck in the crease area, but the defender must do so while continuing to move through the crease area. The crease area is defined as an imaginary box extending out four feet from the outside corners of the goal.
  14. Contacting the puck with a stick above the waist will result in a loss of possession.
  15. Saucer passes (i.e. pucks that are lifted low, below the knee) are acceptable.
  16. If a puck goes out of bounds, the last team to touch it loses possession. During restart, the defender must give his opponent 2-stick lengths of space.
  17. There are no off-sides or icing calls.
  18. Setting picks in offensive zone is not allowed.
  19. Goals must be scored from the attacking side of center ice.
  20. Rink Monitors will call out the score after each goal. This includes goals scored by players. (There is one rink monitor and many players, helping the rink monitor is encouraged)
  21. Teams must give their opponents 1/2 ice after a goal is scored.
  22. Games will be composed of two 11-minute halves with a 3-minute halftime.
  23. Pool Play games can end in a tie. However, if playoff games end in a tie, the play will move to sudden victory format.
  24. All games are running-time and substitutions can be made during play (“on-the-fly”) or while a puck is being retrieved. There is no stoppage of play after a goal is scored, or after a penalty is awarded. It is up to each team to ensure that there are only three players on the ice.
  25. Players can only play on one team.
  26. Games start and stop on the master horn, for every minute a team is late they will be penalized a goal.
  27. Tiebreaker: For determining playoff positions, ties in the final standings will determined by:
    1. Head-to-head game results.
    2. Goals for/against differential.
    3. Head Referee coin toss.
  28. In the event of a forfeited game the following process will be enacted:
    • The team “winning” the forfeited game will be awarded a “win”.
    • Their goals for/against for this game will be tallied after playing their third game.
    • The goals for/against for the forfeited game will be the average of the goals for/goals against of their other two games.
    • If the average results in a half number the goal total will be rounded up to the next whole number.
    • If the winning team of the forfeited game has a goals against larger than the goals for then the goals against for the forfeited game will be one less than the average number of goals for.
    • The team forfeiting the game will be awarded a “loss”.
    • Their goals for/against for this game will be tallied after playing their third game.
    • They will be given a “0” for goals for.
    • The goals against will be the average number of goals against from their other two games.
    • If the average results in a half number the goal total will be rounded up to the next whole number.
  29. In the event weather or other factors outside its control might preclude a safe and successful pond hockey tournament decisions to cancel, modify or issue refunds for the event are at the sole discretion of the Organizing Committee.