WGRD Pond Hockey Classic Official Rules

Games will be January 29,30,31.  Located at Richmond Hill Park in Grand Rapids, MI.

All games are played four-on-four.  There will be a center ice face-off to start each half. Games shall be forty (40) minutes long consisting of two (2) twenty (20) minute halves with a two (2) minute break between halves. A five (5) minute warm-up is allowed before the game. All periods are “Running Time”.

Team entry fee is $375.   Entry is first come / first served.

Entry deadline, and payment due, by January 18, 2016.

In the event of bad weather, no games will be rescheduled.

Tournament officials reserve the right to determine schedule and competitive divisions based upon age, player ability, experience or other factors.

Each team will be guaranteed four games.  (One Friday night game, two on Saturday, one on Sunday)  Championship games will be early Sunday afternoon.

Minor penalties: hooking, holding, tripping, interference – typical hockey penalties — result in a goal allowed to the offended team.  Offended team also receives possession of the puck.

Major penalties: all offenses of a physical nature – including, but not limited to high sticking, cross-checking, elbowing, roughing etc – will result in a goal allowed to the offended team.  Player causing major penalty is ejected for the remainder of the game and his team will play shorthanded (3 players) for the remainder of the half.

Abuse of off-ice officials – including, but not limited to – yelling, swearing or arguing – will be considered a major penalty.

• Captain’s coin-toss will determine which goal teams defend.  Teams switch after first half.
• All players are required to wear (HECC approved or otherwise) helmets and proper hockey skates.  Helmets must include a chin-strap that shall be properly worn at all times. Other protective equipment is optional but highly recommended.
• All players must be 21 years of age by the start date of the tournament. Teams must also follow the additional age requirements for their respective division. Photo ID’s are required at check-in and will be checked throughout the event. Players unable to produce a photo ID, at any point, cannon participate until the ID is provided to a tournament director.
• Each team will have no more than eight (8) players on a roster.  No fewer than six (6).  Minimum number of players to begin a game is four (4).  A team may have fewer than four (4) player’s on-ice during game play, due to penalty, injury or lack of replacement players.
• All teams must have at least 4 players ready to play at their scheduled game start time. If not the game clock will start and the offending team will be penalized one goal for each minute they are late. Should the offending team produce 4 players at any time during the first half the games will start at that point with the offending team down the appropriate deficit (i.e. five minutes late, game will begin at the 10 minutes mark with the offending team down 5-0). If the offending team is not able to produce at least four players by the end of the first half, the game shall be declared a forfeit and the NON-OFFENDING team will be awarded a 15-0 victory.
• No goalie equipment or goalie sticks allowed.  No player can serve as a designated goalie.  Each player on ice is expected to play the entire surface.
• All teams must arrive at the tournament site with light AND dark team sweaters. Teams must wear color contrasting sweaters during games, and if a change must be made the visiting team shall be require to make the switch.
• There may be off-ice officials to assist in game scoring, penalty calls, puck replacement etc. Off-ice officials will have final say in all game play decisions.  Off-ice officials reserve the right to award goals-against the teams whose play is detrimental to the “spirit of the games.”  In the event of “player-called” game play, players are expected to behave in a “spirit of the games” manner.
• Prior to every game, each team will shovel/scrape one half of the rink.
• There will be no fighting.  Players involved in on or off ice fights will be expelled from the tournament with no replacement and no refund of player entry fee.
• There is no checking.  Checking offenses result in a minor penalty.  Flagrant fouls result in major penalty.
• No slapshots.  Slapshot fouls result in a minor penalty to the offending team.
• Players shall not fall or lay on the ice in an effort to protect or block the goal area.  Violation results in minor penalty.
• Lifting the puck above knee level is prohibited.  Violation results in loss of possession.
• All goals must be scored from the offensive side of center ice.
• No offside calls.  No icing calls.
• Following each goal, the team that scored will announce the score in a clear and precise manner.  This includes goals awarded due to penalty.
• Half-ice spacing following a goal or penalty called.
• All games are played running time.  Substitutions are made “on-the-fly” or while a new puck is being put in play.  No stoppage of play following goals or penalties.
• Players can play for only one team.  Rosters will be confirmed by start of games on tournament’s first day.
• Players should make every attempt to play a puck that lands on the snow bank. If the puck is “unplayable” the referee shall determine possession based on who directed the puck out of the playing area. Once possession is awarded, defending players should stand two-stick lengths away to begin play.

Scoring System Rules:

• 3 Points for a Win
  0 Points for a Loss
• If at the end of regulation two teams are tied, they will play a 3-minute sudden death overtime. If at the end of the 3-minute overtime no goals have been scored, there will be a 2-minute sudden death overtime.  If at the end of overtime play no goals have been scored, the winner will be determined by a coin toss. The home team (team 1) will call the toss. Subsequent ties will be broken by lowest total number of goals scored against followed by goals for.

Illegal Players & Teams:

• If the tournament director(s) determine that an illegal player has participated in the tournament, the player(s) shall be immediately removed from the tournament and the team using the ineligible player(s) will receive a 0-1 forfeit loss in each of the games the illegal player (s) participated in.
• Illegal players are any participants that,

1. Violate the minimum age requirement for their skill division
2. Participate in a division below their skill level
3. Participate on two team rosters
4. Are under 21 year-of-age.

•  Silver Division & Below: If it is determined by the tournament director(s) at any point during the preliminary round games that a team’s skill level as a whole is far above their competition, that team will be permitted to play the three games guarantee, but will receive a 1-0 forfeit loss for those games and will not be permitted to advance.

The tournament director(s) reserves the right to make any decisions regarding tournament rules, format, etc. for the overall good of the event. In all cases this decision shall be final.