Rules

Kennedy Challenge 2025 Tournament Rules

1. Hockey Canada and GTHL Rules apply except where noted below.

2. OHF Minimum Suspension List will apply.

3. Suspension Notification: Notice of all suspensions during the tournament, will be forwarded (with a full report of the circumstances as necessary) to the league officials. 

4. Time Outs: One thirty second time-out allowed during regulation time in the round robin and playoff games. No time-outs allowed in overtime in the playoffs.

5. Player Equipment: Players to wear the equipment (mouth guards, neck guards etc.) as mandated by their own League.

6. Travel Permit: Teams must be registered with HC or International affiliates (and/or their Provincial/State affiliates). Proof of registration must be available upon request. Participating teams must produce a sanction permit or letter or permission to participate in the tournament from their HC or International affiliated branch.
7. Player Eligibility: All players including affiliates should be registered on the 2024-25 HCR 3.0 system. All players must have an approved HC/or equivalent player’s card or roster sheet available for inspection by Tournament officials. Team managers will submit a team list of players eligible to play to Tournament officials and will have the necessary supporting documentation (valid roster sheet) available for examination by Tournament officials at the time of initial registration. This includes AP’s. No player will be permitted to compete if not on an approved and official roster sheet or card.

8. Teams must be ready to play 15 minutes before scheduled game times.

9. Maximum number of players dressed: HC/GTHL regulations apply regarding maximum number of players to be dressed i.e. teams from Under 10 to and including Under 13 may dress a maximum of 17 registered players. Teams from U 14 to U17 may dress a maximum of 17 players, or if the team has registered 18 or 19 players, then the maximum number of players that such team may dress shall be equal to the number of players that the team has registered, provided further that affiliated players may only be dressed and will only be eligible to bring the number of dressed players up to 17. Teams in the U18 division may dress a maximum of 19 players.

10. No protests are permitted. The referee’s and/or tournament committee’s decisions are final.

11. Game Times – Three twelve minute periods, stop time for all divisions.
    • The clock will run in the third period if there is a five-goal spread.
    • Stop time will resume if the goal spread is reduced to three (3).

12. Division Formats–  As indicated on the game schedule.

13. Scoring
    • Three points for a win in regulation time. Two points for a shootout win. One  point for a shootout loss.

    Ties in round robin games will be resolved by shootout.

    Minimum of 3 shooters per team. Teams shoot alternately and all three shoot. If no winner, continue in sets of one, using different players. Home team shoots first.  Continue rotation in same order until there is a winner. If a team with fewer players completes its player rotation before the other, without a winner, both teams will be allowed to revert to their starting sequence and to repeat that sequence.

    All tied playoff games will go to overtime. See paragraph 15 below.

14. Ties in Standings – To decide playoff positions, ties in standings will be broken as follows:

    Two teams tied

    • Record against other team involved (head to head).
    • Total of goals for divided by total of goals for plus goals against GF / (GF + GA) (“GAA”) with the highest percentage (to three decimal places) taking the higher position. For this calculation, results will be recorded with a maximum goal differential of 5 e.g. actual score of 9-2 is recorded as 7-2. Goals scored in any shoot outs are not included in the calculation of the GAA.
    • Fewest goals against.
    • Most goals for (using recorded score as in b) above).
    • Team with the fewest number of penalty minutes.
    • Earliest goal scored in the tournament.
    • Coin toss.

    Three, or more, teams tied

    • Total of goals for divided by total of goals for plus total of goals against GF/(GF+GA) (“GAA”) with the highest percentage (to three decimal places) taking the highest position.  For this calculation, results will be recorded with a maximum goal differential of 5 e.g. actual score of 9-3 is recorded as 8-3. Goals scored in any shoot outs are not included in the calculation of GAA.
    • Fewest goals against.
    • Most goals for (using recorded score as in a) above.
    • Team with the fewest number of penalty minutes.
    • Earliest goal scored in the tournament.
    • Coin toss.

    Once this method determines the team to be awarded the highest position, the tie-breaking process is repeated with the remaining teams to determine which team is awarded the next highest position. To clarify, if only two teams remain, the “two team” tie breaking formula as noted above will be used to determine which team is awarded the next highest position. If more than two teams remain tied, then the “three or more teams” tie breaking formula shall be used until only two teams remain tied.

15. Overtime
    1. If a playoff game is tied at the end of regulation time, a sudden death period will be played starting with four-on-four skaters. After 4 minutes, the buzzer will sound, and play will be stopped to allow for the removal of a player. Overtime will continue with three skaters per team.  After 4 minutes, the buzzer will sound, and play will be stopped to allow for the removal of a player. Overtime will continue with two skaters per team until a winner is declared. No time outs allowed at the buzzer.
    2. A penalty incurred when each team has only 3 skaters or 2 skaters will result in the unpenalized team adding a player. This player plus the penalized player will be removed at the first whistle after the expiration of the penalty.
    3. In case of a curfew due to expiration of ice permits, the decision of the tournament committee will be final.