Tournament rules

The tournament follows the Finnish Ice Hockey Association (FIHA) junior rules (U11) with the exceptions listed below.

The playing time is 2 x 15 minutes, effective playing time. The total game duration is 40 minutes. The total time starts at the time indicated in the game schedule unless otherwise instructed by the tournament management.

The intermission between periods is 1 minute. The 40-minute total time does not apply to final games. Teams do not switch sides between periods.

In placement games, if the game is tied after regular time, it will immediately proceed to a shootout competition. Skaters take shots in the order designated by the coach until a winner is decided, one pair at a time. The referee determines the starting team and shooting direction by draw. A player serving a penalty at the end of regulation time is not allowed to participate in the shootout.

Timeouts are not allowed in the tournament. Teams must be ready 5 minutes before the game starts. No on-ice warm-up is allowed; the game starts immediately with the starting lineups when the scheduled game time is reached. Rosters must be submitted in the Game Results Online system before the tournament begins. A player may only play at one level in the tournament, with the exception of goalkeepers. Missing a player’s name or number from the game sheet does not entitle the opposing team to file a protest.

All protests are handled by the tournament jury, whose decision is final. The jury consists of the tournament manager and two other persons appointed by the tournament organizer. The jury does not provide justification for its decisions, and decisions cannot be appealed. The protest fee is €200, which will be refunded if the protest is upheld. A protest regarding a game event must be submitted within 20 minutes after the end of the game. The protest must be signed by the team manager.

Penalties follow the current FIHA U11 competition and special rules, as well as the IIHF rulebook.

During penalty killing, the normal icing rule applies. If a player receives a game misconduct penalty during the tournament, the player may participate in the next game if the tournament jury considers it appropriate. The jury may also increase the severity of the penalty and suspend the player from the tournament. If a player receives two game misconduct penalties during the tournament, they will, as a rule, be automatically removed from the tournament. If there are exceptionally strong reasons against the suspension, the jury may review the case and decide on the player’s continuation. A game misconduct penalty for violence always results in an automatic one-game suspension. The jury will review the case and decide on further participation. A game misconduct penalty for a team official always results in a one-game suspension. The jury will review the case and decide on further participation. All major penalties in the tournament will be reported to the FIHA disciplinary authority. The tournament management has the right to change schedules and game order if necessary.

If a team does not arrive on the ice according to the schedule or does not complete the game, the team will be declared to have lost the game 5–0. The delay limit is 5 minutes after the scheduled start time.

Competition Format

COMPETITIVE DIVISION

Teams in the competitive division are divided into preliminary groups.

After the preliminary round, placement games are played.

If a game in the competitive division playoffs ends in a tie, the winner is decided by a shootout (penalty shots), one shooter at a time until a winner is determined. In the bronze medal game and the final, the shootout is decided with three shooters. If the score is still tied after three shooters, it continues one shooter at a time until a winner is determined. The shooters must be different players until all players on the team have taken a shot. The referee determines which team starts.

CHALLENGE DIVISION

Teams in the challenge division are divided into preliminary groups.

After the preliminary round, placement games are played.

If a game in the challenge division playoffs ends in a tie, the winner is decided by a shootout (penalty shots), one shooter at a time until a winner is determined. In the bronze medal game and the final, the shootout is decided with three shooters. If the score is still tied after three shooters, it continues one shooter at a time until a winner is determined. The shooters must be different players until all players on the team have taken a shot. The referee determines which team starts.

Games

If a team does not arrive on the ice according to the schedule or does not complete the game, the team will be declared to have lost the game 5–0. The delay limit is 5 minutes after the scheduled start time.

The home team indicated in the game schedule plays at the scoreboard end of the rink. The away team plays at the spectator end (applies to both rinks).

Each game is officiated by two referees, one of whom is a Finnish Ice Hockey Association referee.

Jersey Colors

The home team indicated in the schedule plays in dark jerseys and the away team in light jerseys. Exceptions may be agreed upon between the teams.

Points

Points are awarded as follows: win 3 points, tie 1 point, loss 0 points.

Standings in the groups are determined according to the following criteria set by the organizer:

1. Points
2. Head-to-head points
3. Head-to-head goal difference
4. Head-to-head goals scored
5. Goal difference in all group games
6. Goals scored in all group games
7. Draw

Suspensions and Discipline

FIHA competition rules apply with the following exception: a 5+20 penalty results in an automatic one (1) game suspension in the division in which the player/team official received the penalty. The player/team official may not participate in games of another division during the suspension.

In case of misconduct, the organizer may remove a person from the event. Misconduct by team officials will be handled according to FIHA rules.

Protests

The protest fee is €200. If the protest is upheld, the fee will be refunded. The protest must be submitted in writing within 20 minutes after the end of the game and delivered to the tournament office, signed by a representative/team official of the protesting team. All material the protesting party wishes to refer to must be attached. Protests are handled by a jury of three persons. The jury may hear representatives of both teams and the referees if necessary. The jury’s decision is final and cannot be appealed.

Responsibilities

The tournament organizer is not responsible for insuring players or team officials of participating teams, nor for any injuries, damages, or loss of equipment. Team managers are responsible for ensuring that all players have a valid Finnish Ice Hockey Association license and insurance.

Changes

The tournament organizer reserves the right to modify the tournament rules. The organizer also has the right to change the game schedule if necessary.