USA Hockey Sanctioning Rules & Regulations  

Pro Performance Events, (Hereinafter), PPE is governed by USA Hockey and officially sanctioned by the appropriate registrar for the district where tournament events are held. All tournament games are played according to the rules and regulations of USA Hockey. 

IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH PLAYER, COACH AND TEAM TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THE RULES, REGULATIONS, PROCEDURES AND POLICIES ADDRESSED HEREIN.

Violation of any of the rules herein will result in disciplinary procedures, up to including disqualification from the tournament, as set forth in Section C(21).

A. GAME RULES AND REGULATIONS

Verification that all participating teams are properly registered with USA Hockey or their country’s federation is required prior to the start of the tournament. A USA Hockey Official Team Roster Form (1-T) approved by the District or Associate Registrar or Hockey Canada Certified Player Roster approved by the governing Canadian federation is required for all participating teams and shall be proof that all participating teams are properly registered, and all participants are playing in the appropriate age classification and level.

IMPORTANT SAFESPORT REQUIREMENTS: ALL PLAYERS 17 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31 OF THE PLAYING SEASON AND WHO PLAY ON A TEAM IN A CLASSIFICATION THAT ALLOWS MINOR-AGE PLAYERS, MUST HAVE COMPLETED SAFESPORT TRAINING. THIS APPLIES TO ALL TEAMS IN THE AGE CLASSIFICATIONS FOR YOUTH, GIRLS, HIGH SCHOOL, JUNIOR HOCKEY, FLEX HOCKEY AND DISABLED HOCKEY. ROSTERS WILL BE CHECKED TO ENSURE ALL TEAMS ARE IN COMPLIANCE.

All teams must complete and submit the required online Tournament Roster and Team Information Form and any required waivers prior to the start of the tournament and on or before the requested deadline which includes information and official documentation needed to ensure all teams are properly registered and playing in the appropriate age classification and level, uploading of team roster details into Kreezee (our stats and standings program), verify Stay2Play hotel accommodation information for visiting teams and submit any required waivers, or other tournament related information or documentation that may be required. No other methods of submission will be accepted unless approved (and/or directed) by the Tournament Series Director or Tournament Series Committee.

Please submit Tournament Roster or Team Information via email to, support@kreezee.com  

A. USA Hockey Official Team Roster (1-T) approved by the appropriate District or Associate Registrar or Official Team Roster approved by the country’s federation or governing body is required for all teams.

   I. All Official Team rosters must be designated as “Travel” or “House/Rec”, as appropriate.
   II. All USA Hockey players must have a valid USA Hockey registration confirmation number for the current season that is verified on the approved USA Hockey Official Team Roster (1-T) (Youth Teams).
   III. All USA Hockey coaching staff and team personnel must have a valid USA Hockey registration confirmation number for the current season, a current/approved background screening, a current/approved USAH SafeSport certification, and current/valid Coaching certification at the level of play for the team they are coaching that is verified on the approved USA Hockey Official Team Roster (1-T) (Youth Teams)
   IV. All non-USA Hockey players, coaching staff and team personnel must meet similar requirements as listed above and be certified according to the country’s federation or governing body that is verified on the approved USA Hockey Official Team Roster (1-T) or Hockey Canada Certified Player Roster.

B. Travel Permits are required and will be verified for all non-USA Hockey teams, and any team from an Affiliate requiring Travel Permits.

C. A Hockey Canada Travel permit must be submitted a minimum of 30 days prior to tournament and will be reviewed by TAHA and USAH prior to acceptance in the tournament.

D. Rosters submitted for upload to Kreezee must match the team’s verified/approved USA Hockey Official Team Roster (1-T) or Hockey Canada Certified Player Roster.

E. Stay2Play hotel accommodation information including hotel property name and location, individual player, coach and/or team representative confirmation numbers and dates of stay are required to be provided via the online roster submission form and will be verified for ALL visiting teams.

F. Teams should have the above documentation and/or information available during all tournament games.

Unless otherwise approved by the Tournament Series Director and/or Tournament Series Committee, the following applies to all participating teams. All decisions for the following and/or any of the rules as defined herein, may be made at the sole discretion of the Tournament Series Director and/or Tournament Series Committee. All decisions of the Tournament Series Director and/or Tournament Committee are final.

A. Youth House/Rec League players must play on House/Rec League teams in the age division/classification/level they played during the 2026-27 Fall Season; Travel/Select League players must play on Travel/Select teams in the age division/classification/level they played during the 2026-27 Fall Season.

B. All Youth teams must be comprised of players on their approved/USA Hockey 1-T team roster on file with their local association and/or league and/or state/district Registrar and/or as submitted to the Tournament Credentials Committee via the Tournament Online Roster submission process. In the event of a player injury, or other urgent need (e.g. emergency goalie), substitute player eligibility will be determined and reviewed for approval on a case-by-case basis.

C. Players can only be rostered on one (1) team and will NOT be allowed to play for multiple teams, regardless of what division the teams are in. Please note that NO players can be added to the roster at game time. No combining of teams/players or substitutions will be accepted. Exceptions may be made for goaltenders in extenuating circumstances or technical or clerical errors on Kreezee, provided the team is in compliance with 3.a. above.

D. On a case-by-case basis, exception(s) for individual girl(s) and/or girl(s) teams, regardless of the individual player and/or team Classification (e.g. age/age group), Category (e.g. House/Rec or Travel/Select) and/or Division/Level (e.g. AA, A, Upper, Lower, etc.), may be made at the sole discretion of the Tournament Series Director and/or Tournament Series Committee, in an effort to provide an equal opportunity for girls to play individually and/or as a team at an appropriate classification, category, and/or division level as determined by the Tournament Series Director and/or Tournament Series Committee. All decisions of the Tournament Series Director and/or Tournament Committee are final.

All team representatives are responsible for checking the rink front desk for any schedule changes, suspensions and other important information. All schedules, scores and standings will be updated via Kreezee throughout the tournament weekend. This online scoring system contains game schedules, game scores only and up to date placements for finals. NOTE: Bracket boards will not be posted at the rink and teams will need to monitor Kreezee for updates on the Finals.

General Manager and/or Rink Staff on duty will be available at each facility to answer questions regarding scheduling, tournament events, directions and other matters pertinent to the tournament operation. However, as stated, each team is responsible for ensuring pertinent information is communicated to all team members on a daily basis.

The PPE Director, members of the Tournament Organizing Committee, or staff may also be available at various times during the tournament to answer any questions regarding specific hockey issues. The Director is responsible for all inquiries or disputes regarding application of rules, interpretation of rules, player eligibility, disciplinary action and any other procedural disputes. In some cases, a 24-hour rule may apply.

The Director will not overturn any dispute concerning rules and / or the judgment applied by on-ice officials. All decisions of the Tournament Series Director are final.

B. GAME RULES AND REGULATIONS

Specific Rules and Regulations are outlined below. If a situation arises that is not covered by these Tournament Rules, then USA Hockey Rules and Regulations apply. All decisions of the Tournament Series Director and/or Tournament Series Organizing Committee are final.

1.. Locker Rooms / Dressing Areas: All teams must use assigned locker rooms or dressing areas posted at the front desk; on the rink TV monitors or at other locations throughout the rink. A combination of locker rooms & dressing areas may be used. In addition to the regular locker rooms, temporary locker rooms may be set up, when possible, so each team has a separate locker room. Access to the locker rooms and/or dressing areas will be managed per the discretion of each ice facility. Locker Rooms MUST be vacated and cleaned within 20 minutes of the conclusion of each team’s scheduled game/ice time. Each team needs to ensure that locker room or dressing area is clean (no remaining trash/tape/food/drink) prior to vacating it. Team representatives are responsible for all damage done to the locker room, dressing area or the facility. PPE or Ice Facilities will not be held responsible for any items lost or stolen during the tournament.

• Monitoring: It is the policy of USA Hockey that all teams have at least one responsible adult (head/assistant coach or other approved team personnel) directly monitoring the locker room during all tournament events to ensure that only participants (coaches and players), and other approved team personnel are permitted in the locker room to supervise the conduct in and around the locker rooms at all times while participants are present and also make sure the locker room is appropriately secured during times when minor participants are on the ice. All responsible adults serving as locker room monitors should be gender correct and the co-ed locker room policy must be followed. Monitors must be screened per USA Hockey screening standards and USA Hockey SafeSport certified. Unapproved, non-team personnel, including parents and family members, are discouraged from entering locker rooms unless it is truly necessary.
• Cell Phones and Other Mobile Recording Devices: Per USA Hockey policy, cell phones and other mobile devices with recording capabilities, including voice recording, still cameras and video cameras, are not permitted to be used in the locker rooms. If phones or other mobile devices must be used, they should be taken outside of the locker room.
• Rosters: Only coaches and players and (including goalkeepers) listed on the Official Team Roster and USA Hockey 1-T Form or Hockey Canada Certified Player Roster may play in tournament games.

A player’s name may only appear on one (1) roster for the Tournament. Players may only play on one team in the tournament. Players cannot play for multiple teams in one or multiple divisions. Exceptions may be made for goaltenders in extenuating circumstances, please see below.

Any team using a coach or player not properly listed on the team roster or having a player listed on more than one (1) roster will forfeit (1-0) any and all affected games. Any team using a coach or player suspended for any reason will forfeit that game (1-0) and the suspended coach or player will be ejected for the remainder of the tournament. Suspended coaches and players may attend tournament games but are not allowed on the player bench area.

Game suspensions (prior to the tournament and/or not served from a previous tournament) carry over and still apply to the tournament games. All decisions of the Tournament Director related to rosters are final.

Emergency Substitute Goaltenders: Goaltenders may be allowed to fill in on an emergency basis due to injury or illness to prevent cancellation of a game. Emergency goaltenders must come from a team at or below the level of play of the team borrowing the goaltender. All requests for the use of an emergency goaltender must be approved in advance by the Tournament Committee. The following information must be submitted to the Committee a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the game-time: o Details on Game in Question (Game Date, Location, Time, Opponent)

Previously Rostered Goaltender (Full Name and Number)

Proposed Substitute Goaltender (Full Name, Number, Full-Time Team)

Supplemental Roster Verification: Teams may be subject to supplemental Team roster and/or individual player verification at any time. If it is determined by the Tournament Staff during Official Team roster submission, or by the Director and/or Committee at any point during the tournament that a team in any tournament division is playing with ineligible players, in the Director and/or Committee’s sole discretion, that team may be subject to supplemental discipline, including but not limited to, permitting the team to play the minimum number of games, but receiving a 3-0 forfeit loss for those games and not being permitted to advance to the championship round, forfeiture of games, suspension of individual players and/or coaches, or disqualification of the team from the tournament.

Game/Score Sheet: Coaches or Managers must notify the Director before each game if there are any scratches to their lineup for any reason including but not limited to, illness, injury, or suspension. All tournament games will be recorded as game scores only; Individual player and/or goalie statistics will not be tracked on Kreezee. A copy of the score sheet may only be printed from the tournament website after the game concludes.

Discrepancies must be reported to the Tournament Director in writing by either the Team Manager or Head Coach for review prior to the start of the next scheduled game. Once verified and approved, scoresheets will be updated online as soon as practicable. In the event the tournament and or a particular division format does not allow for tracking of individual player & goalie statistics, related discrepancies will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The Tournament Series Director and/or Tournament Series Committee will not overturn any dispute concerning rules and / or the judgment applied by on-ice officials. All decisions of the Tournament Director are final.  

Uniforms: All teams must have two (2) sets of jerseys – one (1) light colored and one (1) dark. All Teams must indicate their light and dark jersey colors during online roster and team information form submission. Participating House/Rec League Teams must wear jerseys that have been provided by their local House/Rec league, program or association. Home and Visiting teams are indicated on the tournament schedule. Home teams shall wear LIGHT colored jerseys and matching socks. Visitors will wear DARK colored jerseys and matching socks. Teams may wear dark socks with light jerseys or vice-versa, but both socks must be the same. All jerseys must have a player number clearly displayed. Taped numbers or players without numbers will not be permitted to participate in the tournament games. Numbers worn must correspond to the numbers listed on the scorekeeper’s roster.

Protective Equipment: The following protective equipment is required while on the players bench and on the ice surface.

A. USA Hockey Compliant Helmet: (HECC Certified) must be worn at all times during warm-ups, games, and in the bench area.
B. Skates
C. Stick
D. Gloves
E. Hockey Pants
F. Elbow Pads
G. Shin Pads
H. Shoulder Pads
I. Full-Facemask: All Youth players, in all age classifications below adults, are required to wear a facemask certified by HECC, plus any chin protection that accompanies the facemask. Any helmet or facemask that is altered shall be deemed to be illegal equipment and shall not be allowed to be used in a game.
J. Mouth Guards: All Youth players, including goalkeepers, are required to wear a non-clear mouth guard.
K. Neck Guards: As of August 1, 2024, USA Hockey requires the use of neck laceration protection (sometimes referred to as neck guards) for players in all age classifications, other than adults, in games and practices — as well as for on-ice officials under the age of 18. For clarity, this includes youth, girls and junior age classifications. USA Hockey continues to strongly recommend the use of neck laceration protectors for adult players.

EACH PLAYER MUST SUPPLY HIS/HER OWN WATER / WATER BOTTLE.

Player’s Bench: Only players (including goalkeepers) and coaches listed on the USA Hockey Official Team Roster (1-T) are eligible to be on the players’ bench during games. Teams are limited to a maximum number of team officials as specified below. Teams are limited to a maximum of 18 skaters and 2 goalies on the player’s bench at any given time. NOTE: Unless otherwise approved by the Tournament Director. Individuals listed as Volunteers or Team Managers may not participate in on-ice activities or be on the Player’s Bench during games. a. 8U Division: A maximum of two (2) team officials on the player’s bench at any given time.

10U-18u Divisions: A maximum of 4 team officials on the player’s bench at any given time. NOTE: If the penalty box is accessible from the bench, one (1) team official will be required to be stationed in the penalty box. If the penalty box is not accessible from the bench (e.g., completely sealed and only accessible from the doorway to/from the ice surface), then a volunteer from the team should be stationed in the penalty box.

Any player or coach listed on the Official Team Roster (1-T) who is unable to play due to suspension or other valid reason, may attend tournament games but is not allowed in the team locker room, on the players’ bench or surrounding area. Any player listed on the official 1-T roster that is injured, or otherwise unable to participate in game play, is NOT eligible to be on the players’ bench regardless of game apparel or protective equipment. All parents, visitors and spectators are to remain away from the player’s bench and penalty box areas.

Access to Ice Surface Pre-Post Game: ALL PLAYERS SHALL REMAIN OFF THE ICE SURFACE UNTIL THE ZAMBONI DOORS HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY CLOSED, NETS ARE IN PLACE AND ON-ICE OFFICIALS ARE PRESENT. Failure to do so may result in a minor penalty assessment. Teams must exit and enter the ice through separate doors whenever possible. All players shall exit the ice surface immediately after the game concludes.

Penalty / Box Attendant: Each team is responsible for providing its own penalty box monitor or attendant, although not required. Penalty box attendants should refrain from any physical contact with any player and distance from players and coaches whenever possible. Penalty box attendants are strictly there to assist the player and scorekeeper with opening and closing the door. They are not permitted to impact the game and are strictly prohibited from becoming verbally active with any game official. Penalty box monitors may not use phones, cameras or any other photographic equipment or electronic devices while in the penalty box area. Any such activity will result in immediate removal from the penalty box area, and possibly the rink for the duration of the tournament. All parents, visitors and spectators are to remain away from the player’s bench and penalty box areas.

Officials / Referees: All on-ice officials that oversee tournament games are to be certified by USA Hockey.

Penalties: Penalty duration is as follows:

Minor 8U – Any penalty will result in the penalized player being sent to the team bench for the remainer of that 90-second shift and the game will resume with 4-on-3 play until the completion of that shift. The offending team will resume full strength at the beginning of the next shift. Any stoppage of play related to a penalty will result with the puck being thrown into the corner by the official to resume game play.

Minor 8u-10U 1:00

Minor 12u- 18u 1:30

Major (All Divisions) – 5:00 minutes

Misconduct (All Divisions) – 10:00 minutes

*Penalties during running or stop time are of the same duration.

*Any fighting and altercations that involve pushing and shoving are not permitted.

*Officials will have the ability to assess misconduct penalties and or eject players who can’t control themselves. 12 Team penalties in a game – Rule 401(B)	1 game suspension for Coach – Suspension is the next scheduled 1 game of that team currently appearing on the schedule at the time of the assessment.
2 Major penalties in a game – Rule 403(B)	2 game suspension for player – Suspension is the next scheduled 2 games of that team currently appearing on the schedule at the time of the assessment.
4 penalties to the same player in a game – Rule 401(B)	1 game suspension for player -Suspension is the next scheduled 1 game of that team currently appearing on the schedule at the time of the assessment.
Checking from Behind + 2 Minute Minor + Misconduct – Rule 608(A)	2-minute minor + misconduct – No suspension; penalty served in the box, and can resume play.
Abuse of Officials and Other Misconduct – Use of Hateful or Discriminatory Language – Rule 601(E.3)	A Match Penalty shall be assessed to any player(s) or team official(s) who uses language that is offensive, hateful or discriminatory in nature anywhere in the rink before, during or after the game.
Checking from Behind + 5 Minute Major + Game Misconduct – Rule 608(B) or Match Penalty for Intent to Injure – Rule 608(C)/Rule 602(A) – which results in a Match Penalty (See below)	1 Game Suspension – Suspension is the next scheduled 1 game of that team currently appearing on the schedule at the time of the assessment (Major + GM) OR suspended from all USA Hockey activities pending a hearing by the governing body of that player.
Face-Off Locations 612(B)	Calls for an end zone face-off in defending zone of penalized team except for when the stoppage of play is caused by the non-offending team
Fighting Major Rule 615(A-F)	5-minute major + game misconduct – 1 game suspension
Icing the Puck – Rule 624(B)	Icing the puck during shorthanded situations is PROHIBITED AT ALL YOUTH DIVISIONS. Only exceptions are High School and Adult classifications.
Offside 630(D)	Any time the puck was passed or shot into the attacking zone and creates an offside play, play will be stopped and the face-off will take place at the nearest last play face-off location where the pass or shot originated.
Unnecessary Roughness 640(D)	A minor penalty shall be assessed to any player who delivers a body check with no effort to gain possession of the puck and the blade of the player’s stick is above the knees.
Match Penalty	Suspended from all USA Hockey activities pending hearing by the governing body of the player; Requires a TAHA Hearing, or according to the local rules (for non-TAHA teams).

Misconducts: Game misconduct penalties will result in a minimum one game suspension. Players or team officials serving a suspension for a game misconduct violation or disciplinary suspension may not have any interaction with the team 45 minutes prior to the game, during the game and for 30 minutes after the game. Prohibited activities include any communication, being in the locker room or in the vicinity of the bench area. Violations may result in supplementary discipline. A player or Team Official incurring a match penalty shall be suspended from the tournament and from participating in all USA Hockey games and practices until their case has been dealt with by the proper authorities. Any Team Official or player who is assessed a match penalty may not remain near the bench of their team, nor in any way attempt to direct the play of their team for the balance of the game in which the match penalty has been issued or for the remainder of the tournament.

The Tournament will not overturn any dispute concerning rules and / or the judgment applied by on-ice officials. NOTE: Any players required to serve a suspension from a prior USA Hockey game must complete the suspension prior to playing in the first game of the tournament. By way of example, if a player incurred a suspension in his last game prior to the tournament, this suspension must be served even if the player must miss the first game of the tournament.

Abuse of Officials: USA Hockey Zero tolerance for abuse of officials is enforced. A minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct shall be assessed to any player who commits the following actions: a. Challenges or disputes the rulings of any official.

• Taunts or incites an opponent.
• Creates a disturbance during the game.
• Shoots the puck after the whistle, if in the opinion of the Official such shot was avoidable.

A misconduct penalty shall be assessed to any player who persists in such conduct and any further dispute by the same player shall result in a game misconduct penalty being assessed.

Abuse of Staff: ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY. Tournament Director has the right to refuse play of the upcoming game or for future games for any player(s) who threatens or using obscene/abusive language to any member of the Tournament or opposing teams’ staff or players.

Body Checking: All tournament games in all House/Rec Divisions / Age Group (8U – 14U) games are non-checking. While body contact is not prohibited, any player committing a hit on an opposing player, that is deemed to be predatory in the sole discretion of the on-ice official call will be at the referee’s discretion. NOTE: All 10U-19U Girls Tournament games (HOUSE/REC Divisions, regardless of age group/level are non-checking.

Game Time: Games will start at their scheduled time. All teams must be ready to begin play fifteen (15) minutes prior to the scheduled start time of each game, except for the first game each day. If the on-ice officials are ready to begin the game at the scheduled start time and a team is not ready to begin at that time, it will be given a one (1) minute grace period. If a team is not ready to start at the conclusion of the grace period, the game will be forfeited.

Game (Period) Lengths: Tournament games are allotted as follows: 4 Game Minimum, subject to the rules and regulations herein. In the event that a game is being played in an unsafe manner, the referee, at his/her discretion, can end the game at any point. A full report must then be forwarded to the Tournament Series Director and/or Tournament Series Committee. All games will be played to completion. There is no curfew. Period length in tournament games will vary depending on division and level of teams as follows:

• 8U: Two (2), 21-minute halves with 1.5-minute shifts.
• 10U, 12U, & 14U: Three (3), 13-minute, stop-time periods.
• 16u & 18u: Three 15-Minute stop time periods. Checking is only allowed in 14u & up in boys divisions.     

Any fighting and altercations that involve pushing and shoving are not permitted. Officials will have the ability to assess misconduct penalties and or eject players who can’t control themselves.

Any 8U player who receives three (3) penalties in the same game shall be assessed a game misconduct penalty. A player incurring a game misconduct penalty shall also be suspended for his team’s next game (the game already appearing on the schedule of that team at the time of the infraction).

Game Format (8U Divisions): Games will be cross-ice games, 4-on-4 with goalies, blue pucks and mini-nets for the 8U Division. Any stoppage in play, such as a goaltender freeze, penalty, out of play, etc., will result with the puck being thrown into the corner by the Official to resume game play. Commencement of a period or goals will also result in a faceoff at the center of the cross-ice sheet. Any penalty will result in the penalized player being sent to the team bench for the remainder of that 90-second shift, and the game will resume with 4-on-3 play until the completion of that shift. The offending team will resume full strength at the beginning of the next shift. Individual player & goaltender statistics will not be updated on Kreezee for the Mite Division. All other ADM guidelines and cross-ice rules apply.

Any 8U player who receives three (3) penalties in the same game shall be assessed a game misconduct penalty. A player incurring a game misconduct penalty shall also be suspended for his team’s next game (the game already appearing on the schedule of that team at the time of the infraction).

Game Format (10U, 12U, 14U, 16U, & 18U Divisions): Games will be full-ice games.

Warm-up period: Three (3) minutes for all divisions. The scorekeeper will mark the official start time on the score sheet at the start of the warm-up period. All games will be played to completion. There is no curfew.

Rest Time: There will be a one (1) minute break between each period. Immediately after the first and second periods, the timekeeper will begin the one-minute countdown on the game clock. The next period shall begin immediately after the break. Approximate minimum (recommended) rest period between games (end of first to start of second) for each division shall be as follows (unless both opposing coaches agree to forego):

• 8U and 10U – 2 hours
• 12U, 14U, 16U, and 18U – 2.5 hours

There shall be a minimum rest time of 9 hours (ex. 1 hr travel (if applicable); 8 hrs sleep) between games (end of first to start of second) at night and the following morning.

Run Time: If at any time during the third period the goal differential reaches 5, the game clock will go to running time and will not stop for any reason other than at the direction of the on-ice officials until the game ends or the goal differential is reduced to 3. The game clock will not be stopped for goals scored, penalties, or any other reason while the “mercy rule” is in effect, unless directed by the on-ice officials.

Time Out: No time outs are allowed during round robin play. One 30-second time out is permitted per team per final championship game.

Game Results: A maximum differential of 7 goals per game will be used for standings / tiebreaker purposes.

Standings: There will be no overtime during round robin play. Points will be awarded in the following manner for all games (maximum points awarded for a win will be 2 points regardless of how it is achieved).

• 2 Points Win in Regulation
• 1 Point tie score.
• 0 Points Loss.

Tiebreaker: The following tie-breaker formulas below will be used to determine the order of finish (seeding) after round robin play between teams with an equal number of points. Ties between 3 or more teams will default to tie-breaker two (b.) and proceed from there. If one (1) tiebreaker establishes a position for one (1) or more teams, each team is placed in the applicable position. Once a team is placed, the remaining tied teams shall proceed to the next tiebreaker until a position is established.

• Head to head record between teams with equal points. i. Teams that do not play “head to head” default to tie breaker two (b.), and so on. Goal Differential – There is a maximum goal differential of +/- 7 goals per game, regardless of how many goals teams win/lose by.
• Fewest Goals allowed overall
• Fewest Penalty Minutes
• Coin Flip

Shootout Procedures: For playoff Games that end in a tie, a three (3) player shootout will be used to determine a winner as outlined below. Only Championship games that end in a tie shall first use a five (5) minute sudden-death run-time (3 on 3) period to determine a winner.

Each team will select three (3) players to participate in the shootout. If a player is serving a penalty and there is still time on his/her penalty, they are not eligible in the shootout. Once a player shoots he/she is no longer eligible to participate until every player on the bench (excluding goaltenders, players serving penalties) has participated at least once.

If, after all three (3) players have finished their attempts, the game remains tied; each team will start the second round by selecting one (1) player, who has not yet participated in the shootout, to take a turn. The shootout will proceed one player at a time with each team having an equal number of turns; the home team shoots last in each round until a winner is determined

Team Placements:

1. PPE verifies the eligibility of each team to participate in the tournament as required per our Rules & Regulations and USA Hockey Tournament sanction. PPE Tournaments uses its best efforts to place teams in competitive brackets based on a number of factors, which may include the number of teams registered in a particular age group and/or division, the team’s registration, their registration with USA Hockey, placement in their local league, and the record of the team in league play (assuming a record exists). International teams, and tournament teams with no record of play are placed based on either knowledge of other teams in their local area or league, or from discussion with the respective coach and team manager to gain an understanding of their play, compared to those locally. The Tournament Committee and/or Tournament Director may, at their sole discretion, align teams or change teams in any particular division or skill level, and/or distribute teams equally to obtain a balanced division, schedule, format and/or competitive level of play. While PPE uses its best effort to place teams in the appropriate competitive brackets, all teams are subject to supplemental roster verification at any time in accordance with Section B(3) – B(5) of these rules. All decisions of the Tournament Director and/or Tournament Committee are final.
2. As long as a minimum of 3 teams are registered in a division within 30 days of the tournament start date, those divisions are a go.    

Division & Rink Game Locations: Teams may play one or more games at a primary rink, a secondary rink or a combination of any/all rinks listed on the tournament website. Additional rinks may be added or listed rinks removed/changed as needed. All decisions of the Director and or Tournament Series Committee are final.

Tournament Schedule: Tournament game schedules are made available via the tournament website as soon as practicable prior to the start of a tournament. However, there may be certain circumstances which may delay the release of the schedule. While changes to the schedule, divisions and/or tournament game format are not anticipated once the schedule is released, there may be occasions where modifications do occur, and team representatives are responsible for monitoring the tournament website and/or Kreezee for potential changes and communicating with their teams accordingly. In the event that changes to the schedule, divisions and/or tournament game format should occur once the tournament has commenced, any modifications will be communicated to impacted team(s) and/or division(s) as soon as practicable once completed. All decisions of the Director are final.

Scheduling Requests: As always, any requests scheduling/scheduling accommodation requests received by PPE cannot be guaranteed due to a number of factors. As with all PPE Tournaments, the tournament game schedule must take priority. Should any request fall within a peak scheduling window and coupled with several other constraints, our ability to accommodate any requests for scheduling considerations during this timeframe is, as always, extremely limited. As is our normal practice, once registration is closed and divisions are finalized, the scheduling team will review any submitted requests on a first-come, first-served basis, and if able, will attempt to accommodate said requests provided there are no foreseeable impacts to the tournament division(s)/schedule(s).

Refunds: The first $500 of the registration fee is deemed a registration deposit fee and is non-refundable. However, in the event that the tournament should be cancelled, due to COVID-19 or other circumstances beyond our control, the payment of the tournament entry fee or registration deposit will be refunded in full or credit applied to a future event. Provided a team has paid in full, and request is made prior to registration closure, a full or partial refund may be granted/approved by the Tournament Series Director and/or Tournament Committee (less the registration deposit fee). In certain emergency situations such as: player injuries or other valid medical reasons or natural disaster or state of emergency in the player’s home/home city, the Tournament Series Director and/or Tournament Committee may choose to waive the notice requirement. Provided the tournament is not cancelled, all refund requests must be made in writing (via email) and accompanied by valid documentation to support the refund request. No refunds will be given once the schedule is posted, unless the tournament is cancelled. Refunds may be issued using the original form of payment, by check or by credit applied to a future tournament.

Noisemakers: Noisemakers are not allowed in the viewpoint (upstairs enclosed area) between the rinks and the lobby area. Use of any type of artificial noisemakers in the on-ice seating area are strongly discouraged as a courtesy to nearby spectators. All spectators are asked to display good sportsmanship and recognize that it is just as important as the players’ conduct on ice. The primary purpose of this tournament is to provide a positive and fun atmosphere for all participants. Air horns are not permitted in any of the facilities. The Tournament Series Director or rink staff reserves the right to remove any spectator who they determine to be interfering with other spectators enjoyment of the game.

Fundraising: Hockey associations and other groups may not pursue fundraising opportunities at any of the tournament venues. Teams that attempt to do will be asked to stop, and if it continues will be subject to suspension from the tournament, and possibly future events.

Damages: After all games, players are responsible for cleaning up all trash in their respective locker room(s). Any person causing damage to tournament facility(s) and/or tournament, or facility(s) property will be fined commensurate with the damage and will be removed from the premises and/or suspended from all tournament activities and/or venues until the fine is paid in full. All persons are subject to prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.

ARBITRATION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION. ALL DECISIONS OF PPE DIRECTOR ARE FINAL.THE TOURNAMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS ARE TO BE INTERPRETED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEVADA TO THE FULL EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ALL CLAIMS, DISPUTES OR CONTROVERSIES ARISING UNDER OR RELATING TO THESE RULES AND REGULATIONS OR THE TOURNAMENT THAT ARE NOT SUBJECT TO USAHOCKEY BYLAW10, SHALL BE RESOLVED BY BINDING ARBITRATION WITHTHE AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION (“AAA”), PURSUANT TO ITS CURRENT RULES. THE EXCLUSIVE VENUE FOR ANY SUCH ARBITRATION SHALL BE IN CLARK COUNTY, NEVEDA.