Tournament Rules

Rules and Regulations 2024

The 2024 Western Canada U18 AA Showdown Tournament is sanctioned by Hockey Calgary and will follow the playing rules as per Hockey Alberta and Hockey Canada guidelines. Teams must be registered and in good standing with Hockey Canada. Proof of registration must be available upon request. Participating teams must have permission from their respective branches to attend this tournament.

Hockey Alberta Suspension Guidelines will be utilized. Notice of all suspensions during the tournament will be forwarded (with a full report of the circumstances) to the player’s regular league officials. The Tournament Discipline Committee may require players and team staff to appear at meetings into these matters. No player who is suspended in his regular league can play in the tournament until his suspension is considered complete and lifted by his regular league officials.

TOURNAMENT FORMAT: 16 teams, 2 pools, 4 game guarantee, 1 consolation final, 1 championship game (34 games in total)

POINT SYSTEM USED TO DETERMINE POSITION AFTER FIRST 3 GAMES (SEEDING ROUNDS):

  • 5 points: Win by 2 or more goals
  • 4 points: Win by 1 goal
  • 3 points: Tie Game
  • 2 points: Loss by 1 goal
  • 1 point: Loss by 2 or more goals

First 3 games are considered seeding round and will determine point placement in divisions for games to be played on Saturday November 23 and Sunday, November 24, 2024. The top teams in each division will play in semi final games (game 4 for all of these 4 teams) to determine which 2 teams will go on to play for the championship final and which 2 teams will play for 3rd place in the consolation final. Remaining teams will play a final 4th game against the corresponding seeded team in the other divisional pool (3rd vs  3rd , 4th vs 4th, 5th vs 5th, 6th vs 6th,, 7th vs 7th, 8th vs 8th). 

TIE BREAKING RULES FOR PLACEMENT REGARDING FOURTH GAME:

If two (2) teams are tied in points in their division after the seeding rounds:

  • A - If the two teams have played head-to-head, the winner of the game between the two tied teams gains the highest position.
  • B - If still tied after (A), or the teams have not played each other, the team with the most wins in the first 3 games gains the highest position.
  • C - If the two (2) teams are still tied after A and B has been applied, the team with the best goal ratio gains the highest position. The goal ratio of a team is to be determined in the following manner:

Goals for minus goals against divided by goals for plus goals against. NOTE: All seeding round games are included.

Example: For = 10 goals, Against = 4 goals Formula: (10 – 4) / (10 + 4) = 0.4286

NOTE: The highest ratio gains the highest position.

  • D - If the two (2) teams are still tied after A, B and C has been applied, the team with the least number of minutes in penalties in all 3 seeding round games gains the highest position.
  • E - If the two (2) teams are still tied after A, B, C and D has been applied, and the teams have played each other in a head-to-head match, the team that scored the first goal in the game between the two (2) tied teams gains the highest position.
  • F - If the two (2) teams are still tied after A, B, C, D and E does not apply, the team that scored earliest in their first seeding game played will gain the highest position. 

If three (3) teams or more are tied after seeding round games:

The point record established in the games AMONG THE TIED TEAMS ONLY will be used as the first tie Break formula in deciding which team(s) will advance. If the teams are still tied:

  • A - The team with the most wins would gain the highest position.
  • B - If teams are still tied after A has been applied, then the team with the best goal ratio gains the highest position. The goal ratio of a team is to be determined in the following manner:

Goals for minus goals against divided by goals for plus goals against. NOTE: All seeding round games for each team are included.

Example: For = 10 goals, Against = 4 goals Formula: (10 – 4) / (10 + 4) = 0.4286

NOTE: The highest ratio gains the highest position.

  • If all three percentages are different for the three (3) teams that are tied, then first (1st), second (2nd) and third (3rd) place is decided with the highest percentage gaining first (1st) place and the lowest percentage gaining third (3rd) place. The tie breaking procedure will not go back to two teams tied.
  • C - If two teams or more are still tied after A and B has been applied, the team(s) to qualify would be the team(s) that received the least number of minutes in penalties throughout all 3 of their seeding round games.
  • D - If three teams are still tied after A, B and C have been applied, the team that scored earliest in their first seeding game will gain the highest position. 

Note: In the event that 3 or more teams are tied after the determination of the top 4 teams refer to the section on tie breaking for 3 or more teams listed in the Tie Breaking Rules for seeding round games.

OVERTIME RULES FOR SEMI FINAL, CONSOLATION AND CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES

If at the end of the three regulation twenty-minute periods the score is tied, the following shall take place:

  • A Five (5) minute sudden victory overtime period shall be played.
  • Teams will play 4 on 4 plus a goalie in the overtime period.
  • All penalties will carry over into the overtime period. Penalties that occur in the overtime period will be served as normal.
  • Should the score be tied at the end of the overtime period, a 3-player shootout will occur. The team scoring the most goals after 3 shooters will be declared the winner.
  • If the teams are still tied after the first 3 shooters on each team, the shootout will continue (a shooter from each side must be allowed per cycle and no player shall be used twice until all players have had a turn) until a winner is determined.

OVERTIME RULES FOR ALL OTHER FINALS (3rd vs 3rd, etc) 

  • Should the score be tied at the end of regulation play, a 3-player shootout will occur. The team scoring the most goals after 3 shooters will be declared the winner.
  • If the teams are still tied after the first 3 shooters on each team, the shootout will continue (a shooter from each side must be allowed per cycle and no player shall be used twice until all players have had a turn) until a winner is determined.

TEAM COLOURS

Home team will wear dark colour uniforms and the visitor will wear light colour uniforms.

DRESSING ROOMS

Only players, team officials, and tournament officials will be permitted in dressing rooms and the dressing room area.

GAME SHEETS

Team managers must report to tournament officials at the arena where the game is scheduled, 30 minutes prior to game time. The game sheet must be completed by both teams at least twenty (20) minutes prior to game time. All players must be registered as eligible to play for the respective team on their official Hockey Canada roster. 

GAME OFFICIALS

All referees and linesmen officiating in the tournament will be qualified and registered by Hockey Alberta. Off ice officials for timekeeping and scorekeeping are assigned by the tournament, however each team will need to provide a volunteer for their penalty box.

TIME AND CONDITIONS OF PLAY

The ice will be flooded between each period of all games. Warm up time will be determined by the Referee, in consideration of time available. Warm up pucks will be provided. Teams not ready to start play at the scheduled time and/or when the Referee calls the players to Centre ice for the initial face off, will be subject to a delay of game penalty.

Games shall consist of three (3) twenty (20) minute stop-time periods. Teams will be allowed one thirty (30) second time out which will be taken at any time during the game (regulation or overtime periods).