Game Format

1. Team will consist of four players; three of which may be on the ice at a time. Substitution is allowed at any time.
2. Games will be played on a half-sheet of ice with both teams shooting on one goalie.
3. Games consist of three 6-minute periods of running time. The clock will only stop for injuries, time-outs, penalties, and at the referee’s discretion, such as to reposition the goal or to confer with scorers on penalties and goals.
4. Tie games will be determined by a shoot-out (except in round robin play). All four players will shoot on an alternating team basis with the team scoring the most goals the winner. If the score remains tied after the first shoot-out, the shoot-out will continue on a sudden-death basis. All four players will continue to participate in the same order until one team scores and other does not.
5. Each team is allowed on, 60-second time out per game. Time-outs can only be taken if the puck is in the neutral zone or during a stoppage in play. A one-minute break will be given between each period. Pre-game warm up will be two minutes.

Procedure for Play

1. A coin flip will determine choice of puck possession. The winner of the flip has choice of possession at the start of the 1^st and 3 ^rd periods or the start of the 2^nd period. The team having possession fro the start of the 2 ^nd period will have the choice of shooting 1 ^st or 2^nd in a shoot-out should one be required.
2. Play begins with the attacking team being allowed 5 seconds of free play in the neutral zone. The attacking team is considered the team that has possession of the puck and has cleared the blue line.
3. The defending team is the team defending the goal. A goal can only be credited to the attacking team. The defending team becomes the attacking team after they have gained possession of the puck and have cleared the blue line. The referee will then signal the change in status of the attacking team by calling out the team color. The 5-second neutral zone free play will then begin again.
4. During this change in possession, all players must “tag-up” within the 5-second free time or change of possession will be declared. The tagged-up player does not have to wait for the puck to enter the zone to tag up and may re-enter the attacking zone at any time; however a goal cannot be scored until all on the attacking team have tagged up. There are no off sides.
5. If the goalie freezes the puck resulting in a stoppage of play, possession will be awarded to the defensive team outside the blue line (neutral zone).
6. The red centerline boards, including the coach’s boxes, are out-of-bounds. If the puck touches or crosses these boards, possession will be awarded to the team that did not touch the puck last. The attacking team will be required to retag even though it did not lose possession of the puck as a result of the puck hitting the centerboards, i.e., the defending team poke-checks the puck causing it to hit the red centerboards.
7. If an uncontrolled puck enters into the neutral zone, the referee will award possession of the puck to the first team to control the puck (referee will call out team color). The attacking team does not have to retag if it regains control of the puck in the neutral zone (only if the puck hits the red centerboards causing a stoppage in play).

Penalties

1. NO CHECKING IS ALLOWED AT ANY LEVEL! Penalties will be called on this and in accordance with USA Hockey rules.
2. A delay of game penalty may also be assessed against a team for:
3. 1. Entering into the neutral zone before 5 seconds of free time is up.
   2. Failing to clear the puck across the blue line within 5 seconds of receiving the puck from the goalie on a frozen puck play or referee following an opponent’s goal.
4. On the first penalty of the period, the puck will be awarded to the non-offending team in the neutral zone. Subsequent penalties on the same team within the same period will result in a penalty shot. The player that was fouled will take the penalty shot. Change of possession will occur only if the penalty shot was scored. A penalty by the goalie will be counted against the defending team. Three penalties by any goalie during the entire tournament will result in disqualification of the goalie.
5. USA Hockey rules for equipment and game play will be followed, except for rule modification within this document. Zero tolerance will be strictly enforced. Any player ejected for fighting, vulgarity, and unsportsmanlike conduct, including intent to injure will result in the entire team being disqualified from the tournament.

Miscellaneous

1. Ice will be resurfaced after every two games.
2. Waiver and Release forms and birth certificates are required.
3. Teams need to be ready 15 minutes prior to scheduled game time.
4. No horns, bells, whistles or other noisemakers of any kind will be permitted in the arena.
5. No carry-ins will be allowed in the arena.
6. Game protests or challenges must be made before the players leave the ice.

Goalie Competition

Goalies compete against other goalies in their level of play. The final rankings are determined by using a formula of save percentage minus goals against average with the highest rating points determining the winner. Example: In 5 games, a goalie has 85 saves out of 100 shots on net, thus giving up 15 goals. That goalie’s rating would be 82.00 (85/100=85% minus 15/5=3). The champion will then be the honor goalie for the team championship game, the second place goalie will play in the third place game, and the third place goalie (if applicable) will play in the Lightning Bowl.