Rules
Tournament Rules
TOURNAMENT RULES OF PLAY
Except as noted in the Tournament Rules of Play, all games are subject to USA Hockey Official Rules and Regulations. (For a copy of these rules, visit www.usahockey.com.)
Games:
Games will consist of 3 periods / 12-minute stop-time / 2 minute break between periods / 3 minute warm-up.
Each Team shall be granted one 30-second timeout per Game and one 30-second timeout in overtime.
Timeouts do not carry over from regulation.
If one team has a 5 goal lead at any point during the 3rd period in pool play, the clock will run continuously until the losing team scores and reduces the deficit to 4, which will result once again to stop-time.
All goals will be recorded and counted but in calculating the goal differential for tie breakers, a team will be limited to a +5 differential no matter what the actual tally.
Ice will be resurfaced before each game.
Tie Breakers to determine Championship Games:
(and Semi Final Crossover for Divisions if such exists, in order of application)
Most Wins
Most Points in Round-Robin (**Buffalo System)
Head-to-Head Results
Fewest Goals Against
Net Goal Differential (using 5 per game max in games with 5 goal differential)
Most Goals Scored
Fewest Penalty Minutes
Coin Toss
Buffalo System: Overall Game Points
Each game will be worth a total of 5 points
Winning the Game = 2 points
Tying a Game = 1 point each Team
Winning a Period = 1 point
Tying a Period = 0.5 points each
Championship Game:
In case of a tie, there will be a five minute running time 4-on-4 sudden-death overtime. If the game is still tied, there will be a 3×3 shootout. A coin toss will determine who shoots first. If the score is still tied after that, the shootout will go to sudden death, with each Team alternating shots, until a winner is declared when one team scores and the other does not.
Teams do not have to provide the shooting order. If a team with fewer players needs to have a player shoot a second time, both teams can do so. The order for the second round does not have to be the same as the first round, but a player cannot shoot a third time until all players from the team with the fewer players have shot twice. The scorekeeper will keep track of the numbers of the players shooting. Any player still in the penalty box at the end of the overtime cannot participate in the shootout unless that player is serving a non-player specific penalty (e.g., a penalty for the goaltender, a bench minor penalty, etc…) in which case he/she can participate in the shootout.
Consolation Game:
In the event of a tie after regulation play there will be a 3×3 shootout as detailed above. There will not be any 4 on 4 sudden death play
Player Eligibility:
(pay attention here, there are important changes to previous years)
Age Requirement: Before playing in their first Game, each Player will be required to sign a release form and show proof of age with a photo I.D. To play in the Championship Game, all Players including goalies must have played in two of the round robin games. All Players (except for Goalies) must be of the designated Division Age or older by the end of this calendar year.
Goalie Exceptions: Goalies must be at least 45 years old for the 50+ Division, 50 for the 60+ and 55 for the 70+ Division by the end of this calendar year, unless prior approval has been given by the Olde Crabs Organizing Committee.
70+ Team Exceptions: Teams will be allowed two 68+ Players. Additionally, the 70+ Division Teams will be allowed 65+ players who have had hip or knee replacements. (Note pins for broken bones, torn ligaments, dentures, or contact lenses do not qualify)
Tournament Rosters will be limited to 16 players plus goaler-Game rosters will need to be drawn from the originally submitted 17 maximum. If he’s not on the Tournament Roster he doesn’t play. Rosters must be submitted online by October 12
Women’s 40+ Exception: The former exception for grandfathered players has been retired. All skaters must be 40+ except goalies who may be 35. No exceptions unless approved by management
Players may play in more than one division as long as the second team is a younger division
Other Rules and Regulations:
The Olde Crabs allow full slap shots at all age levels.
Helmet shields or masks are not required, but highly recommended.
Team jerseys must be of like design and color with numbers. Teams are encouraged to have one dark and one white jersey. Uniforms shall be free of inappropriate symbols or wording.
Red Line Icing will be used. Automatic icing will be blown when puck crosses the goal line.
Penalties will be assessed as follows: Minor – 1.5 minutes; Major – 3 minutes; Misconduct – 6 minutes.
Any Player receiving a total of 3 penalties in one Game will be ejected from that Game.
Fighting will result in automatic disqualification from the Tournament.
In the event of coincidental Major penalties, Teams will play at full strength.
Professional Players must be 25 years removed from their last professional Game before they are allowed to play in the Tournament.
