OMHA Sanctioned Tournament Rules

This tournament is sanctioned by the OMHA, and all games are governed by OMHA rules with the following additions:

1. Player and Team Official Suspensions

A. Any player or team official incurring the following penalties will be suspended from further participation in the tournament: 

• A 2nd game misconduct
• A fighting major
• A gross misconduct
• A match penalty

B. Game Misconducts: Refer to the OMHA Rule Book for additional details.

2. Mouth Guards

• Mandatory: Mouth guards must be worn by all OMHA-governed players.

3. Team Rosters and Travel Permits

• Approved team rosters and travel permits must be submitted 3 days before the first game.

4. Coaching Staff Responsibilities

• All coaching staff must report to the Tournament Headquarters (or sign-in table at St. Jacobs) to sign the Game Sheet App.
• iPads will be available in Elmira and St. Jacobs, and sign-in is required for each game. iPads must not be removed from the Headquarters area.

5. Affiliate Players (APs)

• APs must be listed on the approved electronic roster.
• APs can only replace regular rostered players.
• A player can only participate for one team in the tournament.
• Bench capacity must not exceed the number of regular rostered players.

6. Jerseys

• Home teams wear light jerseys; visitors wear dark jerseys.
• If there is a conflict, the visiting team will change jerseys.

7. Game and Dressing Room Conduct

• Teams must be ready to take the ice 15 minutes before their scheduled game time.
• Dressing rooms must be vacated within 30 minutes of game completion. Teams are responsible for damages.
• Team Officials are responsible for securing dressing rooms. Woolwich Minor Hockey, the Tournament Committee, and the Township of Woolwich are not liable for theft or damage.

8. Game Format

Warm-Up Time: 3 minutes

Game Periods:

• Round Robin:
  • 10-10-10
  • No timeouts
• Semi-Finals:
  • 10-10-15
  • One 30-second timeout per team
• Finals:
  • 10-10-15
  • One 30-second timeout per team
• Consolations Games:
  • 10-10-10
  • No timeouts

Additional Rules:

• Running time will commence if the goal spread is 5+ in the 3rd period and revert to stop time if the spread is reduced to 3.

9. Point Structure for Preliminary Rounds

• Win: 2 points
• Tie: 1 point
• Loss: 0 points

A scoreless tie awards 1 point to each team.

10. Forfeits

• A team failing to appear for a scheduled game without just cause forfeits the game (3-0 score awarded to the opposing team).

11. Advancement Criteria

Tiebreaker Rules:

Head-to-head game result.

Most wins in round robin.

Best goal differential (Goals For ÷ (Goals For + Goals Against)).

If the two teams remain tied after applying goal differential, the team with the fewest penalty minutes during the round robin will secure the higher position.

If the tie persists after assessing penalty minutes, the team that scored the first goal in their head-to-head game will gain the higher position.

If the teams are still tied after determining the first goal , a coin toss will decide which team earns the higher position.

 

Multi-team Tiebreaker Rules:

When three or more teams are tied, the multi-team tiebreaker will be applied to determine the seeding for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and so on. If any step in the tiebreaker process resolves the tie for one team, that team will assume its position. The remaining teams will continue through the tiebreaker process until all positions are determined. At no point will the process revert to the two-team tiebreaker.

• Points Among Tied Teams: Use the points earned in games between the tied teams to rank them.
•  Most Wins: The team with the most wins among the tied teams takes the higher position.
•  Goal Differential: If still tied, the team with the best goal differential (goals for divided by total goals for and against) gains the higher position.
•  Goals Scored: If tied after goal differential, the team with the most goals scored in all Round Robin games ranks higher.
•  Fewest Penalty Minutes: If still tied, the team with the fewest penalty minutes in all Round Robin games takes the higher position.
•  Coin Toss: If the tie remains, a coin toss decides the ranking. For three teams, the odd team out ranks higher, and additional tosses will determine the remaining positions.

12. Semi-Finals and Finals

Timeouts: One 30-second timeout per team is allowed.

Tie at End of Regulation:

• 4-on-4 sudden victory overtime (5 minutes), teams will NOT switch ends.
• 3-on-3 sudden victory overtime (5 minutes).
• If still tied, a shootout will commence to decide the winner.

4-on-4 Overtime Penalties:

• A penalty reduces the team to 4-on-3.
• If another penalty is called before the first expires, the second penalty starts after the first ends.
• Players return only after their penalty ends and there is a stoppage in play.
• Teams cannot be reduced to fewer than 3 skaters.
• Penalties carry into the next period.

3-on-3 Overtime Penalties:

• A penalty reduces the team to 4-on-3.
• A second penalty starts after the first ends.
• Players return only after their penalty ends and there is a stoppage in play.
• Teams cannot be reduced to fewer than 3 skaters.
• Penalties carry into the next period.

13. Disputes

• All disputes must be reported to the Tournament Committee, whose decisions are final.
• Coaches and parents often approach Tournament Committee members to protest suspension penalties issued by referees. However, it is important to stress to all coaching staff and parents that the Tournament Committee cannot and will not overturn any penalties issued before, during, or after a game, regardless of the circumstances—no exceptions.
•  For suspension appeals, please refer to the OMHA Manual of Operations.

14. Liability Disclaimer

The Sponsors, Tournament Officials, Township Staff, and associated personnel are not liable for injuries or accidents incurred by players or team officials.