Rules and Event Manual
MISSION STATEMENT
The Alexandra Winter Classic is designed to:
- Provide a tournament format with fun competition
- To encourage growth of hockey for smaller clubs, who don’t have the player numbers to host their own hockey house league competition
- To provide opportunity for Junior / U23 players to join adult teams to get more game
- Enable social league teams to travel, play in competitions outside their club.
This document sets out guidelines for the Winter Classic (founded 2024), Flame Ice Hockey Club. If during the playing season a need arises for any changes or to alter any part there-of, permission must be obtained from the Flames Ice Hockey Club,
All games are to be played according to the rules set out in this Events Manual first, followed by the Official IIHF Rule Book.
SECTION 1 - Playing Rules/Generic Informatio
1.1 Playing Format
Each team will play two games in the SEEDING round.
Each team will then be places into one of two POOLS and play a Round Robin against all teams in their pool.
After Pool play, each team will then play in the Final Round.
-1st and 2nd seeded team from the Round Robin shall compete in the gold/silver game
-The 3rd seeded team shall play the 4th place team, bronze medal game.
1.2 Points System
Winter Classic will be using the NHL 3-2-1 points system, meaning:
- If the outcome of a game is decided in regulation time, the winning team is awarded 3 points, while the loosing team is awarded 0 points.
If there is a tie at the end of regulation time, the game will go into overtime (OT) following these steps:
- Teams play a five-minute (OT) period 3-on-3 hockey, sudden-death style, first team to score wins.
- If after the OT period, no team has scored, 1min rest, then game moves to “shootout”
- “Shootout” starts with three shooters per team, who each have a shot in the round robin format. The team with the most goals scored after the three rounds robin wins.
- If, after the three-round robin, teams are tied, “shootout” round continues until one team scores and the other does not. All players must shoot once before a player can have a second shot in the shoot out
- After OT/Shootout a team is awarded 2 points for a win and 1 point for a loss.
1.3 Final Placing Determination
Tie Games leading to “OT/Shootout” AND “Every Teams is the Pool playing each other” should allow for a clear determination of Final Poll placement. Therefore, teams do not need to rely on “Running up the Score” to determine Final Placing Determination. However, if a tied in Round Robin occurs tie breaker rules in the following order will apply:
- Considering only the teams who are tied in the round robin, (and no other teams), and determine who won the Head to Head game of the tied teas.
- Considering only games in which tied teams (and no other teams) played, the team with the best goal differential (total goals for minus total goals against)
- Considering all games played in the Round Robin, the team with the most goals
- Coin toss
Once any of these rules breaks a tie, teams are reseeded, and the rules reapplied from the beginning for the remaining tied teams
1.4 Pre-Games Requirements
Every team must have at minimum 7 players on their Team Sheet (6 skaters, 1 goalie)
Every effort should be made to play a game even if players from opposing teams are brought into the team.
If one team is unable to compete at all (except for unforeseen weather conditions), the financial losses to the tournament will be considered for any refund to the team
All games are to be played according to the rules set out in this Events Manual first, followed by the Official IIHF Rule Book. Any rules not specifically mentioned within this Events Manual are subject to current IIHF Rule Book, Case Book, Rule Emphasis and Rule Interpretation Bulletins.
1.5 Game Format.
Game Format / Regulation Time: Seeding and Pool play
Friday & Saturday
3 Minute Warm Up 3 x 13 Minute Periods per game with
1 minute between periods
15 Minute Grooms Total Per Game = 60 Minutes
Game Format / Regulation Time: Semi and Finals
Sunday
5 Minute Warm Up 3 x 15 Minute Periods per game with
2 minute between periods
15 Minute Grooms Total Per Game = 70 Minutes
In the Third: During ANY game, if the score is within one goal or less (tired) the last 2mins of the third period will be stop clock
Section 2 - Concussion Policy
Purpose: To keep Ice Hockey players safe and to adopt a policy alongside other full contact New Zealand Sporting Organizations and the IIHF.
Policy:
If a player shows any visible signs of a head injury/concussion, they are not to be allowed to continue playing for the remainder of that game. This is to be reported immediately at the time it happens by any Official (Referee or Linesmen) who witness the injury.
The player’s name and the nature of their injury (dazed, dizziness, vomiting, unbalanced unconscious, etc.) are to be recorded in the game sheet. The Officials must also immediately inform the player’s Coach and team Manager of this so that the player can be monitored and kept from taking to the ice again.
Any official, coach, manager or parent/guardian can make the call to the team manager. They will then liaise with the on-ice officials who will then have the authority to notify the coach/manager of their findings. This process is meant for the safety of the player involved and must be with good intent.
Alternatively, if symptoms go un-noticed by a Match Officials but are noticed by his/her Coach or Manager, they must report the injury to the Manager to record on the game sheet, to ensure the safety and well-being of their own player.
Whilst Officials and Coaches are clearly not trained physicians, they must make a judgment call on any obvious visible symptoms to ensure player safety.
Process:
Before the concussed (or suspected concussed) player can return to playing/practicing they must:
- Get clearance from a medical doctor and provide a medical certificate from him/her before they can play or practice again or;
- Sit a mandatory 3 week stand down before playing (or practicing) again. If player's name appears on the game sheet with an incident of concussion, they will then be notified of this by their League Director and/or Regional President.
It is the Mangers/Coaches responsibility to ensure the concussed player does not play or practice until these conditions are met.
Justification:
This policy works positively in three ways.
* It stops players and/or team management from ignoring concussions, and not seeking medical attention.
* It ensures the players spend a satisfactory time away from contact situations and avoid putting themselves at risk of injuring themselves further.
* It minimizes the chance of players embellishing situations and making more of an incident to draw a more severe penalty on a member of the opposition. If they pretend to be injured and show symptoms of a head injury, they will not be
further involved in the game thereby minimizing their own participation.
SECTION 3 - Team Members Eligibility/Administration
3.1 Team Coaches
Every team must have a Head Coach, in order to communicate game time changes.
3.2 Team Players
Registration: All Players must be registered to play with NZIHF , and team list supplied to GM Flames Ice Hockey prior to arriving at the event.
NO Rostered NZIHF players at this time are allowed.
Age Groups and Size of Team: 18 and over on the day – To be eligible to play in this Tournament, the player must have his/her 18th birthday within the year of competition or later, unless a dispensation has been duly filed and granted.
Maximum Squad Size: Team size is 15 plus a goalie or less. To play in the Sunday Games, a player must have played in a min of 1 game prior
Dispensations: Underage Players will require dispensation GM Flames Ice Hockey
Overage Players are all welcome but may have to buy the first round at the bar for their team.
Administrator
