Tony Roman Tournament
Rules

Please note modification to Mercy Rule #22 for 2012

(click here for pdf)

Tournament Rules

General

1.       General
Hockey Canada, OHF, OMHA and GTHL rules and regulations apply except where noted.  Organizations will abide by the rules and regulations of their governing body.

2.       Interpretation of Rules
Questions regarding the application of the TRMHT rules are to be directed through the convenor to the TRMHT Chairman.  The Tony Roman Memorial Hockey Tournament Committee has the final say on all rules and regulations and interpretation of those.

3.       Protests
Protests are not allowed.

4.       Participation
Participation is restricted to registered house league players from the hockey associations of Thornhill, Markham and Unionville.  The use of an ineligible player will result in the forfeiture of the game.

5.       Player Registration
Team lists are to be submitted by December 31st.  Any requests for changes after that date must be in writing by January 5th, from the President of the Association and must explain the reason.  A team without a goaltender may draw from the same age group or a lower age group, providing they notify the convenor in advance. The goaltender must be a player registered in TRMHT.

6.       Game Sheets
Completed game sheets must be submitted to the convenor 15 minutes prior to a game to permit player validation and so that rosters can be announced over the public address system.

7.       Conflicting Sweater Colours
In the event of conflicting sweater colours, a team chosen by a coin toss will use sweaters provided by the convenor.

8.       Minimum Team
In all age divisions, a game shall be forfeited if a team is unable to ice eight players. The eight players must consist of seven skaters and one goaltender.  

9.       Goalies

As stated in Rule 8, each team must include a goalie. The goalie must be wearing full goalie equipment according to the rules and regulations governing each association.

If a team’s goalie does not show up for a game, the team will be given a maximum of 15 minutes (time permitting) to dress or locate a backup. Teams whose goalie is unable to play may borrow a goalie from another team in the same association at the same age group or one age group younger. If they are unable to provide a goalie, the game will be forfeited and the other team will be awarded 1-0 win

10.   Equipment
Players shall wear CSA approved hockey equipment including neck protector. Goaltenders shall wear both neck protector and flap protector (throat and neck). Goaltenders in the Mite Division are not required to wear full goalie equipment, but are required to use a goal stick.

11.   Mouth Guards
For all players in the MMHA and UMHA associations, mouth guards are required as part of the official uniform as per OMHA regulations. For players in the TCHL, mouth guards are recommended but not required as per GTHL regulations.

12.   Fair Ice Time
“Equal” Shifting will be accorded each player as closely as practical and according to the following table.  Double (consecutive) shifts are not permitted.

If the convenor observes unfair shifting, she/he may ask the referee to stop the game and request the coach to observe the fair shifting rules. If the condition continues, the convenor may ask the referee to remove the coach from the game and designate a replacement. The convenor may recommend a forfeiture of the game by the offending team

.                                    *Skaters do not include the goaltender.

13.   Player Substitution

·         Mite to Novice: unrestricted substitution is allowed in overtime only.

·         Atom to Juvenile: unrestricted substitution is permitted in the final two minutes of each game and in overtime.

14.   Divisions
Due to the discrepancy in naming conventions between the Ontario Minor Hockey Association and Greater Toronto Hockey League, the following conventions will be used for the TRMHT.

15.   Duration Of Games

·         Games Mite to Novice

–        Regulation Time 3 x 15 minute periods

–        3 minute buzzer

–        Last 3 minutes stop time if goal spread is 3 or less

·         Games Atom to Juvenile

–        Regulation Time 3 x 10 minute periods

–        Stop time

16.   Timeouts

Each team is allowed on 30-second timeout during a game including overtime.

17.   Hand Shaking

Teams will shake hands at the beginning of the game. If games are running more than 5 minutes behind schedule, the convener has the option of skipping the hand shake.

18.   Coaches on Ice
Coaches are not permitted on the ice during the game, with the exception of the Mini Mite and Mite Division. Coaches on the ice for the Mites are allowed between the blue lines only, and must stay within 6 feet of the bench areas during the actual play.  The referee and the convenor will warn a coach not abiding by this rule, after which a bench penalty may be assessed.

19.   Time Clock Starts
The time clock will start with the drop of the puck each period.

20.   Clock Stoppage – Mite to Novice Divisions

In the event of a stoppage in play due to injury or protracted discussions, the referee should instruct the timekeeper to stop the clock. The convener may suggest to the referee that the clock be stopped.

21.   Tie Game
Ties are allowed in round robin play.  For championship games, in the event of a tie game, teams will play a 5-minute running time sudden death overtime period with goaltenders and three skaters (unrestricted substitution). If the game is still tied after the overtime then a three-player shoot-out will commence between the three players designated by each team prior to the game. In the event of injury to one or more of the designated shooters, substitutions will be permitted. If the shoot-out is still tied after the three players per side have shot, then a one-by-one sudden death shoot-out will commence using the balance of each team’s players (i.e. not the designated shooters).

22.   Mercy Rule
No more than a five goal differential is allowed in any game. If a team is leading by five goals and then scores another goal then the opposing team will automatically be awarded a goal to bring the differential back to five goals.  Awarded goal will be designated on the game sheet as “XX”.

23.   Goal Scoring Mite to Novice Divisions
A player is limited to scoring three goals unless his or her team is tied or losing.  Any goals scored by the player while their team is winning will not be counted and may not be “banked.”

24.   Pucks
The type of puck used  (regular or blue) will be determined by the Convenor

25.   Tie Breaker Rules
In the event that teams are tied for 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th place at the end of round robin play, the following steps will be used to break the tie.

·         Head to head during round robin play (if more than 2 teams are tied move to next tie breaker)

·         The team with the most wins

·         The team with the fewest goals against

·         The team with the lower % goals against divided by total goals (goals for + goals against)

·         Coin toss

26.   Mini Mite Division Rules

·         Restricted to 4 and 5 year olds

·         Will be played on ½ ice; boards will be used to divide the ice surface

·         Score will not be kept

·         Game length: 1 period 36 minutes running time

·         Start of each shift (180 second buzzer): face-off at centre ice

·         Goalies do not change ends after each period

·         There will be no referees

·         Maximum of two coaches per team will be allowed on the ice

·         Games will be 5 on 5 plus a goalie; goalie equipment will not be worn

·         Player substitution is not allowed

·         There will be no icings or off-sides

·         If the puck is frozen by the goalie: toss the puck into one of the corners

·         No time-outs

·         Time clock starts at the drop of the puck

·         There is no minimum team size

·         Game sheets will be used

27.   Mite Division Rules

·         No icings

·         No off-sides

·         Puck frozen by the goalie - toss the puck into one of the corners

·         Rule 23 (Mite Scoring - goal does not count) - toss the puck into one of the corners

·         Goal scored - Face off at Centre ice

·         Start of each shift (180 second buzzer) - Face off at centre ice

·         Do not change ends after each period

28.   Pulling the Goalie: Mite to Novice Divisions

Coaches are permitted to pull their goalie during the final shift (3 minutes) of the third period. Any bench player may be inserted onto the ice in place of the goalie.  If the goalie returns to the ice, the player substituted earlier must return to the bench.

Penalties

29.   Penalty times are 2 minutes, 5 minutes and 10 minutes. Penalty time shall commence with the drop of the puck.

30.   A penalized player shall serve the full period of his penalty, except in the case of a 2-minute penalty, which shall be cancelled by a goal against the penalized team.

31.   Any player receiving 3 penalties in one game will also receive an automatic game ejection.  For the purpose of this rule double minor penalties count as only one penalty.  Any misconduct also counts towards the three penalty rule.

32.   A penalty assessed during a running time period carries over into a stop time period, or into overtime period.

33.   For penalties in overtime (or carried into overtime) when the teams are playing three per side, the non-offending team will add a player to the ice. When the penalty is over, the player will return to the ice and teams will play four skaters until the next whistle when the teams will revert to three skaters per side.

34.    In the Mite to Major Novice divisions, the player receiving a penalty will serve the full penalty time, except in the case of a 2-minute penalty where a goal is scored against the penalized team during the shift in which the penalty was called. If a line change occurs while the player is serving the penalty, the player will remain in the penalty box while the team plays at full strength. The penalized player will return to the players’ bench at the first stop in play after the penalty time has expired.

35.   Body checking is not permitted. No player shall deliberately skate into or block with sufficient force to either knock a player from the opposing team down or put the player out of play.  In addition, no player shall at any time during the game stand, squat, crouch or bend over in any manner causing a player from the opposing team to deliberately collide with the player so positioned. Incidental body contact is not considered a penalty.

Suspensions

36.   A player or official who is assessed a major penalty shall be suspended for the following game, except in the case of fighting, match or gross misconduct in which case they will be suspended immediately for the balance of TRMHT and shall be referred to the parent organization.

37.   With the concurrence of the referees, a coach may be suspended by the convenor for gross unsportsmanlike conduct. Such coach will be referred to his Association for further discipline.

38.   A suspended coach may not coach or direct the team in any way or remain in the vicinity of the players’ bench. In extreme cases, the convenor or referee may have the coach removed from the arena.

39.   Any player who accumulates a total of three penalties in one game shall be suspended for the remainder of the game (See Rule 31).

40.   Players given game suspensions will serve the suspensions during the tournament. Any games not served during the tournament will be served when the player returns to house league play. Suspensions may also be reviewed by the player’s home association.

Game Out of Control

41.   The convenor and the referees may terminate a game when they feel it is out of control, providing a warning has been given to each bench through the referee.

42.   Immediately following a game termination, the convenor and referee shall file a report for the Tony Roman Tournament Committee recommending suspension of one or both teams for the balance of TRMHT.

Player Control

43.   Coaches are responsible for the conduct of their players at all times on arena property. Player discipline problems may be referred to the parent association for further discipline.

44.   Coaches and referees are responsible for enforcing that players do not throw sticks or gloves or remove helmets while on the ice surface, particularly at the end of a game, in order to avoid injuries

45.   While referees are not responsible for game management, they are aware of what’s happening in the game. At any time when a referee sees that a player is acting inappropriately and will likely cause an incident on the ice, the referees are encouraged to give the player a Misconduct penalty (not GROSS) and a GE56 to remove the player from the ice before a major incident occurs.

Comments, suggestions, feedback or questions regarding the Tony Roman Tournament are always welcome!
 Please email to feedback@tchl.org