The Paradise Puck is governed by the rules of USA Hockey, and it is the responsibility of each player, coach, and team manager to be familiar with these rules and ensure all participating players and coaches are registered with USA hockey for insurance purposes.

NOTE: The 2015/2016 birth years will play with the same rules outlined but the event is self-insured and NOT A USA HOCKEY SANCTIONED EVENT.

TOURNAMENT MANAGEMENT:

The Tournament Management shall be responsible for resolving all inquiries or disputes regarding off-ice rule application or interpretation, player eligibility, disciplinary action, and any other procedural disputes. Exposure Hockey Group supports the USA Hockey zero tolerance initiatives for verbal abuse of any player, official, parent or spectator. The Tournament Management or arena staff reserves the right to remove any violator from the premises. He/she will not overturn any dispute concerning rules and/or the judgment applied by on-ice officials. All decisions of the Tournament Management are final!

USA HOCKEY/ HOCKEY CANADA ROSTER SUBMISSION:

A USA Hockey Official Team Roster Form (1-T) approved by the District or Associate Registrar, or Hockey Canada Certified Player Roster approved by the governing Canadian federation is required for all participating teams and shall be proof that all participating teams are properly registered, and all participants are playing in the appropriate age classification and level. Official USA Hockey rosters or Hockey Canada rosters must be submitted to Exposure Hockey Group at least 10 days before the event start date.

TEAM PLAY ROSTER:

• Rosters submitted must match the team’s verified/approved USA Hockey Official Team Roster (1-T) or Hockey Canada Certified Player Roster. No changes will be permitted. Rosters are frozen on the first day once the puck drops for the first game.
• All players are 2011 birth year or younger unless otherwise approved by Tournament Management.

GAME OPERATIONS:

PLAYING RULES: 2023-2024 USA HOCKEY Rules will apply.

HOME TEAM/AWAY TEAM — As determined by the schedule - the home team will wear dark colored jerseys and the away team will wear light colored jersey unless otherwise agreed to by the coaches prior to the game.

MOUTH GUARDS — All players are required to wear a colored, non-clear (Rule 304F) mouth guards (Squirt players excepted as per USA Hockey), or as per their Organization’s directive (per out of country teams).

WARM UP — One (1) three (3)-minute warm up. Teams are to provide their own pucks.

PERIOD LENGTH — Three (3) fifteen (15)-minute stop time periods.

ICE CUT — An ice cut will follow at the end of each game. All games will start on clean ice.

READY TIME — All teams must be ready to play 15 minutes prior to their scheduled start time.

LATE TO ICE — If a team is late getting on to the ice for warm-up, they can be assessed a minor penalty for delay of game.

OFFSIDES — "Tag Up" Offsides.

• The attacking team may "tag up" by having all players exit the offensive zone. At that point the offside is waved off and the attacking team may re-enter the offensive zone in pursuit of the puck.

ICING — Automatic Icing.

• Icing on penalty kill is allowed.

CHECKING — Per 2022-2023 USA Hockey Rules.

• NO CHECKING IS ALLOWED.

PENALTIES — Minor 1:30 minutes, Major 4:00 minutes, Misconduct 8:00 minutes.

FIGHTING — Fighting is strictly prohibited. Any player involved in a fight may be dismissed at the discretion of Tournament Management and referees. If a game is interrupted by on ice fighting between players and/or bench staff, then the clock may continue to run. Game time will not be restored until the whistle has blown on the play that immediately follows the on-ice fight. Minutes lost will not be restored.

MERCY RULE — Play clock will go to running time if goal differential is 6 at the beginning or at any point of the third period. Play clock will revert from running time to stop time if the goal differential is reduced to 2.

ROUND-ROBIN RULES IN A TOURNAMENT SITUATION:

• TIMEOUTS — Each team will be allowed one (1) thirty (30)-second timeout.
• TIES — If a Round-Robin game is tied after regulation time has expired, the result will end in a tie.
  • There will be no overtime and/or shootout during Round-Robin play.

PLAYOFF RULES IN A TOURNAMENT SITUATION:

• TIMEOUTS — Each team will be allowed one (1) thirty (30)-second timeout.
• TIES — If a playoff game is tied after regulation time has expired, a sudden death overtime period will commence.
• OVERTIME — Teams will skate 3-on-3 for one (1) five (5)-minute sudden death overtime period.
  • If a team is assessed a penalty; teams will skate 4-on-3 for the length of the penalty. Once the penalty is over, the game will proceed with 4-on-3 play until a whistle blows the play dead. Each team will then revert  to 3-on-3 play.
  • If playoff game is tied after the sudden death overtime period, a shootout will commence.
• SHOOTOUTS — Three (3) round sudden death shootout.
  • Players are designated by each coach.
  • Home team will have choice of shooting first or second.
  • If shootout is tied after the first three (3) rounds, in turn, the shootout will continue player by player until a winner is determined (sudden death).
  • All players must take part in the shootout before a repeated player can shoot again.
  • A player serving a penalty at the end of an overtime period cannot take part in shootout.

POINT TOTALS:

Round-Robin games will be scored with the following point totals:

• 2 PTS for a Win

• 1 PT for a Tie

• 0 PTS for a Loss

STANDINGS AND PLAYOFF SEEDS WILL BE DETERMINED BY (IN ORDER):

1) Most Points.

2) Head-to-Head (this will only be considered if all tied teams have played each other).

3) Goal Differential (total goals for - total goals against).

• Goal Differential max. is +/-6.
  • For example, if Team A defeats Team B by a score of 10-1, the Team A goal differential is +6 rather than +9 while the Team B goal differential is -6 rather than -9.

4) Least Goals Against Overall.

5) Least Penalty Minutes.

6) Coin Toss.

PLAYOFF FORMAT:

2024 PLAYOFF FORMAT - COMING SOON!

COVID-19:

• In the unfortunate event of one or more teams cancelling just before or during the tournament due to pandemic related issues, Travel etc Exposure Hockey Group will make efforts to adjust the schedules for other teams impacted SOLEY at their discretion.
• If Exposure Hockey Group is unable to accommodate rescheduling, the cancelling team’s games will be treated as if they no-showed, and the games will be recorded as a 1-0 forfeit, with their scheduled opponents awarded a 2-point victory in the results and standings, and +1 goal differential. NOTE: EXPOSURE HOCKEY GROUP WILL RESCHEDULE UP UNTIL THE WEEK OF THE EVENT IF SOMEONE DROPS OUT. Exposure Hockey Group understands the potential implications of this, and will work to avoid it, but a solution to everyone’s satisfaction and/or that impacts many more teams may not be possible, especially on short notice. Exposure Hockey Group has structured division(s) to try to minimize these potential impacts.
• If the cancelling team is in an 8-team division, they will be designated as 8th place, and the 1st place team will get a bye in the playoff quarterfinals.
• Exposure Hockey Group may try to find a fill-in opponent for one or more games so the remaining team(s) will have actual games to play during the Round-Robin schedules, but these results will not count towards the tournament standings or impact the tournament or playoff structure in any way.
• During this time of COVID-19, the rules of the State and the restrictions placed by the State and the country will be followed. Such restrictions as use of facemasks, social distancing, and rink capacity/spectator viewing guidelines will be enforced if in place at the current time, pursuant to the restrictions outlined by the State Governor at the time of the event. Anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms will not be permitted entry. Teams or individuals who feel unwell or report signs of illness or fever will be asked to stay home. 

MISCELLANEOUS:

• Exposure Hockey Group will not be responsible for any injury to teams and/or team members and/or supporters. This includes venues, hotels, and anywhere else teams and supporters travel throughout the weekend.
• Paradise Puck agreement shall be executed-acknowledged prior to the start of the event. Failure to sign the release form results in removal from the Paradise Puck.
• Exposure Hockey Group will not be held responsible for any lost or stolen items.
• Locker rooms and all areas of the arena and property are to be left in spotless condition. Failure to abide by this can result in dismissal of the tournament. If you see an area in poor condition, please bring it to the attention of Exposure Hockey Group promptly.
• Event personnel and team representatives are ONLY allowed on the bench and in locker room areas. Parents are not permitted in the locker room area or on the team bench at any time.
• A refund for the event for any reason is solely at the sole discretion of Exposure Hockey Group. There is no refund guarantee for any circumstances.

PHOTO/VIDEO/SOCIAL MEDIA CONSENT:

• By allowing your program to play in the Paradise Puck, your program officially acknowledges and grants consent for photographs to be taken, consent for video to be recorded of all activities related to the Exposure Hockey Group. Exposure Hockey Group has the right to use all media assets collected for publicity purposes: Exposure Hockey Group website, brochures, flyers, news releases, presentations, as well as social media posts such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. By signing the Exposure Hockey Group consent form at registration, you shall understand that you will receive no compensation for such uses. Exposure Hockey Group will retain the right to have any photograph and/or video discontinued from use in any or all of Exposure Hockey Group venues upon request, and if, at any time, you wish photograph(s) and/or video(s) to be discontinued from any of the assets above, it is your programs responsibility to contact Matt Miles (contact info listed above) to make this request.