Rules

The Invitation CEH is administered by the tournament director, the event director and designated disciplinary personnel.

If rules conflict, the following order applies: written event bulletin; this rulebook; the Hockey Canada playing rules; the event director’s decision for an unforeseen situation.

Where a rule is open to interpretation, the Invitation CEH management decides. Its decision is final and binding.

Teams are grouped into divisions by the age category and calibre announced in the event bulletin.

Management may combine or adjust divisions to ensure fair competition.

Each player must meet the age category of their division and appear on their team’s official roster.

Management may require proof of age and identity. An ineligible player results in forfeit of the affected game(s).

A player may be registered with only one team for the duration of the tournament.

Any conflict of interest must be declared to management before the first game.

The roster must be submitted before the deadline set in the bulletin. Substitutes must be approved by management.

Only players and staff on the official roster may participate or sit on the bench.

To be eligible for elimination games, a player must have played at least one preliminary game with their team, unless management authorizes otherwise in writing.

Each bench is under the responsibility of a head coach. Bench personnel are limited to the number set in the bulletin.

Team staff must set an example of respect and safety.

Regulation game: three 12-minute stop-time periods, unless modified in the bulletin.

Warm-up is three minutes. Teams must be ready at least 20 minutes before the scheduled start.

In the preliminary round, a game may end in a tie.

In an elimination game: overtime of 3 minutes 3-on-3, then 2 minutes 2-on-2, then 1 minute 1-on-1; if still tied, a shootout decides the winner.

Win: 3 points. Shootout win: 2 points. Shootout loss: 1 point. Loss: 0 points. Tie (preliminary): 1 point each.

Standings are ranked by points percentage when teams have not played the same number of games.

Goal differential is capped at plus or minus seven per game for standings and tiebreakers.

Tiebreakers, in order: wins; differential; goals for; goals against; head-to-head result; fastest goal; coin toss.

Management sets the schedule and may adjust it as needed. A minimum rest between a team’s games is set in the bulletin.

A team not ready at the scheduled time risks a forfeit. A forfeit is recorded as a loss per the bulletin.

Protective equipment compliant with Hockey Canada is mandatory. Each team must bring a light and a dark jersey, or follow the bulletin’s designation.

Body checking is permitted or prohibited by category, in accordance with Hockey Canada rules and the event bulletin.

Any head contact, fighting or dangerous act is severely penalized and may result in ejection and suspension.

A player suspected of a concussion is removed from play. Return to play requires compliance with the applicable safety protocol.

The penalty scale follows Hockey Canada. Game misconducts and serious acts carry automatic suspensions per the published scale.

Management may impose supplementary discipline to ensure safety and fairness.

On-ice officials’ decisions are final. Management may use video only for off-ice discipline, at its discretion.

A protest may concern only eligibility or a misapplication of a rule, never an official’s judgment. It must be filed per the bulletin’s terms and deadlines.

Respect toward players, officials, volunteers and other spectators is required at all times. Abusive behaviour may result in removal from the arena.

Dressing rooms must be supervised per applicable standards. Taking photos or video in dressing rooms is prohibited.

In case of force majeure, management may shorten, postpone or cancel a game. The official result is determined per the bulletin.