brickhouse19 wrote:JSR--your post is interesting in that I have not seen 1/2 ice played this way, perhaps is just our association. Are most associations using the "tournament style" as described by JSR? Our association uses the 1/2 ice style with a golie at each end and I really do not see the benefit in playing 1/2 ice over full ice if that is the way it is going to be done.
Alsanti--I share your concern about removing the competitve aspect from hockey. Hockey is a competitive sport and I think we are doing a disservice to the players by removing that aspect. That said, I have yet to see a mite game where every kid did not know what the score was, so maybe it doesn't matter. I will also add that I have never seen a mite player carry a loss beyond the spiking of the post-game juice box.
Brick, I would say that most organizations play the cross ice 3on3 that you described. Cross ice has it's benefits but compared to the style I described the two do not compare. The "tournament' style as I call it is quite frankly the fastest game on ice IMO at any level it's played. Our organization and a neighbroing one both hold season ending 3on3 tournaments that use this style for mites through Bantams and it is unbelieveable how fast it is. In the
tournaments We usually have four players (only 3 on the ice at a time) and we play three 6 minute periods. By the end of one 18 minute game my son comes off the ice more tired, more sweaty and having touched the puck more than you will ever see in any full ice game. There is so much that can be done using this style, I really fell in love with it the first time my oldest son played it three years ago. He's played in several of these tourneys since then and I am actually creating a clinc/league whatever you want to call it this winter where the kids will be able to come and play this style of hockey 10 times throughout the winter to "supplement" their association hockey. We tried to pick times where it won't interfere with association practice or games so no "choice" has to be made, everyone can do both and if there is a conflict we are specific that they are to eb loyal to their association committment and we can just find a substitute for the evening they will miss. The idea is so exciting to parents that we have a waiting list already and we haven't even started our first season yet. Here are the rules and format:
Game Format
A. Team will consist of four players; three of which may be on the ice at a time. Substitution is allowed at any time.
B. Games will be played on a half-sheet of ice with both teams shooting on one goalie.
C. Games consist of three 6-minute periods of running time. The clock will only stop for injuries, time-outs, penalties, and at the referee’s discretion, such as to reposition the goal or to confer with scorers on penalties and goals.
D. Tie games will be determined by a shoot-out (except in round robin play). All four players will shoot on an alternating team basis with the team scoring the most goals the winner. If the score remains tied after the first shoot-out, the shoot-out will continue on a sudden-death basis. All four players will continue to participate in the same order until one team scores and other does not.
E. Each team is allowed on, 60-second time out per game. Time-outs can only be taken if the puck is in the neutral zone or during a stoppage in play. A one-minute break will be given between each period. Pre-game warm up will be two minutes.
Procedure for Play
A. A coin flip will determine choice of puck possession. The winner of the flip has choice of possession at the start of the 1st and 3 rd periods or the start of the 2nd period. The team having possession fro the start of the 2 nd period will have the choice of shooting 1 st or 2nd in a shoot-out should one be required.
B. Play begins with the attacking team being allowed 5 seconds of free play in the neutral zone. The attacking team is considered the team that has possession of the puck and has cleared the blue line.
C. The defending team is the team defending the goal. A goal can only be credited to the attacking team. The defending team becomes the attacking team after they have gained possession of the puck and have cleared the blue line. The referee will then signal the change in status of the attacking team by calling out the team color. The 5-second neutral zone free play will then begin again.
D. During this change in possession, all players must “tag-up” within the 5-second free time or change of possession will be declared. The tagged-up player does not have to wait for the puck to enter the zone to tag up and may re-enter the attacking zone at any time; however a goal cannot be scored until all on the attacking team have tagged up. There are no off sides.
E. If the goalie freezes the puck resulting in a stoppage of play, possession will be awarded to the defensive team outside the blue line (neutral zone).
F. The red centerline boards, including the coach’s boxes, are out-of-bounds. If the puck touches or crosses these boards, possession will be awarded to the team that did not touch the puck last. The attacking team will be required to retag even though it did not lose possession of the puck as a result of the puck hitting the centerboards, i.e., the defending team poke-checks the puck causing it to hit the red centerboards.
G. If an uncontrolled puck enters into the neutral zone, the referee will award possession of the puck to the first team to control the puck (referee will call out team color). The attacking team does not have to retag if it regains control of the puck in the neutral zone (only if the puck hits the red centerboards causing a stoppage in play).
Penalties
A. NO CHECKING IS ALLOWED AT ANY LEVEL! Penalties will be called on this and in accordance with USA Hockey rules.
B. A delay of game penalty may also be assessed against a team for:
1. Entering into the neutral zone before 5 seconds of free time is up.
2. Failing to clear the puck across the blue line within 5 seconds of receiving the puck from the goalie on a frozen puck play or referee following an opponent’s goal.
D. On the first penalty of the period, the puck will be awarded to the non-offending team in the neutral zone. Subsequent penalties on the same team within the same period will result in a penalty shot. The player that was fouled will take the penalty shot. Change of possession will occur only if the penalty shot was scored. A penalty by the goalie will be counted against the defending team. Three penalties by any goalie during the entire tournament will result in disqualification of the goalie.
E. USA Hockey rules for equipment and game play will be followed, except for rule modification within this document. Zero tolerance will be strictly enforced. Any player ejected for fighting, vulgarity, and unsportsmanlike conduct, including intent to injure will result in the entire team being disqualified from the tournament.