Showdown Tournament Rules

General Tournament Rules

USA Hockey rules apply (unless otherwise noted) since the Capital Showdown is sanctioned through USA Hockey. Participants, please take the time to read the rules below to ensure you have a clear understanding. Coaches may speak to a tournament director for specific tournament rules and to referees for the rules of play under USA Hockey. The following are specific tournament rules in addition to USA Hockey:

  • All players must be on a certified USA Hockey Roster to play in the tournament. Tournament approval must be done two weeks in advance and these players must be on the team’s certified USA Hockey Roster. Any player not on the USA Hockey Roster will be disqualified from the tournament. 
  • Managers must have a copy of their certified USA Hockey Roster with them at all times. Managers that request the tournament to confirm players on another team’s USA Hockey roster, that review is strictly performed by a tournament director.  The team requesting the review will not be permitted to view or access the roster.
  • Players are not permitted to play on more than one team. The exception to this rule is for goalies; in case of injury, sickness, or unavailability a team may find a replacement goalie from a local, non-local, or tournament team of similar caliber (e.g., Travel B goalie replaced by Travel Rec, B, LA). If this situation arises the team must inform and receive approval from the tournament director.
  • If a team is found to have higher-level players without written approval from the tournament (email proof required), their eligibility for the semi-final and championship rounds will be determined by tournament staff. If a team is deemed ineligible, they are still expected to play all tournament games without the unapproved players.
  • All roster additions must be requested and approved in writing (email proof required, from Showdown Tournaments) at least two weeks before the tournament. Player(s) must be of equal or lower level to be considered for approval. Once approved, players must be on the team’s certified USA Hockey Roster.
  • Teams must be ready 10 minutes before their game and prepared to take the ice. All teams receive a 3-minute running time warm-up and Teams supply pucks for warm-ups and games.  8U blue pucks and 10U and above black pucks.
  • 10U and above, levels can take a 1-minute time out during any period of the game except for overtime periods.  8U games timeouts are not permitted. 
  • Any team that is a no-show for a game, forfeits that game and receives zero game and period points. The score will be recorded as a 1-0 win and the opposing team will receive 2 game points and the applicable period points based on 1-0 score for that game.
  • Referee’s decisions are final, do not ask a tournament official or director to overturn or reconsider the referee’s call. The no-tolerance rule is strictly enforced.  Coaches or players reprimanding referees or tournament staff is not tolerated. 
  • Any game misconduct against a player/coach is official. The player/coach must serve the full penalty and sit out a tournament game.  The team manager must report the misconduct/suspension on their next game sheet.  Players, coaches, and parents should be fully aware of the potential consequences of their actions at all times.
  • When there are 30 minutes or more in minor penalties between the two teams in a game a tournament official can end the game or implement running time. A player who receives 4 penalties in a single game will receive a game misconduct.  Team’s receiving 12 or more penalties in one game, the coach will be suspended for the next game. 
  • There is no video replay (e.g., phones, livebarn).  All referee calls are final.
  • Protests of games are not accepted or considered for any reason.  Decisions of on-ice officials are final and only coaches and managers can speak to a tournament director. 
  • Rinks require a driver’s license or car keys to issue locker room keys. Teams must clean their locker rooms and are responsible for any damage. Fines for damages, imposed by the rink and tournament, must be paid immediately.
  • Locker rooms are not assigned to teams for the Showdown Skills Event. Players can get dressed in any available locker room or other area of the rink. Players and parents are responsible for their belongings inside or outside the locker room.  We recommend coming partially or fully dressed for this event.  Players must be fully dressed to go on the ice, and coaches must wear a helmet. One stick per player and no water bottles. 
  • Home team wears dark-colored jerseys and the visiting team wears light-colored jerseys. If a team only has one set of jerseys, the other team must wear an appropriate color.
  • After each game scorekeepers provide the tournament officials the scoresheet. A copy of the scoresheet along with the game score will be posted online after each game. If your team needs a copy of a scoresheet, it will be online only.
  • One team official can tend the penalty box, but no one is permitted in the scorekeeping area, unless permission has been granted by a tournament official.  
  • Coaches and parents must maintain control at all times. These are your kids, playing a recreational/extracurricular activity for their enjoyment. Parents and coaches are encouraged to cheer for their teams and to positively support the other teams’ players, coaches, and parents. Noisemakers are not permitted.
  • Players, Coaches, Parents, Tournament and Rink Officials must abide by all health and safety protocols, established by Rink, County, and USA Hockey.
  • Non-local teams must stay at a tournament host hotel at the group rate. Any non-local team or family staying elsewhere will be disqualified. Teams causing damage or misbehaving at the hotel will also be disqualified and held responsible for damages. Parents must supervise their children to minimize noise and disruption. The team contact must inform the tournament director of any hotel issues.
    • State and local liquor laws prohibit alcohol in public hotel spaces (lobby, hallways, hospitality rooms), except when purchased from the hotel’s bar or food service. Drunken or disorderly conduct may result in removal from the hotel and tournament disqualification.

8U Rules (in addition to general rules) 

  • Teams must be ready 10 minutes prior to scheduled game time to take the ice
  • All teams receive a 3-minute running time warm-up
  • Games are played half-ice rather than cross-ice with blue pucks
  • Teams supply blue pucks for warmups and games
  • Teams may need to share locker rooms as 4 teams are on the ice at same time
  • Mini-games are 1-20 minute period. Regular, Quarter/Semi-Final, Consolation, and Championship games are 2-20-minute periods 
  • Games are played 4 on 4 with goalies using intermediate-size nets, 48” x 36”   
  • Every 2 minutes at the sound of the horn the clock stops and there will be a line change with a faceoff at center ice 
  • Every time a goal is scored there will be a faceoff at center ice to resume play, this indicates the referee has declared a goal 
  • When a goalie freezes the puck the referee stops the play, places the puck behind the net, and then signals play to resume 
  • Score is kept but there is no record of player goals or assists, teams must record that information. Therefore referees do not need to report to the scorebox
  • When an injury occurs the other game continues until the 2-minute period ends.  Next 2-minute shift starts once the injured player comes off the ice
  • There are no time-outs permitted in any games
  • Penalties are 30 seconds in duration 
    • Upon the referee calling a penalty the play stops, the referee directs the player off the ice, and then the referee will resume play, dropping the puck in the most appropriate place to resume play
    • Upon the referee signaling to resume play, the 30-second penalty begins
    • If the penalty occurs within the last 30 seconds of a shift the remaining time carries over to the next 2-minute shift
    • Coaches are responsible for monitoring penalty time duration 
    • When multiple penalties occur within a short time frame no team can have less than two players on the ice 

10U, 12U, 14U, 16U Rules (in addition to general rules)

    • Teams must be ready 10 minutes prior to scheduled game time to take the ice
    • All teams receive a 3-minute running time warm-up
    • Teams supply pucks for warmups and games
    • Teams are permitted a 1-minute time out during each regular game
    • Timeouts are not permitted in any overtime period
    • All tournament games for 10U-14U are 3-13-minute stop time periods
    • All tournament games for 16U games are 3-14-minute stop time periods  
    • When a team leads by 5 goals in the third period, play becomes running time. Stop time resumes if the goal differential changes to less than 5 goals  
    • Games before the rinks’ non-tournament ice slots may experience running time in the third period or when the tournament gets behind for other reasons. A tournament official will make this decision and inform the teams.
  • For Maryland Tournament only
  • Per the local affiliate SHOA/PVAHA Rules: 
  • 10U-12U Penalties are 1 ½ min minor, 5 min major, 10 min misconduct
  • 14U-16U Penalties are 2 min minor, 5 min major, 10 min misconduct 
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  • For Nashville Tournament
  • Penalties ½ min minor, 4 min major, 8 min misconduct for regular games
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  • If there are 30 minutes or more in minor penalties between the two teams the game will go to running time or be ended by a tournament official.
  • According to USA Hockey, any player who receives 4 penalties in any game receives a game misconduct. Further, teams receiving 12 or more penalties in any game, the coach is suspended from the next game.   

Division Seedings and Placement Criteria 

We use the following system to determine team placements after regular game play. Each criterion is independent of the other one.  For example, some tournaments combine game and period points; however, we do not combine them. Criteria 2 (head-to-head) sometimes does not work when there are three or more teams tied in a division, so for that criteria, we provided scenarios to explain. Please note every time we place a team, we go back to the first criterion (game points) to place the next team. We also do not skip a placement order; meaning place first, then third, and then go back to second place. It’s always first place, then second place, then third place, etc.   

Placement Critera Description
1-Game Points For each game teams get 2 points win, 1 point tie, 0 points loss
2-Head-to-Head If tied after game points teams are judged on head-to-head (refer to the scenarios in first bullet below to understand the application).
3-Period Points If tied after game points and head-to-head teams are judged on period points; each period teams receive: 2 points win, 1 point tie, 0 loss
4-Goals Against If tied after game points, head-to-head, and period points teams are judged on least goals scored against them in the regular games
5-Goals For If tied after game points, head-to-head, period points, and goals against teams are judged on goals for in the regular games
6-First Goal If tied after game points, head-to-head, period points, goals against, and goals for teams are judged on first goal of head-to-head game
7-Least Penalties If tied after game points, head-to-head, period points, goals against, goals for teams, and first goal are judged on least penalty minutes
8-Coin Toss If teams are tied at this point a coin toss is the determining factor

For example, in a six-team division, three teams have four game points (i.e., Teams 1, 2, and 3), two teams have three game points (i.e., Teams 4 and 5), and one team has zero game points (i.e., Team 6).  Below is each team’s placement:

  • Teams 1, 2, and 3 with four game points are considered for first place.  Since these three teams are tied with four game points, head-to-head is next criterion.  In applying head-to-head these two scenarios are considered.  For this example, we will use Scenario 1 to place the first team and then proceed to place the remaining five teams.   

 

    • Scenario 1 – one team played and beat the other two teams in regular games, while the other two teams did not play each other in regular games (i.e., 1 beat 2, 1 beat 3, and Team 2 and 3 did not play each other).  Team 1 advances to first place in this scenario.  
    • Scenario 2, all three teams played each other in regular games and beat each other once (i.e., 1 beat 2, 2 beat 3, and 3 beats 1).  Under this scenario all three teams remain tied in head-to-head and will next be evaluated using period points for placement purposes. 

 

  • To place the remaining five teams, start with the first criterion- game points. Teams 2 and 3 have four game points, Teams 4 and 5 have three game points, and Team 6 has zero game points. The two teams with four games points are competing for second place.  Using Scenario 1 from the prior bullet, head-to-head does not apply since Team 2 and 3 did not play each other. Evaluating Team 2 and 3 using the third criterion- period points, Team 2 had 14 period points and Team 3 had 12 period points. Team 2 advances to second place.  
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  • To place the remaining four teams, start at first criterion – game points. Team 3 advances to third place with four game points as other teams only have three or zero game points.  

 

  • To place the remaining three teams, start from the first criterion – game points. Team 4 and 5 have three game points and Team 6 has zero game points. Teams 4 and 5 are considered for fourth place with three game points. Looking at the results, Team 4 and 5 played each other and tied in their regular game, so head-to-head cannot determine placement.  We then consider period points, Team 4 and 5 tied with eight period points so this criterion cannot determine placement. Placement went to least goals against, Team 4 had eleven goals against and Team 5 had ten goals against. Team 5 advances to fourth place.

 

  • To place the remaining two teams, we start at first criterion -game points. Team 4 has three game points and Team 6 has zero; Team 4 takes fifth place and Team 6 takes sixth.