Adult 3 on 3 Tournament Rules:

​Format 

• Teams comprised of a min of 6 players plus goalie

• 2  warmup

• Number of games and brackets depend on number of teams

• Each game is a 17 min running clock with last min being 1 min stop

• Ice split into 2 with border at center ice; 2 teams on one half and 2 teams on the other half. So  4 teams are occupying the ice/playing at the same time/slot

• Each of the teams will have 3 players on the ice at a time and 3 on the bench 

• Goalies: the league will identify 4  to 6 goalies to support all games. Goalies are not assigned to a specific team. They will rotate per schedule demand to a specific net but be neutral on team assignment. The league will do its best to balance the number of times a goalie is used across teams.

• Players not actively in play, sit on the bench and change on the fly

 

Rules

• Game begins with 2-teams of 3 players on each half of the ice.

• Home team (call it team”X”) starts the game upon hearing the horn sound; play starts in the safety (neutral) zone which in this case means the area between the blue line and the red line (center) on each half of the ice. Look at the schedule to see who is home team

• Only 1 team player – not all 3 - needs to be in the safety zone to start moving the puck into the zone

• There is no offside 

• Only Offense is allowed in the safety zone.

• Defense (call it team “Z”) must allow 2 stick lengths for the puck carrying team to enter the zone and no team “Z” players (Defense) are allowed in the safety zone

• Team “Z” can take over possession and go on offense under the following conditions:

  • After stealing and possessing the puck from team “X” and “carrying/controlling” the puck back (clearing the zone) to the safety zone. Shooting the puck out of zone to safety prohibited

  • If the Goalie freezes the puck, Team Z starts with the puck behind the goal line (team X must allow 2 stick lengths) and Team Z attempts to carry or move by passing the puck to the safety zone and can then enter back in the zone on offense (note: teams leading may not stall play in order to take advantage of the running clock… move the puck immediately or lose possession)  

• If team X scores a goal, then team Z starts with the puck in the neutral zone

• If the puck goes out of play, then the team which last touched the puck loses possession and play will begin in the neutral zone. If puck temporarily goes out of play but comes back into play, then play continues

• If a penalty is assessed, the official will enforce a penalty shot; upon completion of the penalty shot, the opposing team will take over puck control in the neutral zone