Tournament Rules

Rule adjustments are essential for a 3 on 3 ringette tournament due to the unique dynamics of having fewer players on the ice and a smaller playing surface. Please pay close attention to the differences from regular season play.

1. ROSTER GUIDELINES AND ELIGIBILITY

  1. All registered athletes, coaches, and volunteers who are in good standing with their Club Association and League, are eligible to participate in the tournament.
  2. If an athlete was not registered on a Ringette BC roster during the 2024-2025 season, they must pay an extra fee of $60 for Ringette BC Flex insurance and must play in their age division.
  3. If the athlete has not been assigned to a tournament team, the tournament committee will make every effort to find a suitable team for them.
    1. If another suitable team is not found for the athlete, a full refund will be granted.
  4. Athletes may only participate on one team.  
  5. Players should play in the same or higher division and tier as they played during the 2024-2025 ringette season.
  6. No athlete may play more than one age division higher than their regular age group.
  7. Teams are to have a maximum of 10 players per roster as this promotes the formation of other teams and increases participation.
  8. Teams should dress up to 9 skaters + 1 goalie or 8 skaters + 2 goalies for any single game.
  9. This tournament requires a minimum of three (3) teams in a single division and category to host that division.
  10. Each team will play 4 games within their division.
  11. Divisions with fewer than five (5) teams may play against each other more than once.
  12. Opposing teams will be selected by random electronic draw.
  13. U14, U16, and U19 Club Divisions:
    1. Athletes can register for either All Gender or Female Only categories.
  14. Zone & 18+ Teams:
    1. Athletes may select which type of team they would like to play for:
      • Zone Female U14
      • Zone Female U16
      • Zone Female U19
      • 18+ A
      • 18+ B
    2. In the event that for a given division and category where not enough athletes are available to create a group, then the option will be given to participate in the Club division.

2. COACHING AND BENCH STAFF REQUIREMENTS

  1. Each team must have an NCCP trained or certified coach to supervise athletes per the following guidelines:
    • U10 – CSI Trained
    • U12 – CSI Trained
    • U14 – CSI Trained
    • U16 – CI Trained
    • U19 – CI Trained
    • 18+ A – CI Certified
    • 18+ B – CI Trained
    • Zone – CI Certified
  2. All Gender & Female-only teams must have a minimum of 1 screened female on the bench for every game. 
  3. All bench staff must be registered with their Association, have signed a Code of Conduct and have a current Criminal Record Check on file with their Home Association.
  4. There must be at least 2, and a maximum of 3 bench staff on the bench for any game.

3. GENERAL GAME PLAY

  1. Players on Ice:
    1. Each team plays with 3 skaters and 1 goalie on the ice.
    2. Only 2 skaters from each team are allowed in the offensive or defensive zone at any time.
  2. Zone Violations:
    1. The blue line marks the entry to each zone.
    2. Offences such as offensive blue-line violations and 3-in-the-zone violations will result in a whistle. The non-offending team will gain possession of the ring near the violation spot.
    3. All skaters from the offending team must maintain a distance of two (2) stick lengths from the ring. 
    4. Once sufficient space is provided, the referee will blow the whistle to resume play. The skater starting with the ring may skate with it immediately without making an initial pass.  
  3. Defensive Violations:
    1. Violations, including 5-second goalie violations, 2-line pass violations and 3-in-the-zone violations will result in the non-offending team gaining possession between the top of the faceoff circle and blue-line in the offensive zone.
    2. All skaters from the offending team must maintain a distance of two (2) stick lengths from the ring. 
    3. Once sufficient space is provided, the referee will blow the whistle to resume play. The skater starting with the ring may skate with it immediately without making an initial pass.
  4. Immovable Ring:
    1. If the ring becomes immovable, it will be given to the appropriate team near the tie-up location.
    2. Once two (2) stick lengths space is given, the referee will blow the whistle to resume play.
  5. Offensive Ring:
    1. For an offensive free ring awarded in the attacking zone, the ring will be placed between the top of the circles and the blue line.
    2. The defensive team must maintain a two (2) stick length distance. The referee will blow the whistle to start play.
  6. Centre Free Ring:
    1. A centre free ring is awarded after a goal is scored.  
  7. Skater Substitutions:
    1. Substitutions are allowed “on-the-fly” or after a goal is scored.
    2. Teams may substitute skaters during violations but do so at their own risk, as the referee will not wait for substitutions to be completed before resuming play. 
    3. Teams must ensure they do not have too many skaters on the ice when play resumes.
    4. No substitutions are allowed when a penalty is called. Changes can only be made following the whistle to begin a penalty shot, and penalty shot rules must still be followed.  
  8. Pulling the Goalie:
    1. Goalies can only be pulled for an extra skater during a delayed penalty, in the final 3 minutes of the game, or at any time during overtime.
    2. The team pulling the goalie is permitted to have a maximum of 3 skaters in the restricted area at each end. 
  9. Goal Limits:
    1. A maximum 5 goal spread will be displayed on the score clock.
    2. For U10 and U12 divisions, a maximum of five (5) goals per skater will be allowed.
    3. The maximum goal differential counted per game for tournament purposes is seven (7) goals.

4. TIMEKEEPING

  1. Home team will provide a Score Keeper.  
  2. Visitor team will provide a Timekeeper & Shot Clock operator.  
  3. Start Time and Warm-up:
    1. Teams must be ready five (5) minutes before their designated ice time.  
    2. Teams will be given a three (3) minute warmup before the start of the game.
    3. Teams will be given a one (1) minute break between periods.
  4. Game Time:
    1. Games will consist of two (2) twenty-two (22) minute, running time periods (for exception, see Stop Time).  
  5. Shot Clock:
    1. A 24-second shot clock will be used.
    2. FUN2 and U10 does not use a shot clock.  
  6. Timeout:
    1. Each team will be allowed one 30 second timeout.
    2. The clock will be stopped during the timeout.
    3. The timeout may only be called after a goal, penalty, or a whistled violation.  
    4. The referee must be made aware that timeout is being called before the whistle to resume play is blown.  
  7. Points and Spreads:
    1. A maximum 5 goal spread will be displayed on the score clock.
    2. FUN2, U10, and U12 divisions, a maximum of five (5) goals per skater will be allowed.
    3. The maximum goal differential counted per game for tournament purposes is seven (7) goals.
  8. Stop Time:
    1. If the goal differential is three (3) or less, the game will switch to stop time for the final minute of the second period. 

5. PENALTIES

  1. Minor Penalites
    1. All minor penalties will result in a penalty shot.
    2. The player against whom a penalty is committed must take the penalty shot.
    3. For team penalties (e.g. delay of game, illegal substitution, unsportsmanlike conduct), any player on the ice at the time of the whistle may take the penalty shot. 
    4. After a whistled violation, any intentional delay in resuming play by either team will result in a delay-of-game penalty.
  2. Penalty Shot Procedure:
    1. The shooter starts with the ring at centre ice.
    2. All other skaters must start behind the opposite blue line.
    3. The referee will blow the whistle to start play, allowing all skaters to immediately begin chasing the shooter.
    4. If the shooter does not score, play resumes as normal.
    5. A goal from a penalty shot results in a centre free ring.  
  3. Major Penalites
    1. A major penalty results in an automatic goal being awarded to the non-offending team.
    2. The penalized skater must sit for 4 minutes.
    3. Goals are credited to the player against whom the penalty was committed.
    4. If the major penalty occurs during sudden-death overtime in a semi-final or final game, no goal will be awarded and the penalized team plays short-handed for the 4-minutes.
    5. Two skaters will still be allowed in each zone.
    6. If a second major occurs while another is being served, the second penalty starts after the first one is finished. (penalties are served consecutively, not concurrently)  
    7. Any skater receiving four penalties (with major penalties counting as two) will be ejected from the game.

6. DIVISION WINNER

  1. Each tournament division will have one winning team.

7. STANDINGS

  1. Teams are ranked according to the total number of points awarded.
  2. Team points shall be awarded as follows:
    1. Win = two (2) points
    2. Draw = one (1) point
    3. Loss = zero (0) points

8. TIE BREAKER

  1. In the event of a tie in points between two or more teams, the head-to-head results between the tied teams will be used to declare the winner.
  2. If head-to-head results cannot declare the winner, the winner will be determined by calculating the overall goal differential, which is the difference between goals scored and goals against.
    1. The maximum goal differential counted per game for tournament purposes is seven (7) goals.
    2. If a team forfeits a game, the score of a forfeited game shall be 7-0.
  3. If a tie still exists between the team(s) after calculating the goal differential, “goals for” will be used to declare the winner.
  4. If a tie still exists following the “goals for” comparison, the team with the fewest penalties will be declared the winner.
  5. If a tie persists after considering all of the above,  a coin toss will be used to determine the winner.

9. ADDITIONAL RULES

  1. If applicable, Regular Ringette Canada Rules and Ringette BC Standard Tournament Rules will apply.