Pacific Cup 2026 - Rules | The Cutting Edges

Pacific Cup 2026 Hockey Tournament Official Rules

The PACIFIC CUP HOCKEY TOURNAMENT reserves the right to make any determination regarding any rule or situation or to change and/or amend the Rules and Regulations, at its sole discretion without prior notice.

TOURNAMENT GUIDELINES

All general matters pertaining to the Pacific Cup Hockey Tournament should be directed to the Tournament Directors.

By playing in the Pacific Cup Hockey Tournament, all players hereby agree to adhere to the Pacific Cup Affirmation of Trans and Gender Diverse Rights and the Participant Conduct Policy, as well as Hockey Canada’s Code of Conduct.

At time of tournament, all players must be at least 19 years of age and have all fees fully paid prior to any games.

All players must be fully registered with the tournament, with their respective team.

The current rules issued by Hockey Canada provide the foundation for game rules in the Pacific Cup. In the event of a discrepancy between Hockey Canada rules and tournament specific rules, then tournament rules will take precedence, with final assessment made by the Tournament Directors.

ALL DIVISIONS

All round robin games are three (3) minute warm ups, three (3) periods of thirteen (13) minute stoppage time, two (1) minute intermissions. There is no overtime or shootout.

Medal round games are three (3) minute warm ups, three (3) periods of thirteen (13) minute stoppage time, two (1) minute intermissions. If necessary, there is a five (5) minute run-time 4-on-4 overtime period, followed by a shootout if necessary.

Each round robin game will be allotted a 60 minute time slot. The third period may be shortened from the thirteen minutes indicated above to keep the game length within allotted time, as determined at the discretion of the officials, timekeeper and/or Tournament Directors.

The warm-up clock will begin at the scheduled game time.

Referees should make all reasonable efforts to stay within the allotted time regardless of the score or level.

Each team is allowed one (1) timeout of 30 seconds per game.

All round robin games may end in a tie. No tie breaking shootouts or overtime periods in round robin play. Games will end tied at the completion of the allotted time and points will be split per scoring rules.

No-touch/automatic Icing and delayed off-sides are utilized. (See last page for Icing Reference.)

All minor penalties are two (2) minutes; majors are five (5) minutes.

The tournament has a strict ZERO TOLERANCE for abuse towards on-ice officials, off-ice officials, tournament staff, volunteers, spectators, etc.

Any violation of this rule may result in immediate suspension and possible removal from the tournament.

ROUND ROBIN PLAY

GAME SCORING - Round Robin

In round robin play, teams will be awarded points based on the final game score. The points will be awarded as follows:

2 points – Awarded to the team with the most total goals scored (‘game winner’)

1 point – Each team receives 1 point if the Final Game Score is tied.

Upon completion of the Round Robin, teams will be ranked in order or points.

Games WILL END at the completion of regulation time. Ties will be scored per the rules above and no overtime or shootouts will be used in round robin play.

DIVISIONAL FINAL STANDINGS

Teams will play a three-game round robin to determine seeding. Based on round robin points earned, the final placement games will be 1v2 and 3v4 games. The winner of 1v2 will win the division.

Tiebreaker for placement:

1 – Most points earned Head-to-Head

2 – Most game wins

3 – Most Period wins (winning a period is defined as more goals scored than your opponent in that same period; there is no period winner in a period where both teams score the same amount of goals)

4 - Lowest penalty minutes

5 - Fewest goals against in round robin games

6 - Coin flip by Tournament Directors

Medal Round Game Format:

Winner determined by final game score. In the event of a tie at the end of regulation there will be a five-minute run-time 4-on-4 overtime period. During the overtime period, line changes will not be permitted at stoppages of play (whistles) and must be done during play, or “on the fly”.

If the game is still tied at the end of the overtime period, it will move to a shoot-out. Three players from each team will be identified and each player will take one shot, alternating between teams. If it still remains a tie after three players from each team have taken a shot, then it will move to sudden death. In sudden death, one player from each team will shoot, continuing until there is a decisive winner. No player may shoot twice until every player on the team has had one attempt.

EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

For detailed equipment rules see “Required Equipment” on the Pacific Cup 2026 tournament page on the Cutting Edges website.

Any player who does not comply with ALL equipment rules may not participate in the game until they become fully compliant.

Important Points:

All players are required to wear full player equipment. Shoulder pads and neck guards are optional but highly recommended.

Players and on-ice officials are required to wear at least half a shield. Helmet chin straps must be properly fastened by both players and on-ice officials.

JERSEY REQUIREMENTS

All players will be provided a jersey for the duration of the tournament, and must be worn during all tournament games.

Every player must ensure their number is readable for the duration of the game.

All player numbers must correspond with the scoresheet.

PENALTIES

Any player, including goalies, who receives three (3) minor penalties or eight (8) total penalty minutes in the same game will receive a Game Ejection, which may result in tournament suspension at the discretion of the Tournament Directors.

ALL penalties shall be entered on the scoresheet.

Players who serve any penalty on behalf of any other player shall not be charged for that penalty. Bench penalties will not count against any individual players regardless of who serves the penalty. Players serving a bench penalty or the penalty of a teammate will be eligible to participate in shootouts.

A delayed penalty which is canceled by a goal scored does count toward a player's gross penalty total.

SUSPENSIONS AND UNRULY PLAYERS

A subsequent game suspension will be assessed for every game misconduct, with two (2) game misconducts resulting in full tournament suspension.

A fighting major results in full tournament suspension.

Captains are ultimately responsible for notifying their players of any suspensions.

Any physical or verbal assault on an on-ice official or an off-ice official is unacceptable and may result in expulsion from all future Tournaments.

At the sole discretion of the Tournament Directors, any player who is deemed to be (on or off the ice):

Continually reckless;

Unnecessarily aggressive;

Unruly;

Guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct towards the other participants, volunteers, staff, or spectators;

In violation of the Participant Code of Conduct or Trans and Gender Diverse Policies; or

Behaving in a way that is in contrast to the stated nature of the event;

may be suspended or expelled from a game or the event. The action may be taken separate from and regardless of any on ice penalties or actions taken by the Game Officials.

SPORTSMANSHIP

Any team that receives ten (10) penalties in one game will cause an automatic one (1) game suspension to the team captain for the following game.

To maintain the integrity of the game and the overall intent of the Event, “Running up the score” will not be tolerated. Should any team continue to add goals in a game or period once an obvious skill discrepancy has been identified, and after a warning from tournament officials, any points earned in that period/game MAY be forfeited at the discretion of the tournament organizers. The scoreboard will not show any goals scored after a five (5) goal lead is achieved. The goals will still be recorded and counted.

Gretzky Rule: A player is not permitted to score more than three (3) goals during a game. If a player scores any goals beyond three (3), the goals will be disallowed and a face off at center ice will follow.

DRUG AND ALCOHOL POLICY

The possession or use of any illegal substances in the locker rooms or anywhere in the building is strictly prohibited.

Alcohol is not permitted in the locker rooms or any other area of the rink, with the exception of the licensed areas of the on-site restaurant. No outside alcoholic beverages are permitted in the on-site restaurant.

Any player that is substance impaired may be prohibited from playing or removed from the game and/or tournament at the discretion of the Tournament Directors.

PLAYER ELIGIBILITY

Team Roster:

Team rosters are limited to players who have registered for the 2026 Pacific Cup only.

Registered players can only play on one team in the tournament; the team they have been placed on by the tournament organizers.

All substitutions need to be approved by the Tournament Directors.

A goalie substitute can be used in the event of an injury to a team’s rostered goalie or other extenuating circumstances that affect the rostered goalie’s ability to play. The substitute goalie must be approved by the Tournament Directors prior to the game.

Upon the conclusion of warm-up each team must have a valid team (6 skaters and a goalie) to play the game. If after the 3 minute warm up has expired there are not enough players, the offending team will start the game with a 2 minute Delay of Game penalty. At the conclusion of the penalty, if the team can still not produce a valid team the game will be considered forfeit.

In any case where a team is penalized to the point they cannot ice a valid team, (complete line-up on the ice and a minimum of 1 skater on the bench) they will immediately forfeit the current game.

A player must be on a team’s roster to be eligible for the final game.

Pre-Game Procedure:

Before all games the team co-captains will be responsible to ensure that the game sheet is filled out correctly. This will include ensuring the accuracy of players in attendance by crossing any player off the roster that is not in attendance.

Team co-captains will also be responsible to make sure all players’ numbers are accurate.

Post-Game Procedure:

Both teams at the end of each game will line up at centre ice and shake hands.

Officials will remain on the ice during the handshake.

GOALTENDERS

In an event that a team does not have a goalie present and dressed for a game, an emergency goalie may be used. The emergency goalie must currently be registered in the Pacific Cup Tournament unless approved by the Tournament Directors.

If a team does not have a goalie dressed for a game, the team may elect to put in a sixth skater.

The Referees must be notified if the player is a sixth skater or a designated goalie.

In all levels a designated goalie must have a full wire cage or full face shield, no plastic masks, and no half shields of any kind.

ICING

Icing the puck is the action of a player shooting, batting, kicking, or deflecting the puck from their own half of the ice, as divided by the centre red line, down and across the goal line in the opposing team’s defending zone. If the puck enters the net on such a play, then it is not icing.

(a) When any player of a team, equal or superior in numerical strength to the opposing team, shoots, bats, kicks, or deflects the puck from their own half of the ice, beyond the goal line of the opposing team, icing will be called.

(b) Icing will not be called and play will continue if the team shooting the puck is below the numerical strength of the opposing team at the instant the puck is shot.

Note 1: A team will no longer be considered shorthanded once the penalty time expires, irrespective of whether or not the penalized player has left the Penalty Bench.

i. If the puck touches any part of an opposing player’s body, stick, or skates at any time prior to crossing the goal line.

ii. If the puck touches any part of any player’s body, stick, or skates, between the time the puck crosses the centre red line and the time it crosses the goal line.

iii. If, in the opinion of the Official, a player of the opposing team, except the goaltender, is able to play the puck but chooses not to do so.

iv. If the action that causes the icing is directly from a player taking the face-off.

v. When the puck is shot and rebounds from the body or stick of an opponent in their own half of the ice and crosses the goal line of the player shooting

PENALTY DESCRIPTIONS AND ALTERATIONS

All infractions and their associated penalty times are listed below. However, the category of the penalty and time served may be escalated at the discretion of the referees based on the severity of the infraction. Any infraction not listed below will be assessed a penalty based on the ASHL 2025 Rulebook (https://www.ashl.ca/rule-book/).

Minor Penalty - For a minor penalty, any player, other than a goalkeeper, shall be ruled off the ice for two (2) minutes during which time no substitute shall be permitted. The following infractions constitute a minor penalty:

Delay of Game
Holding / Holding the Stick
Hooking
Interference
Roughing
Tripping
Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Bench Minor Penalty - A bench minor penalty involves the removal from the ice of one player of the team against which the penalty is assessed for a period of two (2) minutes. Any player except a goalkeeper of the team may be designated to serve the penalty by the co-captains and such player shall take their place on the penalty bench promptly and serve the penalty as if it was a minor penalty imposed upon them.

Double-Minor Penalty - For a double-minor penalty, any player, other than a goalkeeper, shall be ruled off the ice for four (4) minutes during which time no substitute shall be permitted. The following infractions constitute a double-minor penalty.

Boarding
Butt-Ending
Cross-Checking
Slashing
Body Checking
Charging
High Sticking
Spearing
Elbowing
Kneeing
Head Contact

Coincidental Minor Penalties - When coincident minor penalties of equal duration are imposed against players of opposing teams, the penalized players shall take their places in the penalty benches and the penalty will be recorded on the scoresheet, but not timed on the scoreboard. During the duration of the penalty, play will resume as 5-on-5, and the penalized players shall not leave the penalty bench until the first stoppage of play after the penalty time has elapsed.

Major Penalty - For a major penalty, any player, other than a goalkeeper, shall be ruled off the ice for five (5) minutes.

*Automatic Game Misconduct - An automatic game misconduct shall be applied to any player who has been assessed a second major penalty in the same game.*

Misconduct Penalty - In the event of misconduct penalties to any player including the goalkeeper, the player shall be ejected from the game. In the case of the goalkeeper, the penalized team can play with 6 skaters.

A misconduct penalty may be assessed in conjunction with any penalty based on the severity of the infraction and the discretion of the referees.

Game Ejection Penalties - A game ejection penalty involves the removal of a player for the balance of the game, but a substitute is permitted to immediately replace the player so removed. A total of ten (10) minutes shall be charged in the records on the Official Game Report against the offending player. The following infractions constitute an automatic game ejection:

Fighting

Game Misconduct Penalty - A game misconduct penalty involves the suspension of a player for the balance of the game, but a substitute is permitted to immediately replace the player so removed. A total of ten (10) minutes shall be charged in the records on the Official Game Report against the offending player. Any player assessed a game misconduct shall also be assessed an automatic one game suspension, to be served in the immediate next game already listed on the team schedule.

Match Penalty - A match penalty involves the suspension of a player for the balance of the game and the offender shall be ordered to the dressing room immediately and such violation may result in removal for the remainder of the tournament pending review by the Tournament Officials.

Penalty Shot - A penalty shot is designed to restore a scoring opportunity which was lost because of a foul being committed by the offending team.

THE PACIFIC CUP HOCKEY TOURNAMENT DIRECTORS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO ALTER ANY RULE BEFORE, DURING, OR AFTER THE TOURNAMENT AT THEIR DISCRETION.