2026 Wayne Waugh Memorial Tournament Rules
The Wayne Waugh Memorial Tournament Committee has the right to re-schedule already-scheduled games due to weather or any other unforeseen circumstances. The Hockey Nova Scotia rules for Minor Hockey will govern the conduct and play of all tournament games. Tournament bylaw rules shall be in addition to Hockey Nova Scotia rules.
1. Where this is a memorial tournament, there is a very low tolerance for unsportsmanlike behaviour. This applies to players, parents, referees, coaches, and spectators. Any coach or manager who, in the opinion of the tournament committee, displays poor sportsmanship, or sets a bad example, shall be suspended from the tournament.
2. Any team that, in the opinion of the tournament committee, deliberately loses a game in an effort to exploit the tie-breaking formula will be expelled from the tournament, and the opposing team will be awarded the game by a score of 5-0, as well as any other games forfeited after the expulsion.
3. No protests will be entertained by the tournament committee. Any discrepancy in reported scores can be disputed to the tournament chairman. This will be resolved through a review of the game sheets. Any other concerns can be brought to the Tournament Rules Committee, consisting of the tournament chairperson, an off-ice tournament rules official, and the head on-ice official.
4. The tournament committee will be using GrayJay for administration of the tournament. Scores will be recorded in real time in GrayJay and will also be maintained on the Official Scoreboard located near the Meet & Greet Table.
5. Each coach and/or manager shall be held responsible for the conduct of their team while in the arena, dressing rooms and on the ice. Hockey Nova Scotia may be present at any point during the tournament.
6. “Player of the Game” awards will be chosen by the players’ own bench staff for each game played. This is to ensure awards are distributed fairly and to the most deserving player for that particular game. One member of each bench staff must let the timekeeper know who the chosen recipient is prior to the last 2 minutes of play. All players (except U7 & U9) will be expected to line up on the blue line after fists bumps to accept the awards.
7. Only dressed players, officials (on-ice and tournament) and bench staff are allowed in dressing room areas and inside the ice rink area on the bench side. Anyone entering the rink from the back parking lot must proceed directly through to the front portion of the building (lobby, stands, etc.) or upstairs to the hospitality room. Absolutely NO parents, spectators or undressed players are to remain in the restricted area at any time.
8. For all tournament games, the coach/manager shall have their team in the arena a minimum of twenty (40) minutes prior to the scheduled game time. Teams will have access to the dressing rooms thirty (30) minutes prior to the start of the game. If the tournament is running ahead of schedule, the starting time of any game may be advanced a maximum of one half-hour at the discretion of the tournament committee.
9. Each team is required to vacate the dressing room before ten (10) minutes has elapsed after their game has ended.
10. All teams must dress a minimum of ten (10) players, including one (1) goaltender, for each tournament game, unless permission to do otherwise has been granted by the tournament committee.
11. Failure to ice a team for any scheduled game for any reason will result in a default by a score of 5-0.
12. Proof of age for any player participating in the tournament must be available upon request for review and verification by the tournament committee.
13. All teams are guaranteed three (3) games. This would include a forfeit in the unfortunate event that one occurs. All 4-team tournaments consist of a round-robin. At the end of the round-robin, the two (2) teams determined to be in first and second place will meet in a Championship Game. In a 6-team tournament, the teams are split into two divisions. Each division will have a round robin and the top two (2) teams in each division will move on to the playoff round. The third-place teams will play a consolation game before the first-place teams each play the second-place teams. The winners of these two “cross-over” games will play in the Championship Game. The U7 jamboree and U9 tournament will be round-robin ONLY with no championship awarded. Scores will not be recorded or displayed during these games.
14. The home team during the championship game and any other playoff or consolation game shall be the team with the higher standing as determined above. The Home Team for all Round-Robin games will be determined at random. When a team plays three (3) round-robin games, at least one of these games will be designated as a home game. The home team is listed first on the schedule.
15. There will be a 3-minute warm-up period for each tournament game which will be posted on the game clock immediately following the closure of the Zamboni doors. The ice will only be cleaned after each game.
16. All games U11 and above will consist of three (3) 10-minute stop-time periods. U7 and U9 games will consist of three (3) running-time periods of the following durations – 14-minute 1st period, 14-minute 2nd period, 16-minute 3rd period. A buzzer will sound every two (2) minutes to indicate a shift change.
17. U7 games will be played using half of the ice surface and teams may be split accordingly. A partition will divide the ice in this case. U9 games will use the entire ice surface.
18. There shall be no timeouts awarded during the round-robin. One (1) 30-second timeout shall be awarded to each team during a championship game.
19. The Nova Scotia Minor Hockey Council “Code of Discipline” will be enforced at the tournament. Incident Reports will be completed by officials when warranted. All suspensions will be reported to the Nova Scotia Minor Hockey Council Secretary Manager within twenty-four (24) hours of the infraction by the tournament chair or their designate. Coaches are responsible to verify the length and severity of all suspensions with their Regional Director. Coaches are responsible to ensure that any suspended player or team official does not participate in the tournament during the period of their suspension. If a player or team official does participate in any tournament game while under suspension, their team will forfeit the game by a score of 5-0, and the violating team will be suspended from the tournament.
20. No one except our Association President, Vice President or the tournament chairperson shall approach the referees at any time. If there is an issue that needs to be addressed immediately, contact the tournament chair. For all other issues or concerns, please wait twenty-four (24) hours and follow the proper HNS procedure.
21. Tie-breaking formulas, if necessary, to determine participants and placement in championship games following the round-robin portion of the tournament, shall be as follows:
TWO TEAMS TIED:
I. If two teams are tied in points, the higher standing is awarded to the team with the most wins.
II. If two teams are still tied, the winner of the game between them is awarded the higher standing.
III. If the two teams are still tied, the higher standing will be awarded to the team with the highest goal differential (goals for vs. goals against) for the round-robin portion of the tournament. (No differential of greater than 5 goals will be recorded on the scoresheet and no differential of greater than 5 goals will be used for these purposes, in an effort to discourage teams running up the score.)
IV. If the two teams are still tied, the higher standing will be awarded to the team allowing the least number of goals in the round-robin portion of the tournament.
V. If the two teams are still tied, the higher standing will be awarded to the team accumulating the fewest penalty minutes in the round-robin portion of the tournament.
VI. If the two teams are still tied, the higher standing will be determined by a coin toss.
THREE OR MORE TEAMS TIED:
I. If three or more teams are tied in points, the higher standing is awarded to the team with the most wins. In the case of three teams being tied, once ties are broken in this manner, any remaining teams tied will be differentiated according to the rules for two tied teams (which will remain the process for the steps to follow).
II. If three or more are still tied, the higher standing will be determined by goal differential, (goals for minus goals against). In calculating this differential, only the games played between the tied teams shall be considered. The higher standing will be awarded to the team with the higher differential. The second-highest differential would get the next highest standing, etc.
III. If the teams are still tied, the higher standing will be awarded to the team allowing the least number of goals. In calculating this total, only the games played between the tied teams shall be considered. The higher standing will be awarded to the team with the higher differential. The second-highest differential would get the next highest standing, etc.
IV. If the teams are still tied, the higher standing will be awarded to the team accumulating the least number of penalty minutes. In calculating this total, only the games played between the tied teams shall be considered. The higher standing will be awarded to the team with the higher differential. The second-highest differential would get the next highest standing, etc.
V. If the teams are still tied, repeat steps I through III including the games against all teams played in the round-robin.
VI. If teams are still tied, the higher standing will be determined by a coin toss.
22. Round-Robin games may end in a tie. If a championship game is tied after regulation, the winner will be determined as follows:
A. One (1) 5-minute stop-time, 4 vs. 4, sudden death period.
B. If still no winner is determined, there will be one (1) 5-minute stop-time, 3 vs. 3, sudden death period.
C. If still no winner is determined, the teams will continue to play 5-minute stop-time, sudden death periods until a winner is decided.
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