Rules, Early Bear (Big Bear Tournaments)

All teams must be rostered with USA Hockey, Hockey Canada, or the appropriate IIHF affiliate. 

Teams must bring their official roster and travel permit to each game.

Fall-Winter Season Only, 10u, 12u, 14u Only.  Any player on more than one roster is only permitted to play for one team in any tournament in any city on the same weekend and MUST be identified by the Team Manager for both teams with the shared player.  Any teams found in violation of this rule will be immediately removed from competition in BOTH brackets where the shared player has participated.  Teams found in violation of this rule will be ineligible for any refund and will be charged the full weekend for any hotel arrangements regardless of the time or day they are removed from the tournament.  Exceptions can be made at the discretion of Big Bear Tournaments and must be approved in writing at least 4 days prior to the start of the event

Teams should report to the arena at least one hour prior to each game.

All teams must be prepared to begin any game 15 minutes ahead of schedule.  

A maximum of four team officials may be on the player’s bench.  

The home team will wear white jerseys and visitors wear dark jerseys. Bring both sets of jerseys to all games. 

 All Big Bear Tournament officials are current members and in good standing with USA Hockey and deemed qualified to officiate at the level of play assigned.  

A zero-tolerance policy for abuse is in effect and will be enforced for all team officials, players, and spectators.  

Appropriate penalties will be assessed for disputing or arguing a decision of the officials. Any visual demonstration of dissatisfaction, or use of obscene or vulgar language to anyone at any time during the tournament will result in removal from the property. 

The ATD (acting tournament director) cannot reverse the game officials' decisions.  

Big Bear Tournaments are sanctioned by USA Hockey and will follow USA Hockey Rules, and recommendations.                       

Any player receiving 4 or more penalties in 1 game will be suspended for the following game.  

If a team receives 12 or more penalties in 1 game, the head coach will be suspended for the following game.  

Icing the puck will result in a faceoff when shorthanded for all youth divisions, except those classified as High School Varsity or High School JV.

Body checking is prohibited for U12 and younger

Canadian teams are required to wear mouth guards or neck guards according to the rules of their governing body. 

All penalties for all age division:  

Minor: 1 minute, 30 seconds 

Major: 4 minutes and game misconduct

Match: 4 minutes and immediate ejection from tournament 

Misconduct 8 minutes 

Anyone receiving a game misconduct will be suspended for the next game and anyone receiving a match penalty is disqualified from further tournament play (including coaches/managers/team staff).

The ATD reserves the right to take measures necessary to ensure a safe tournament for the participants including the modification of any rule(s) herein which is deemed to be in the tournament’s best interest.  Decisions of the acting tournament director are final.  USA Hockey rules will not be modified by the ATD.

8u: 12-12-12

10u/12u: 13-13-13

14u: 14-14-14

16/18u: 15-15-15

Three Minute warm-up. 

All games are subject to curfew at the ATD’s discretion. 

A semi-final or final game if the teams are tied at the end of regulation, a five minute 3 on 3, run-time sudden victory overtime will occur.  If the score remains tied after overtime, a 3 player shootout will take place.  

If a team is down by 7 goals any time in the 2nd period or 5 goals in the 3rd period, running time will commence.  If the gap is closed to 2 goals, stop time will resume.  The maximum goal differential attainable per game is +/- 6 in tournament scoring.  

All divisions will be scored 2 pts. for a win, 1 pt. for a tie, and 0 pts for a loss in preliminary round.

Any forfeited games will be recorded as a 3-0 score.  Any forfeited games affecting another team’s playoff status may be reviewed by the ATD to determine which teams advance beyond preliminary round play. 

Use of ineligible players will disqualify a team from the tournament.  All games played by a disqualified team will be forfeited.  No monies will be refunded.  

Please refer to BigBeartournamentschedule.com or speak directly with the onsite Tournament Director to determine the playoff format for each division.  It is the team’s responsibility to confirm with a Big Bear representative whether their team has advanced beyond preliminary round play prior to them leaving the arena following their last preliminary round robin games. 

Each head coach will designate three shooters to represent the team in the shootout prior to the game with an asterisk by their names on the score sheet.  If a designated player is either injured or serving a penalty, the coach must choose another player to participate in the shootout.  Each designated shooter from both teams will alternate shots, home team is given the option of who is shooting first, with all 6 players shooting, unless the advantage by one team is out of reach.  If the score remains tied, new players will participate in a sudden victory shoot-out which will continue in the order already established.  The players may not shoot again until all other eligible players on their team have shot.  Goalies are not eligible to shoot in the shootout. Players serving a penalty at the end of overtime are not eligible for the shootout.  

In a division of 6 or 8 teams where crossover games are the format, the top point getters will advance based on the division format and at the ATD’s discretion.  

Tiebreaker- to determine teams advancing to the semi & final rounds.  If more than two teams are tied, as soon as the tie is broken, the remaining tied teams shall start the tiebreaking process over again.  For divisions where there are three tied teams, they will start the tiebreaking process with tiebreaker b. (Exception: to this in a situation where one of the tied teams has defeated both the other tied teams)

Head-to-head competition

Goal Differential. The team with the greater goal differential will advance.  

Fewest Goals Against 

Most Goals For

Lowest Total Penalty Minutes 

Coin Toss 

One, 30 second time-out per team, per game, is allowed for semi-final and final game, and may be used in regulation or overtime. No time-out for round robin or consolation games.

For the final game, the team finishing 1st will be the home team, an exception where necessary will be made by the ATD.  

These rules may be amended prior to the tournament, with notification being sent to the team Managers and Coaches.  

NO PARENTS, SPECTATORS, OR ANYONE NOT ON A TEAM ROSTER OR BIG BEAR EMPLOYEE MAY ENTER THE PLAYING SURFACE BEFORE-DURING-AFTER ANY GAME