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South Asian Canada Cup Rules

The event runs from May 1-3, 2025 and takes places at 2 arenas in Calgary, AB.

South Asian Canada Cup will be adopting the Canadian Ball Hockey Association (CBHA) rules and regulations for this tournament.

The following rules are unique to the tournament and teams need to be aware prior to first game:

  1. In the event of an icing call, the defending team will not be allowed to change. They can use their timeout but then have no remaining time out.
  2. Any stoppage of play occurring in the end-zone as the result of the ball going out of play or being unplayable will result in the ensuing face-off taking place in that end-zone at the face-off spot nearest to where the puck was last legally played, regardless of whether the defending or attacking team causes the stoppage.
  3. Round Robin games will not end in a tie, they will go to a 3 player shootout. You are required to use 3 different shooters. If the shootout is still tied after the first 3 shooters and 3 rounds, you can repeat any shooter — including someone from your original 3 — as long as no player shoots twice in a row during the sudden death rounds. In the sudden death rounds each team will have a chance to shoot i.e. if in round 4 Team A scores, Team B will have a chance to score and go to another round. If in Round 4 Team A misses and Team B scores, Team B is the game winner.
  4. Players on roster are required to PLAY AT LEAST 1 round robin game to be playoff eligible.
  5. You will be responsible for selecting the opposing teams player of the game during the round robin. Captains can communicate the team choice to the time keeper prior to the hand shake.
  6. There will be a hand shake immediately following all games. At the end of the handshake, teams are asked to line up at their respective blue lines in order to complete the player of the game selection.
  7. Prior to your first game, before warm ups, teams are asked to arrange themselves in front of their net, with no helmets, for a team picture.

Standings and Format Structure:

All Divisions:

  • 3 points for win.
  • 2 points for a shootout win.
  • 1 point for shootout loss.

In the event teams are tied in points at the end of round robin play the following tie breaking procedures will be as follows.

  1. Overall Points
  2. Overall wins (regulation and shootout combined)
  3. Regulation wins
  4. Head to Head matchup.
  5. Tournament total goal differential.
  6. Most goals for.
  7. Least goals against.
  8. Lowest penalty minutes.
  9. Coin toss.

A Division:

  • Each team will play 3 Round Robin games.
  • Each team will play every other team in the Division 1 time.
  • The 1st placed team advances to the finals with a bye.
  • 4th place will be eliminated from competition.
  • The 2nd and 3rd placed teams will qualify for the semi-finals.

B/C Hybrid Division:

  • Each team will play 3 round robin games amongst teams in the hybrid division.
  • 1-4th enter B Division playoffs, 5-8 enter C Division playoffs and 9th & 10th eliminated
  • Standard seeding format in divisional matches for playoffs. (1vs4, 2vs3).
  • Top 4 teams through round robin will form the B Division Playoffs, the next 4 seeded will be the C Division playoffs the bottom two will be eliminated.

Women’s Division:

  • Each team will play 3 round robin games.
  • Each team will play every other team in the Division 1 time.
  • The 1st placed team advances to the finals with a bye.
  • 4th place will be eliminated from competition.
  • The 2nd and 3rd placed teams will qualify for the semi-finals.

Game-Play Information:

  • Warmups will be 5 minutes.
  • Game times will start promptly as the event has many games to fit into the time slots.
  • Games will be 20 minute stop time halves. Teams will be permitted 1 timeout per game.
  • 7 Goal Mercy Rule will be in effect. (Immediately - regardless of time left in the game).
  • Round Robin games tied after regulation will enter a shootout, there will be no ties.
  • Playoff games tied after regulation will proceed with a 5 minute sudden death overtime 5 on 5. If still tied, it will go for another 5 minute sudden death 4 on 4 overtime period. If still tied, it will be followed by a shootout following the same format as round robin. In Overtime, teams will NOT switch ends.
  • In case of a shootout, the HOME team has the choice of 1st or last shot..

Uniform Standards:

  • All players for a team must have the same base coloured jersey and base coloured bottoms (failure to comply will result in the player not being eligible to compete in the game).
  • Teams are required to have 2 sets of jerseys for the tournament.Home team selects which jersey colour they wish to wear. In the case the 2 teams only have 1 set of jerseys and they are similar to the opponent the GUEST team will be required to change jerseys.

Equipment Regulations:

  • All players must wear CSA approved helmets.
  • All face masks must be CSA approved.
  • Chin straps must be fastened.
  • All players UNDER the age of 18 must wear a CSA approved face mask.
  • Goalies are permitted to use a cat's eye mask.
  • Hockey gloves are mandatory. Lacrosse, broomball, open palmed hockey gloves are NOT permitted.

Roster Regulations:

  • Roster deadline will be April 1st, 2025. Injury replacement deadline will be April 20th, 2025. 
  • Players may only be included on one roster in the tournament as a player. We will allow players playing in one division to be part of the coaching staff in another division but not within the same group. i.e.. A coach for Edmonton A may not play for Calgary A but could play for Edmonton B should the schedule allow it and the team be willing to include that individual in their final roster.
  • Roster Max is 25 - consist of 22-23 runners & 2-3 goalies, roster minimum is 15 runners & 1 goalie.
  • If a team refuses to release an out of province player they must include the player(s) on their 25 player maximum.
  • May include 4 people for bench (1 coach, 3 assistants/trainer) {required by roster deadline}.
  • Should a team only dress one goalie (i.e. no back up goalie present) and an injury occurs they will have 5 minutes to dress a player from the current game roster to carry on and finish the game as goaltender. This is not an opportunity to bring in and dress a backup goalie that is not on that current game roster. If it takes longer than 5 minutes to dress the replacement goalie, then the team has to play with 6 players and the opposing team can only score below the offensive blue line.
  • Any team fielding an illegal player in any game will forfeit all points gained in that particular game and will face a fine of $500 which will need to be paid prior to the offending teams next contest.

Player Eligibility:

  • Players must have Indian/Pakistani descent from at least one parent or grandparent in order to compete in the tournament. (Proof must be presented to the committee prior to tournament start if requested).
  • If a team challenges a player's eligibility it must be presented to the committee prior to April 27, 2025  (Player will have until May 1st to present proof to the committee).
  • Players must carry ID in the event they are questioned by tournament officials/organizers prior to games being played.
  • Women’s participation will allow for 5 non South Asian descent players to be dressed at one time.

Out of Province Players:

  • Players must be released by team reps in an email sent to the South Asian Canada Cup committee. Thus allowing the player to join a team from a different province in which the player resides. 
  • If a player resides in a city which is entering a team into the South Asian Canada Cup tournament, that player first must try to play for that team. In the event that the player does not earn a spot with their local team they are free to request a release and try out for another team in their province. If they do not make the team in province they will need to be released and then try for an out of province team.
    • For example: If Arshdeep Bains does not make the Edmonton Kings, he will need to email the committee requesting a formal release. Bains will then reach out to the Calgary Phantom to see if the next provincial team has a spot. If Calgary has no space, Bains will need approval from the committee to seek an out of province club.

Disciplinary Measures:

  • Disciplinary measures have been put in place to ensure the spirit of the game as well as the respect, sportsmanship and being an example to the youth and the community are kept in the forefront of the competition.
  • Game Misconduct (excluding 3 penalties in a game), $25.
  • Match Penalty, $75 and tournament suspension.
  • Gross misconduct, $50 and 2 game suspension.
  • Fighting, $100 and tournament suspension.
  • Misconduct in the final 10 minutes of the game, $25.
  • Infractions will need to be paid in full by the team prior to their next game before they are eligible to continue competing in the tournament.
  • Any individuals fighting, speaking negatively (written or verbal) about the South Asian Canada Cup, South Asian Canada Cup organizers, volunteers, referees, timekeepers, facility staff, will be banned and will be escorted out. Please have respect for the event and for all individuals involved in any manner.