.1) All Teams must register in the arena Tournament Office one(1) hour prior to each game. Should the 'game schedule' be ahead of time, teams are to be ready to go on up to fifteen(15) minutes early.  Late teams may forfeit warm-up time or game (see rule 10). Only the most recent 'web-published' first game time/place is confirmed. The remainder will be confirmed upon arena registration at the first game. A Silver Stick Passport Envelope will be provided to each team to carry certification, previous and tournament game sheets. This passport must be presented before each game.

2) Any team, player or team official suspended during a Regional Qualifying Tournament (RQT) may be disqualified or suspended from participating in the Finals Tournament by a decision of the Finals Tournament Committee. Teams advancing from RQTs receive invitations on the recommendation of the Qualifier Tournament Director. No Tier I (USA) team shall participate and in Canada AA and below are eligible to advance from RQTs to this Final. All teams must be 'minor aged' as defined by their by their sanctioning body.

3) All players (to a maximum of 21) including goaltenders, may be signed to the roster entry form.  Approved Hockey Canada or USA HOCKEYcurrent player certification (signed and stamped) must be submitted at the arena one hour before each game to tournament officials. As well, a minimum of 5 game sheets must be provided to show all players have played a minimum of 5 league games with the registered team. No player may be added to the tournament team roster after the first game. Out-of-Branch (non-OMHA) must provide a valid travel permit from their home associations before taking to the ice. Non-OMHA teams may be reclassified by level by the Tournament Committee. (see rule 4)

4) The Tournament Committee reserves the right to make all decisions regarding certifications, interpretation(s) of rules, classifications, scheduling, objections, suspensions and protests or any aspect of the tournament. All decisions will be final.

5) Hockey Canada, OHF and OMHA rules, suspensions and permits will govern all games.  Uniform, equipment and  staffing regulations will be governed by a team's home ruling authority notwithstanding rule 4. Teams agree to 'share' trainers during games, if required and/or requested.  NO Minor Atom body checking  as per OHF ruling.

6) Any participant using foul or abusive language, as judged by Tournament Officials, anywhere in tournament venues may be suspended or banned from arenas for the balance of the tournament. Suspensions of teams or team members may be extended to other International Silver Stick Tournaments and subsequent  years by a ruling of the International Silver Stick Association at the annual meeting. Note: A parent from each team is required in the penalty box for each game (A delay of game penalty may be assessed).

7) Where in the opinion of the Tournament Officials or Referees that sweaters conflict, it will be the responsibility of the team designated as the HOME team to change.  The designation of Home and Visitors will be as printed on the game sheet by Tournament Officials. Note: It is the responsibility of each team to ensure they have an alternate colour of sweater. The HOME team will in all cases wear the light coloured sweater.

8) Teams will be scheduled to play a minimum 3 games. All periods will be stop time. A flood will be done at the beginning of each game. All Minor Atom games will be 12-12-12 minutes. All Minor PeeWee and Minor Bantam games will be 12-12-15 minutes. Midget games will be 12-15-15 minutes in duration. The top two point getting teams from divisions will advance to playoffs. See rule 11 for tie-breaking.  Semi-final winners advance to the Championship game.  No timeouts can be called and 'hurry up' faceoff rules are in effect. Games may be played on International sized ice surface.

9) Point structure for games as follows: Win=2 points; Tie=1 points; Loss=0 points.

10) Any team failing to appear for a game at an appointed time may forfeit the game and may face suspension. Two (2) points will be awarded to the non-defaulting team and the score will be registered as a 1-0 victory.

11) In the case of a tie in points between two or more teams in the same division after the preliminary round the tie will be broken as follows:

1. The result of the game between the two teams with the winner advancing, if only two teams are tied.
   
2. The TOTAL goals FOR divided by the SUM of the total goals FOR and AGAINST. (ie. Total Goals FOR = 10, Total Goals AGAINST = 5. Therefore 10 divided by (10+5) = .6666. If the other team had 9 goals FOR and 6 AGAINST, it would be 9 divided by 15 = .600).  The team with the higher percentage, in this case .666, would advance.
   
3. If the teams are still tied and they have played each other, the team scoring the first goal in that game would advance, if only two teams are tied.
   
4. If the teams are still tied and they have played each other the team with least number of penalty minutes in that game will advance, if only two teams are tied.
   
5. If the teams did not play each other and/or are still tied then the advancing team will have:(i) registered the most goals FOR in the first periods of preliminary round games (ii) registered the most goals FOR in the first two periods of the preliminary round games
   
6. Champions from Regional Qualifying Tournaments advance over others
   
7. Tournament Committee Decision (Coin Toss or Card Draw)

12) Playoff Game Tie Breakers. 
There will be no change of ends after regulation time has expired. Penalties and suspensions carry over to all subsequent overtime periods. Goaltenders are optional but are included in player counts.

(a) Quarter or Semi-Final Game There will be one 5 minute sudden victory overtime period. Each team will start with 5 players less those serving previously assessed penalties. If there is no scoring, then 1 or more retrogressive (see below) overtime periods will be played until a winner is determined by sudden victory.

(b) Championship Game  There will be one 10 minute sudden victory overtime period. Each team will start with 5 players less those serving previously assessed penalties. If there is no scoring, then 1 or more retrogressive (see below) overtime periods will played until a winner is determined by sudden victory.

Retrogressive Overtime Period: A 4 minute stop time period of hockey.  Every minute the play will be halted using the buzzer and one skater from each team will be removed from the ice. Each one minute interval will start play from centre ice. This will continue until the teams are down to 1 player and a goaltender. Penalties still apply and carry over from period to period. Should the number of players on the ice be the goaltender and 1 player and a penalty occurs, the non-offending team will be allowed an extra player and the offending player will go to the penalty bench. The exception is the goaltender in which case normal rules apply regarding the person serving the penalty.