In the event of adverse weather or unplayable field conditions, the tournament director reserves the right to: 

• Reduce game times in order to catch up with schedule.
• Finish games before inclement weather arrives, or to preserve field conditions. 
• Reschedule games, if possible. 
• Convert tournament to a “festival” format without playoffs or championships to provide the majority of teams the opportunity to play as many games as possible. 

Every attempt will be made to update cancellations on the website. However, weather conditions can change rapidly and all teams should be prepared to play as soon as weather and fields are playable. 
The directors of hoganlax.com, LLC reserve the right to cancel, shorten, or reschedule tournament games due to inclement weather, poor field conditions, or player and fan safety concerns. No refunds will be granted if these actions are necessary. Field directors will communicate game changes. Schedule changes will be available at the Administration Tent and online at www.hoganlax.com

Thunder/Lightning Policy 

If thunder or lightning is observed play will be suspended immediately and players and fans will be asked to leave the fields to return to cars. Play will be allowed to resume 20 minutes after the last sound of thunder or sighting of lightning is observed which will be determined by the tournament medical staff. Every attempt will be made to begin subsequent games on time. Subsequent games will begin immediately after preceding games. These games may consist of one 30 minute running time period until games are back on schedule. Once games are back on schedule they will revert to “normal” tournament game time procedures.

Game Rules 

• 2028 division will play with an NCAA shot clock 
• 2029-2030 divisions – Referees discretion to impose a 30 second count (“Timer On”) and require a shot on goal if it is determined a team is stalling 
• No Dive Rule is in effect

Faceoffs 

• When a faceoff player commits a violation, they are no longer allowed to participate in the immediate next faceoff 
• Faceoff personnel must have color tape 
• SNG: Stand-Up Neutral Grip 

Game Time 

• Game time will be 2 - 22 minutes halves, running time
• Last 2-minutes of games is stop/start time
• Penalty time is stop/start time, always 
• Time (penalty and game time) will be kept at the score table 
• Shot clock time will stop during timeouts, out of bounds and dead ball situations. Game clock will continue to run unless in the last 2-minutes of game. 
• All games will start by central signal to begin. Then time will be kept at the score table.
• Each team has 1 timeout per half (Clock stops) 

Overtime

Saturday 

• 1 – 4-minute sudden victory period. If no one scores, game will end in a tie 
• Each team has 1 timeout in overtime. Clock stops 

Sunday 

• 1 continuous untimed sudden victory period until there is a winner 
• Each team has 1 timeout in overtime 

Any player, fan or coach ejected from the game could be prohibited from competing in his/her team’s next game. Decisions on the field will be the final ruling. Any fighting or flagrant disrespect toward an official will result in expulsion for the remainder of the tournament. No Exceptions, No Refunds. 

Pool Seeding

In the case of ties in the final standings for pool play, the following process will be used until all ties are broken and the seeding process is completed (ties will be broken in rank order beginning with the first procedure).

If more than two teams are tied for a pool or division seed, once one team is removed from the tie, the seeding criteria reverts back to the beginning of the procedure for the remaining teams tied.

Tie Breaker Procedure:

1.     Head-to-Head.

2.     Record vs Team(s) tied with.

3.     Total goals against teams tied with; only games where tied teams played each other.

4.     Goal differential teams tied with (goal differential will not exceed +/- 7 per game), only games involving teams tied with.

5.     Total goals against common opponents.

6.     Goal differential against common opponents (goal differential will not exceed +/- 7 per game).

7.     Goals against overall.

8.     Goal differential overall.

9.     Coin flip.

*Seeding in a 5 or 7 team pool in which the teams do not play everyone, pool seeding will be determined by:

           1. Winning percentage

           2. Goals against average

Divisional Seeding

HoganLax divisional seeding will follow below criteria after pool seeding is determined.

1.     Seed in Pool.

2.     Overall Record.

3.     Goals Against Average.

4.     Goal Differential (goal differential will not exceed +/- 7 per game).

5.     Coin Flip

*If teams from the same program are scheduled to play in the first round of the non-championship bracket, HoganLax reserves the right to change the seeding.

Goal Differential is limited to +7/-7 per game

1. All players must compete in the division with the class they were in during the 2026-2027 Academic year. 
2. Players can always play up a division but not down. Regardless if a player will repeat in the future or plans to do a Post Graduate year, he must play with in the Division in which his class would graduate that he was in during the 2026-2027 school year. 
3. Players can only play for one team during the tournament. 
4. Only players who are registered and appear on team submitted roster are permitted to play in tournament. 
5. Players enrolling in a Post Graduate year may play in the “oldest” Division the tournament offers, with proof of enrollment. 
6. Please see Divisions (above) for age/grade standards. Your Division is determined by the grade you were in during the 2026-2027 school year. 
7. All players must have their age and grade verified through our age/grade verification platform.