The 2026 tournament

Three days of co-ed hockey at the Bedford four-pad, played by twenty-two teams across three divisions. Registration is closed, so here is what to expect on the weekend and what the teams in the field still owe.

Dates
Sept 11–13, 2026Friday evening to Sunday
Venue
Greenfoot Energy Centre61 Gary Martin Dr, Bedford NS
Field
22 teamsThree divisions, six pools
Entry
$1,100Registration closed for 2026

Mark the calendar

Four dates that matter

The field filled on a first-come basis and registration is now closed. The roster deadline is the one organizers are strictest about, because divisions are set from what teams submit.

Deposit paid · registration closed

$300, non-refundable, held each team's place. All twenty-two spots are taken for 2026.

Balance due · July 31, 2026

The remaining $800 is due on or before this date. Payment details came back with your registration confirmation.

Rosters due · August 31, 2026

Submit your full roster for approval. Organizers use it to confirm your division. Later changes need approval before the weekend.

Puck drops · September 11, 2026

Every player signs the waiver before stepping on the ice. No waiver, no game, with no exceptions.

Registration is handled by hand

Organizers run registration, payments, rosters and game information themselves this year rather than through a platform. Expect a person to reply to you, which sometimes takes a day or two.

The rink

Greenfoot Energy Centre, Bedford

Locally still called the HRM 4-Pad, and renamed after Greenfoot Energy Solutions took the naming rights. Four NHL-size sheets under one roof means games run close together and teams rarely wait long between them. There are dressing rooms, food service and a pro shop on site.

61 Gary Martin Drive, Bedford, Nova Scotia B4B 0G7. Roughly twenty minutes from downtown Halifax outside of rush hour.

A co-ed team gathered on the ice at the Greenfoot Energy Centre in Bedford

Game format

How a game runs

Games are short and stop-time, which keeps the schedule tight across four sheets. The full rulebook covers penalties, goal limits and tie-breaks.

Read the full rules
  1. A three-minute warm up starts once the Zamboni is off the ice.
  2. Two eighteen-minute stop-time periods, with a one-minute break between them. Teams stay at the same end.
  3. If the schedule slips, the game switches to run-time so it finishes with the ice clock.
  4. Icing is called only in the last five minutes.
  5. No slap shots and no body contact. Either one draws a minor penalty.
  6. Every team is guaranteed three round-robin games, each with two referees and a timekeeper.
  7. The top team from each of the six pools advances to one of three division finals.
Scores stop at a five-goal gap

Goals scored beyond a five-goal differential stay off the scoreboard, though they are recorded on the game sheet. Individual players are capped at two goals a game; a third counts for the other team.

Entry fee

What $1,100 covers

Split across a roster of fifteen, that lands near $75 a player for the weekend.

Included in the entry

  • Three guaranteed games, each with two referees and a timekeeper
  • Ice time across four sheets at the Greenfoot Energy Centre
  • A dressing room for your team on game days
  • Division final for the top team in each pool

Bring your own

  • Matching jerseys in a light and a dark, if you have them
  • Full equipment including a helmet with a cage or shield
  • A designated captain, the only player who may speak to officials
  • A signed waiver from every player before their first shift

Teams short on players can borrow a registered skater from another team in the same division, with organizer approval in advance. This does not apply to finals.

Questions

Asked often enough to write down

Do I need to be an experienced hockey player?

Recreation Lower / Learn to Play exists for exactly this. It is where newer skaters land, and players with more skill in that division are expected to pass to them and share shifts. If you can skate and stop, you can play this weekend.

How do organizers decide our division?

From the roster you submit, weighing the age and playing history of the majority of your skaters, plus recent league results. Organizers describe it as their best guess, and they can move a team or a player who lands in the wrong place.

Can I join as an individual player?

Team registration is closed, though organizers keep a list of skaters and goalies looking for a bench. Email them and they will pass your name along to captains who are short.

Is the deposit refundable?

The $300 deposit is non-refundable. It covers ice booked in advance, and every dollar of the entry supports the fund either way.

Do donations get a tax receipt?

Donations made through the QEII Foundation fundraising page are receipted by the Foundation. Team entry fees are a tournament fee rather than a donation, so they are not receipted.

Can family and friends come watch?

Please bring them. Admission is free, the stands hold plenty, and the auction tables are worth a look between games.