Rules of the Game

The Basics

• Objective: Score more goals than the opposing team by shooting the puck into their net.

• Game Structure: Played in three 20-minute periods with 1 intermissions between periods. 

  1. At the end of each period, teams switch sides.

• Players on Ice: Each team has six players on the ice—three forwards, two defensemen, and one goaltender.

• Line Changes: Players skate at maximum effort, so substitutions happen "on the fly" (while the game is live).

The Faceoff

• The game begins when the referee drops the puck between two opposing forwards.

• During the faceoff all other players are positioned on the defensive side of the puck.

• The faceoff is used to resume play following any stoppage in the game.

• There are nine designated faceoff spots painted on the ice.

Rink “Zones”

• The ice surface is divided into three zones.

• The area where the goal net is located is the “defending zone” for the team defending that net.

• The middle of the rink, between two blue lines, is the “neutral zone.”

• The area where the opposing net is located is the “attacking zone” or “offensive zone.”

Key Stoppage Rules

• Offside: An attacking player cannot cross the opponent's blue line into the attacking zone before the puck does. Play stops, and a faceoff occurs outside the zone.

• Icing: If a player shoots the puck from behind the red center line all the way past the opponent's goal line without anyone touching it, play stops and returns for a faceoff in the defending zone.

• Face-off: Play starts the game, periods, and restarts after any stoppage with a referee dropping the puck between two opposing players at one of nine dots on the ice.

Icing the puck

Icing is when a player on his team’s side of the red center line shoots the puck all the way down the ice and it crosses the red goal line at any point (other than the goal). Icing is not permitted when teams are at equal strength or on the power play.  When this occurs, play is stopped and the puck is returned to the other end of the ice for a face-off in the offending team’s zone.  Icing the puck is not called:

• If the goalie leaves the crease to play the puck, even if he does not touch the puck

• If an official rules an opposing player could have played the puck before it crossed the red goal line

• An official may waive off the icing call if he deems it was an attempted pass

Penalties

What are Penalties?

• Player actions that violate the rules of the game may be given penalties at the discretion of the officials. 

• Penalties are classified into three categories: minor, major and misconduct. 

• For a minor penalty, players are required to serve two minutes in the penalty box while their team plays short-handed. A minor penalty will expire if the opposing team scores while on the power play. 

• Major penalties require a player to serve five minutes in the penalty box and only expire at the end of that time. 

• Misconduct penalties vary in length.

Power plays

• When one team has more players on the ice than the other team, because one player is serving a penalty.

Most common call What happened Typical penalty

• Tripping Stick, skate, knee, or body causes someone to fall 2 minutes

• Hooking Using the stick to restrain or slow someone 2 minutes

• Slashing Chopping or swinging the stick at someone 2 minutes

• Interference Impeding someone who doesn’t have the puck 2 minutes

• Holding Grabbing or restraining a player 2 minutes

• Roughing Shoving, punching, or unnecessary contact after the play 2 minutes

• High-sticking Stick contacts someone above the shoulders 2 minutes—possibly more if severe

• Cross-checking Shoving someone with the shaft of the stick 2 minutes

• Charging/body checking Excessive collision or deliberate check in a non-checking league Usually 2 minutes

• Delay of game Intentionally delaying play 2 minutes

• Unsportsmanlike conduct Abuse, taunting, arguing excessively, or inappropriate behavior Usually 2 minutes; may include misconduct

More serious calls:

• Checking from behind: Normally 3 minutes plus a 10-minute misconduct, or 5 minutes plus ejection if severe.

• Boarding or head contact: Could be 3 minutes, but dangerous contact may become 5 minutes plus ejection.

• Fighting: Ordinarily 5 minutes plus game misconduct/ejection, often followed by a league suspension.

• Spearing or butt-ending: Commonly 5 minutes plus ejection when contact is made.

• Game misconduct: Player is removed for the remainder of the game and may face suspension.

The basic time categories are:

• Minor: 3 minutes; usually ends early if the opposing team scores.

• Major: 5 minutes; does not end when a goal is scored.

• Misconduct: 10 minutes; the team can normally replace the player and does not remain shorthanded solely because of the misconduct.

• Game misconduct: Ejection for the rest of the game; suspension depends on league rules.