Hockey is an international sport regulated by three organizations for amateur leagues: Hockey Canada, USA Hockey and the International Ice Hockey Federation, or IIHF. The IIHF and the National Hockey League, or NHL, regulates professional hockey, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association, or NCAA, regulates college hockey. The rules of the game are similar in all the organizations, with some variations in technical matters such as severity of penalties and rink dimensions.
Rink Size
Rink size for the NHL is 200 feet long by 85 feet wide. Regulation rink size for the IIHF is 200 feet long by 100 feet wide. The end corners are rounded in the arc of a circle with a radius of 28 feet.
Equipment
Hockey sticks are made of wood or another material that is approved by a particular league. Any color adhesive tape is acceptable for wrapping around the stick, and is used for reinforcement or to improve puck control. Sticks cannot be any longer than 63 inches and no larger than 12.5 inches from the heel to the end of the blade. The puck is made of rubber or another approved material, and 1-inch thick and 3 inches in diameter. It weighs between 5.5 and 6 oz. All pucks must be approved by the respective league. All protective equipment, except gloves and headgear, must be worn under the players' uniforms.
Game Time
A standard hockey game is played in three 20-minute periods. The team that scores the most during that time wins. If there is a tie, the game goes into overtime to determine the winner. Overtime can be determined by sudden victory where the first team to score wins, or by playing another 20-minute period where the team with the most goals wins. A shootout is used if there is still a tie after a fourth overtime period. In a shootout, each coach chooses five players to take penalty shots one at a time against the opposing team's goalie. The teams alternate shots; the team with the most goals after the tenth shot wins.
Teams
Each team consists of 20 players -- 18 skaters and two goalkeepers. A list of all players is given to the official scorer before the game. Only listed players and one non-uniformed player are allowed on the players' bench.
Penalties
Penalties can be called for rule infractions or misconduct on the ice. A penalty is called if a player commits a physical, restraining, stick or other foul.
Fouls
Fouls are called when a player hits, elbows, slams, head-butts, kicks, charges or commits any other illegal physical act against an opposing player. Other fouls include throwing equipment, holding another player, interference, tripping, hooking, hitting or slashing another player with the stick, and handling the puck and delaying the game.
Scoring
One point is scored any time the puck is hit into the opposing team's goal. If the attacking player has the puck deflected into the goal net of the opposing team off his skate or body, in any manner, the goal still counts. If a player throws the puck into the opposing team's goal, no point is scored. No points are awarded if the puck is kicked, deflected off an official or scored by an ineligible player into the opposing team's goal.
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