NHL OFFICIAL RULE BOOK
THE TEAM
RULES 71 - 97
 

Rule 71. Preceding Puck into Attacking Zone
  1. Players of the attacking team must not precede the puck into the attacking zone.

  2. For violation of this rule, the play is stopped and the puck shall be faced-off in the neutral zone at the face-off spot nearest the attacking zone of the offending team.

    (NOTE)
    A player actually controlling the puck who shall cross the line ahead of the puck shall not be considered "off-side".

  3. If however, notwithstanding the fact that a member of the attacking team shall have preceded the puck into the attacking zone, the puck is cleanly intercepted by a member of the defending team at or near the blue line and is carried out or passed by them into the neutral zone, the "off-side" shall be ignored and play permitted to continue. (Officials will carry out this rule by means of the "slow whistle".)

  4. If a player legally carries or passes the puck back into his own defending zone while a player of the opposing team is in such defending zone, the "off-side" shall be ignored and play permitted to continue. (No "slow whistle".)

    (NOTES)
    If a puck clearly deflects off a defending player in the neutral zone, back into the defending zone, all attacking players are eligible to play the puck.

Rule 72. Protection of Goalkeeper
  1. A minor penalty for interference shall be imposed on a player who, by means of his stick or his body, interferes with or impedes the movements of the goalkeeper by actual physical contact.

    (NOTE)
    A goalkeeper is not "fair game" just because he is outside the goal crease area. A penalty for interference or charging (minor or major) should be called in every case where an opposing player makes unnecessary contact with the goalkeeper.

    Likewise, referees should be alert to penalize goalkeepers for tripping, slashing, or spearing in the vicinity of the goal.

  2. Unless the puck is in the goal crease area, a player of the attacking side may not stand in the goal crease. If the puck should enter the net while such conditions prevail the goal shall not be allowed. If an attacking player has physically interfered with the goalkeeper, prior to or during the scoring of the goal, the goal will be disallowed and a penalty for goaltender interference will be assessed. The ensuing face-off shall be taken in the neutral zone at the face-off spot nearest the attacking zone of the offending team.

  3. If a player of the attacking side has been physically interfered with by the action of any defending player so as to cause him to be in the goal crease and the puck should enter the net while the player so interfered with is still in the goal crease, the goal shall be allowed.

  4. A minor penalty shall be assessed to a player of the attacking side who having been interfered with fails to avoid making contact with the goalkeeper. In addition, if a goal is scored it shall be disallowed.

  5. A minor penalty for interference shall be imposed on any attacking player, who makes deliberate contact with a goalkeeper whether in or out of the crease. At the discretion of the Referee a major penalty may be imposed under Rule 47(c) - Charging.

  6. A minor and misconduct penalty shall be imposed on an attacking player, not in possession of the puck, who is tripped or caused to fall and fails to attempt to avoid contact with the goalkeeper whether he is in or out of his crease.

  7. In the event that a goalkeeper has been pushed into the net together with the puck after making the stop, the goal will be disallowed. If applicable, the appropriate penalties will be assessed.

Rule 73. Puck Out of Bounds or Unplayable
  1. When the puck goes outside the playing area at either end or either side of the rink, or strikes any obstacles above the playing surface other than the boards or glass, it shall be faced-off from where it was shot or deflected unless otherwise expressly provided in these rules.

  2. When the puck becomes lodged in the netting on the outside of either goal so as to make it unplayable, or if it is frozen between opposing players intentionally or otherwise, the Referee shall stop the play and face-off the puck at either of the adjacent face-off spots unless in the opinion of the Referee, the stoppage was caused by a player of the attacking team, in which case the resulting face-off shall be conducted in the neutral zone.

    (NOTE)
    This includes a stoppage of play caused by a player of the attacking side shooting the puck onto the back of the defending team's net without any intervening action by the defending team.

    The defending team and/or the attacking team may play the puck off the net at any time. However, should the puck remain on the net for more than three seconds, play shall be stopped and the face-off shall take place in the end face-off zone except when the stoppage is caused by the attacking team, then the face-off shall take place on a face-off spot in the neutral zone.

  3. A minor penalty shall be imposed on a goalkeeper who deliberately drops the puck on the goal netting to cause a stoppage of play.

  4. If the puck comes to rest on top of the boards surrounding the playing area, it shall be considered to be in play and may be played legally by hand or stick.

Rule 74. Puck Must Be Kept in Motion
  1. The puck must at all times be kept in motion.

  2. A minor penalty shall be imposed on any player, including the goalkeeper, who holds, freezes or plays the puck with his stick, skates or body in such a manner as to deliberately cause a stoppage of play.

    (NOTE)
    With regard to a goalkeeper, this rule applies outside of his goal crease area.

Rule 75. Puck Out of Sight and Illegal Puck
  1. Should a scramble take place or a player accidentally fall on the puck and the puck be out of sight of the Referee, he shall immediately blow his whistle and stop the play. The puck shall then be faced-off at the point where the play was stopped unless otherwise provided for in the rules.

  2. If at any time while play is in progress, a puck other than the one legally in play shall appear on the playing surface, the play shall not be stopped but shall continue with the legal puck until the play then in progress is completed by change of possession.

Rule 76. Puck Striking Official
Play shall not be stopped if the puck touches an official anywhere on the rink, regardless of whether a team is shorthanded or not. A puck that deflects back into the defensive zone, off an official who is in the neutral zone, may be deemed to be off-side as per Rule 69 (Note 1) - Off-Sides.

(NOTE)
If a goal is scored as a result of being deflected directly into the net off an official the goal shall not be allowed.

Rule 77. Refusing to Start Play
  1. If when both teams are on the ice, one team for any reason shall refuse to play when ordered to do so by the Referee, he shall warn the Captain and allow the team so refusing fifteen seconds within which to begin the play or resume play. If at the end of that time, the team shall still refuse to play, the Referee shall impose a two-minute penalty on a player of the offending team to be designated by the Manager or Coach of that team through the playing Captain. Should there be a repetition of the same incident, the Referee shall notify the Manager or Coach that he has been fined the sum of two hundred dollars ($200). Should the offending team still refuse to play, the Referee shall have no alternative but to declare that the game be forfeited to the non-offending club and the case shall be reported to the Commissioner for further action.

  2. If a team, when ordered to do so by the Referee through its club executive, Manager or Coach, fails to go on the ice and start play within five minutes, the club executive, Manager or Coach shall be fined five hundred dollars ($500), the game shall be forfeited and the case shall be reported to the Commissioner for further action.

    (NOTE)
    Commissioner of the League shall issue instructions pertaining to records, etc., of a forfeited game.

Rule 78. Slashing
  1. A minor or major penalty, at the discretion of the Referee, shall be imposed on any player who impedes or seeks to impede the progress of an opponent by slashing with his stick.

  2. A major and a game misconduct penalty shall be imposed on any player who injures an opponent by slashing. In addition, a fine of one hundred dollars ($100) shall be imposed for each major penalty assessed under this rule.

    (NOTE)
    Referees should penalize as "slashing" any player who swings his stick at any opposing player (whether in or out of range) without actually striking him or where a player, on the pretext of playing the puck, makes a wild swing at the puck with the object of intimidating an opponent.

  3. Any player who swings his stick at another player in the course of an altercation shall be subject to a fine of not less than two hundred dollars ($200), with or without suspension, to be imposed by the Commissioner.

    (NOTE)
    The Referee shall impose the normal appropriate penalty provided in the other sections of this rule and shall, in addition, report promptly to the Commissioner all infractions under this section.

Rule 79. Spearing and Butt-Ending
  1. A major penalty and a game misconduct penalty shall be imposed on a player who spears or butt-ends an opponent.

  2. In addition to the major penalty imposed under this rule, an automatic fine of one hundred dollars ($100) will also be imposed.

    (NOTES)

    1. Spearing shall mean stabbing an opponent with the point of the stick blade while the stick is being carried with one or both hands.

    2. Butt-ending shall mean using the end of the shaft of the stick in a jabbing motion.

    3. Spearing and Butt-ending" may also be treated as a deliberate attempt to injure under Rule 44.

  3. A double-minor penalty will be imposed by the officials on a player who attempts to spear, poke, jab or butt-end an opponent.

    (NOTE)
    Attempts to spear or butt-end will include all cases where a gesture is made without contact.

Rule 80. Start of Game and Periods
  1. The game shall be commenced at the time scheduled by a "face-off" in the center of the rink and shall be renewed promptly at the conclusion of each intermission in the same manner.

    No delay shall be permitted by reason of any ceremony, exhibition, demonstration or presentation unless consented to reasonably in advance by the visiting team.

  2. Home clubs shall have the choice of goals to defend at the start of the game except where both players' benches are on the same side of the rink, in which case the home club shall start the game defending the goal nearest to its own bench. The teams shall change ends for each period of regulation time and, in the playoffs, for each period of overtime.
    (See Rule 83(a) - Tied Games)

  3. During the pre-game warm-up (which shall not exceed twenty minutes in duration) and before the commencement of play in any period, each team shall confine its activity to its own end of the rink. Refer to Rule 54(g) - Fisticuffs.

    (NOTES)

    1. The Game Timekeeper shall be responsible for signalling the commencement and termination of the pre-game warm-up and any violation of this rule by the players shall be reported to the Commissioner by the supervisor when in attendance at the game.

    2. Players shall not be permitted to come on the ice during a stoppage of play or at the end of the first and second periods for the purpose of warming-up. The Referee will report any violation of this rule to the Commissioner for disciplinary action.

  4. Twenty minutes before the time scheduled for the start of the game, both teams shall vacate the ice and proceed to their dressing rooms while the ice is being flooded. Both teams shall be signalled by the Game Timekeeper to return to the ice together in time for the scheduled start of the game.

  5. At the beginning of the game, if a team fails to appear on the ice promptly without proper justification, a fine shall be assessed against the offending team, the amount of the fine to be decided by the Commissioner.

    At the beginning of the second and third periods, and overtime periods in playoffs (0:00 on the clock), clubs must be on the ice or be observed to be proceeding to the ice. For failure to comply, a bench minor penalty for delay of game shall be imposed.

  6. At the end of each period, the home team players must proceed directly to their dressing room while the visiting team players must wait for a signal from the Referee to proceed only if they have to go on the ice to reach their dressing room. Failure to comply with this regulation will result in a two-minute bench minor for delay of game.

Rule 81. Throwing Stick
  1. When any player of the defending side or Manager, Coach or Trainer, deliberately throws or shoots a stick or any part thereof or any other object at the puck in his defending zone, the Referee shall allow the play to be completed and if a goal is not scored, a penalty shot shall be awarded to the non-offending side, which shot shall be taken by the player designated by the Referee as the player fouled.

    If however, the goal being unattended and the attacking player having no defending player to pass and having a chance to score on an "open net", a stick or any part thereof or any other object be thrown or shot by a member of the defending team, including the Manager, Coach or Trainer, thereby preventing a shot on the open net, a goal shall be awarded to the attacking side.

    (NOTES)

    1. If the officials are unable to determine the person against whom the offense was made, the offended team, through the Captain, shall designate a player on the ice at the time the offense was committed to take the shot.

    2. For the purpose of this rule, an open net is defined as one from which a goalkeeper has been removed for an additional attacking player.

  2. A minor penalty shall be imposed on any player on the ice who throws his stick or any part thereof or any other object in the direction of the puck in any zone, except when such act has been penalized by the assessment of a penalty shot or the award of a goal.

    (NOTE)
    When the player discards the broken portion of a stick by tossing it to the side of the ice (and not over the boards) in such a way as will not interfere with play or opposing player, no penalty will be imposed for so doing.

  3. A misconduct or game misconduct penalty, at the discretion of the Referee, shall be imposed on a player who throws his stick or any part thereof outside the playing area. If the offense is committed in protest of an official's decision, a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct plus a game misconduct penalty shall be assessed to the offending player.

Rule 82. Time of Match
  1. The time allowed for a game shall be three twenty-minute periods of actual play with a rest intermission between periods.

    Play shall be resumed promptly following each intermission upon the expiry of fifteen minutes from the completion of play in the preceding period. A preliminary warning shall be given by the Game Timekeeper to the officials and to both teams five minutes prior to the resumption of play in each period and the final warning shall be given two minutes prior to resumption of play to enable the teams to start play promptly.

    (NOTES)
    For the purpose of keeping the spectators informed as to the time remaining during intermissions, the Game Timekeeper will use the electric clock to record length of intermissions.

  2. The team scoring the greatest number of goals during the three twenty-minute periods shall be the winner and shall be credited with two points in the League standing.

  3. In the interval between periods, the ice surface shall be flooded unless mutually agreed to the contrary.

  4. If any unusual delay occurs within five minutes of the end of the first or second periods, the Referee may order the next regular intermission to be taken immediately and the balance of the period will be completed on the resumption of play with the teams defending the same goals after which, the teams will change ends and resume play of the ensuing period without delay.

    (NOTE)
    If a delay takes place with more than five minutes remaining in the first or second period, the Referee will order the next regular intermission to be taken immediately only when requested to do so by the home club.

Rule 83. Tied Games
  1. If at the end of the three regular twenty-minute periods the score shall be tied, the teams will play an additional period of not more than five (5) minutes with the team scoring first being declared the winner. If at the end of the overtime period, the score remains tied, each team shall be credited with one point in the League standing.

    (NOTE)
    The overtime period will be commenced immediately following a two-minute rest period during which the players will remain on the ice. The teams will not change ends for the overtime period.

  2. Special conditions for the duration and number of periods of Playoff games shall be arranged by the Board of Governors.

Rule 84. Tripping
  1. A minor or major penalty, at the discretion of the Referee shall be imposed on any player who shall place his stick, knee, foot, arm, hand or elbow in such a manner that it shall cause his opponent to trip or fall.

    (NOTES)

    1. If in the opinion of the Referee, a player is unquestionably hook-checking the puck and obtains possession of it thereby tripping the puck carrier, no penalty shall be imposed.

    2. Accidental trips occurring simultaneously with or after a stoppage of play will not be penalized.

  2. When a player, in control of the puck on the opponent's side of the center red line and having no other opponent to pass than the goalkeeper, is tripped or otherwise fouled from behind thus preventing a reasonable scoring opportunity, a penalty shot shall be awarded to the non-offending side. Nevertheless, the Referee shall not stop play until the attacking side has lost possession of the puck to the defending side.

    (NOTE)
    The intention of this rule is to restore a reasonable scoring opportunity which has been lost by reason of a foul from behind when the foul is committed on the opponent's side of the center red line.

    Control of the puck means the act of propelling the puck with the stick. If while it is being propelled, the puck is touched by another player or his equipment, hits the goal or goes free, the player shall no longer be considered to be in control of the puck.

  3. If, when the opposing goalkeeper has been removed from the ice, a player in control of the puck is tripped or otherwise fouled with no opposition between him and the opposing goal thus preventing a reasonable scoring opportunity, the Referee shall immediately stop the play and award a goal to the attacking team.

  4. A player may not deliver a check in a clipping manner, nor lower his own body position to deliver a check on or below an opponent's knees.

    A player who commits this foul will be assessed a minor penalty for clipping. If an injury occurs as a reesult of this clipping check, the player must be assessed a major and a game misconduct.

    Clipping is the act of throwing the body across or below the knee (front or back) of an opponent; charging or falling into the knees of an opponent after approaching him from the behind, front, or side. An illegal low hit is a check that is delivered by a player who may or may not have both skates on the ice, with his sole intent to check the opponent in the area of the knees. A player may not lower his body position to deliver a check to an opponent's knees.

  5. A minor, major, or match penalty shall be imposed on any player who knees an opponent. A match penalty shall be imposed on any player who deliberately knees or attempts to knee an opponent during an altercation and the circumstances shall be reported to the Commissioner for further action. A substitute player is permitted to replace the penalized player after five minutes of playing time has elapsed, when the penalty is imposed under Rule 44 - Attempt to Injure or Rule 49 - Deliberate Injury of Opponents.

Rule 85. Unnecessary Roughness
At the discretion of the Referee, a minor penalty or a double-minor penalty may be imposed on any player deemed guilty of unnecessary roughness.

Rule 86. Time-Outs
Each team shall be permitted to take one thirty-second time-out during the course of any game, regular-season or playoffs. This time-out must be taken during a normal stoppage of play. Any player designated by the Coach will indicate to the Referee that his team is exercising its option and the Referee will report the time-out to the Game Timekeeper who shall be responsible for signalling the termination of the time-out.

(NOTES)

  1. All players including goalkeepers on the ice at the time of the time-out will be allowed to go to their respective benches. Only one team is allowed a time-out per stoppage and no time-out will be allowed after a reasonable amount of time has elapsed during a normal stoppage of play.

  2. For the purposes of this rule, a commercial stoppage in play is deemed to be an "official time-out" and not charged to either team.

Rule 87. Video Goal Judge
The following situations are subject to review by the Video Goal Judge:
  1. Puck crossing the goal line.

  2. Puck in the net prior to the goal frame being dislodged.

  3. Puck in the net prior to, or after expiration of time at the end of the period.

  4. Puck directed into the net by a hand or foot.

  5. Puck deflected into the net off an official.

  6. Puck struck with a high-stick, above the height of the crossbar, by an attacking player prior to entering the goal.

  7. To establish the correct time on the official game clock, provided the game time is visible on the Video Goal Judge's monitors.
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