*NEW*
(a) Conduct of any face-off commences when the Official designates the place of the face-off and he takes up his position to drop the puck. As soon as the line change procedure has been completed by the Referee and he lowers his hand to indicate no further changes, the Linesman conducting the face-off shall blow his whistle. This will signal to both Teams that they have no more than five (5) seconds to line up for the ensuing face-off. At the end of the five (5) seconds (or sooner if both centers are ready), the Linesman will conduct a proper face-off. If, however:

1. One or both centers are not positioned for the face-off,
2. One or both centers refrain from placing their stick on the ice,
3. Any player has encroached into the face-off circle,
4. Any player makes physical contact with an opponent, or
5. Any player is in an off-side position, the Linesman shall have the offending center(s) replaced immediately prior to dropping the puck.
   

If a center is not at the designated face-off area once the five (5) second time limit has elapsed, the Linesman will drop the puck immediately.

(b) The puck shall be faced-off by the Referee or the Linesman dropping the puck on the ice between the sticks of the players facing-off. Players facing-off will stand squarely facing their opponent's end of the rink approximately one stick length apart with the blade of their sticks on the ice.

When the face-off takes place in any of the end face-off circles, the players taking part shall take their position so that they will stand squarely facing their opponent's end of the rink, and clear of the ice markings. The sticks of both players facing-off shall have the blade on the ice, within the designated white area. The visiting player shall place his stick within the designated white area first followed IMMEDIATELY by the home player.

No other player shall be allowed to enter the face-off circle or come within fifteen feet (15') of the players facing-off. All players must stand on side on all face-offs. Players on the attacking team (exclusive of the center) must establish their position first and then the defending team may counter and hold their position until the puck is dropped. A violation of this procedure shall be treated as face-off encroachment and the Linesman shall order the center of the offending team replaced.

If a violation of this sub-section occurs, the Referee or Linesman shall conduct the face-off again.

(c) In the conduct of any face-off anywhere on the playing surface, no player facing-off shall make any physical contact with his opponent's body by means of his own body or by his stick except in the course of playing the puck after the face-off has been completed.

For violation of this Rule, the Referee may, at his discretion, impose a minor penalty or penalties on the player(s) whose action(s) caused the physical contact. Nonetheless, this physical contact prior to the dropping of the puck shall be deemed as a face-off violation and the Linesman shall order the center of the offending team replaced.

(d) If a player facing-off fails to take his proper position immediately when directed by the Official, the Official may order him replaced for that face-off by any teammate then on the ice. If a player is ejected from the face-off, his replacement must come into position quickly or risk having the puck dropped by the Linesman without the player being set, or ejected from the face-off by the Linesman resulting in a bench minor penalty for delay of game for a second violation during the same face-off.

No substitution of players shall be permitted until the face-off has been completed and play has resumed except when a penalty is imposed which affects the on-ice strength of either Team.

(e) A second violation of any of the provisions of sub-section (a) hereof by the same Team during the same face-off shall be penalized with a minor penalty to the player who commits the second violation of the Rule. The Official must drop the puck twice in order to have a second face-off violation. Any time change on the clock during this drop will not be replaced.

During end zone face-offs, all other players on the ice must position their bodies and sticks on their own side of the restraining lines marked on the outer edge of the face-off circles.

If a player other than the player taking the face-off moves into the face-off circle prior to the dropping of the puck, then the offending Team's player taking the face-off shall be ejected from the face-off circle.

Face-off violations shall be summarized as follows (any of the four on-ice Officials may identify a face-off violation):

1. Encroachment by any player other than the center into the face-off area prior to the puck being dropped.
   
   (NOTE) Players on the perimeter of the face-off circle must keep both skates outside the face-off circle (skate contact with the line is permitted). If a player's skate crosses the line into the face-off circle prior to the drop of the puck, this shall be deemed as a face-off violation. A player's stick may be inside the face-off circle provided there is not physical contact with his opponent or his opponent's stick.
   
   
2. Encroachment by any player into the area between the hash marks on the outer edges of the face-off circle prior to the puck being dropped.
   
   (NOTE) Players must also ensure that both of their skates do not cross their respective hash marks. Contact with the line with their skate is permitted. If a player's skate crosses the line into the area between the hash marks prior to the drop of the puck, this shall be deemed as a face-off violation. A player's stick may be inside the area between the hash marks provided there is no physical contact with his opponent or his opponent's stick.
   
   
3. Any physical contact with an opponent prior to the puck being dropped.
   
   
4. Failure by either center taking the face-off to properly position himself behind the restraining lines or place his stick on the ice (as outlined in Rule 54(b)).
   
   (NOTE) "Properly position himself behind the restraining lines" shall mean that the center must place his feet on either side of the restraining lines that are parallel to the side boards (contact with the lines is permitted), and the toe of the blade of his skates must not cross over the restraining lines that are perpendicular to the side boards as he approaches the face-off spot.
   
   The blade of the stick must then be placed on the ice (at least the toe of the blade of the stick) in the designated white area of the face-off spot and must remain there until the puck is dropped.
   
   Failure to comply with this positioning and face-off procedure will result in a face-off violation.

Whenever a Team has committed two face-off violations during the same face-off, the Referee shall immediately assess the offending Team a bench minor penalty for delay of game.

*NEW*
Players who are in an off-side position for the ensuing face-off will be warned once in the game by the Referee. This warning will also be given to the offending team's Coach. Any subsequent violation shall result in a bench minor penalty for delay of game being assessed to the offending Team.

(f) When an infringement of a rule has been committed or a stoppage of play has been caused by any player of the attacking side in the attacking zone, the ensuing face-off shall be made in the neutral zone on the nearest face-off spot.

(g) When an infringement of a rule has been committed by players of both sides in the play resulting in the stoppage, the ensuing face-off will be made at the place of such infringement or at the place where play is stopped.

(h) When stoppage occurs between the end face-off spots and near end of the rink, the puck shall be faced-off at the end face-off spot on the side where the stoppage occurs unless otherwise expressly provided by these Rules.

(i) No face-off shall be made within fifteen feet (15') of the goal or sideboards.

(j) When a goal is illegally scored as a result of a puck being deflected directly off an Official anywhere in the defending zone, the resulting face-off shall be made at the end face-off spot in the defending zone.

(k) When the game is stopped for any reason not specifically covered in the Official Rules, the puck must be faced-off where it was last played.

(l) The whistle will not be blown by the Official to start play. Playing time will commence from the instant the puck is faced-off and will stop when the whistle is blown or a goal is scored.

(m) Following a stoppage of play, should one or both defensemen who are the point players or any player coming from the bench of the attacking Team, enter into the attacking zone beyond the outer edge of the corner face-off circle during an altercation or "scrum," the ensuing face-off shall take place in the neutral zone near the blue line of the defending Team.

MAIN INDEX
ALPHABETICAL INDEX
PREVIOUS | NEXT