Hockey Canada

“New “

Face-Off Guidelines

Rule 10.2 (g) – Face-OffsRule 10.2 (g) – Face-Offs

New Wording

All face-offs in the neutral zone shall be conducted at the designated face-off spots as dictated by reason for the stoppage of play.

The face-off location will be at one of the two face-off spots nearest the offending team’s blue line, thus causing a loss of territorial advantage.

When a stoppage of play occurs between the end zone face-off spots and the nearest end of the rink, the face-off shall be the nearest end zone face-off spot, unless otherwise stated in the rules.

Centre ice face-offs will be only conducted at the start of each period, following the scoring of a goal, premature substitution of the goaltender or in accordance with Rule 10.5(f) an error in calling icing.

Any other stoppage of play in any zone not caused by either team, the ensuing face-off shall be at the nearest face-off spot excluding the centre face-off spot.

Attacking Team

Face-off is located at neutral zone faceoff spot of offending team.

(Do not give territorial advantage to the offending team)

Example #1

A D

Face-off location Puck is cleared over the boards.

Where is the face-off located?

Attacking Team

Face-off is at neutral zone faceoff spot of the offending team. (Do not give territorial advantage to the offending team)

Example #2

A D

Face-off location

Puck is shot in and is over the end glass. Where is the face-off located?

Attacking TeamExample #3

A D

Face-off is at neutral zone faceoff spot. (Do not give territorial advantage to the offending team)

Face-off location

Puck is shot over end boards from within the attacking zone by the attacking player. Where is the face-off located?

Attacking Team

Puck is in between blue line and face-off dot. Puck is cleared over the boards. Where is the face-off located?

Example #4

A D

Face-off location

Face-off is located at neutral zone faceoff spot of offending team. Player has gained the neutral zone (ie blue line). Face-off stays

in the zone from where the puck was shot.

Attacking TeamExample #5

A D

Puck is cleared into zone and over end boards from centre ice red line. Where is the face-off located?

Face-off is at neutral zone faceoff spot. (Do not give territorial advantage to the offending team)

Face-off location

Attacking TeamExample #6

D

Face-off would be located at the nearest face-off spot in his/her team’s zone.

(Loss of territorial advantage)

A

Face-off location

A player shoots puck back into his/her own zone and the puck leaves the playing surface. Where is the face-off located?

Example #7

A D

Attacking Team

Puck is shot & deflects out of play off the official. Where does the face-off take place.

Face-off takes place at the place where the puck goes off the official in accordance with Rule 10.2(g). (Sit. 10)

- Neutral zone Face-off closest to the official that the puck hit and went out of play -

Face-off location

Example #8

A D

Attacking Team

Puck is shot & deflects out of play off the official who is inside the end zone. Where is the face-off located?

Face-off takes place at the zone face-off dot closest to where the puck goes off the official in accordance with Rule 10.2(h).

Face-off is located nearest end zone face-off.

Face-off location

Example #9

A D

Attacking Team

Puck is shot & deflects out of play off the official who is in the neutral zone. Where is the face-off located?

Face-off takes place at the place where the puck goes off the official in accordance with Rule 10.2(g). (Sit. 10)

Face-off is located nearest neutral zone face-off.

Face-off location

Example #10

A D

Attacking Team

Attacking player shoots puck – the puck hits the defender (yellow) and goes out of play.

Where is the face-off?

Face off location is in the End Zone

Face-off location

Example #11

A D

Attacking Team

Attacking player shoots the puck the puck deflects off the goaltender and goes out of bounds.

Where is the face-off?

Face off location is in the End Zone

Face-off location

Example #12

A D

Attacking Team

Defending player (yellow) shoots puck – the puck hits the Attacking player (blue) and goes out of play.

Where is the face-off?

Face off location is in the Neutral Zone outside Attacking team’s (blue) blue line

Face-off location

Example #13

A D

Attacking Team

Defending player (yellow) shoots puck – the puck hits the Attacking player (blue) who is between face-off dot and blue line and goes out of play.

Where is the face-off?

Face off location is in the Neutral Zone outside Defending (yellow) blue line

Face-off location

Example #14

A D

Attacking Team

Defending player (yellow) shoots puck – the puck hits the Attacking player (blue) who is between face-off dot and blue line and goes out of play.

Where is the face-off?

Face off location is in the Neutral Zone outside defending team’s (yellow) blue line

Face-off location

Example #15

A7

Attacking Team

Attacking player A7 dumps the puck out of his zone and it hits a teammate A10 in the neutral zone and the puck goes out of play.

Where is the face-off?Face-off location is at the neutral zone face-off outside the

attacking teams blue line.

Face-off location

A10

A D

Attacking Team

Face-off is located at neutral zone faceoff spot outside Yellow team’s blue line as the player on Yellow’s bench caused the stoppage of play.

Example #16

A D

Face-off locationAttacking player (yellow) shoots the puck down the boards out of his end

zone. Puck hits a player (yellow) who is on the bench but leaning on the boards into the playing surface. The Puck doesn’t leave the ice surface.

Where is the face-off located?

Blue BenchYellow Bench

Attacking Team

Face-off is located at neutral zone faceoff spot outside the Blue team’s blue line as the Blue player caused the stoppage of play.

Example #17

A D

Face-off locationAttacking player (yellow) shoots the puck down the boards out of his end

zone. Puck hits an opposing (blue) player who is on the bench but leaning on the boards into the playing surface. The Puck doesn’t leave the ice

surface. Where is the face-off located?

Yellow Bench Blue Bench

Example #18

A7

Attacking Team

Attacking player A7 makes a “stretch pass” to teammate A 10creating an “off-side” at the blue line. Pass made prior to A7

crossing the red line. Where is the face-off?

Face-off is located at the offending team’s blue line (Do not give territorial advantage to the offending team)

Face-off location

A 10

A D

Example #19

A7

Attacking Team

Attacking player A7 makes a “stretch pass” to teammate A 10creating an “off-side” at the blue line. Pass made after crossing

the red line. Where is the face-off?Face-off is located at the offending team’s blue line

(Do not give territorial advantage to the offending team)

RULE CHANGE - NO LONGER AN EXCEPTION

Face-off location

A 10

A D

Example #20

A DFace-off situations at Center Ice

1. Start of game and all periods

2. Pre-mature substitution of the goaltender

3. Error made by officials

4. After the scoring of a goal

A D

Attacking Team

A whistle is blown just inside the end zone which is not caused by a specific team.

Where is the face-off?

Face is conducted at the nearest face-off location in THAT zone.

Example #21 - NEW INTERPRETATION

Example #22 - NEW INTERPRETATION

A D

Attacking Team

A whistle is blown in the neutral zone which is not caused by a specific team.Where is the face-off?

Face is conducted at the nearest neutral zone face-off location in on the same side of the red line as where the puck was. NOT AT CENTER ICE.