All “face-off” must be conducted on one of the nine (9) Face-off Spots located on the Rink.
If two (2) rule violations are the reason for the stoppage of play (e.g.: “high-sticking the puck” and “intentional off-side”), the ensuing “face- off location” shall be determined as the spot that provides the least amount of “territorial advantage” to the offending Team.
When the play is stopped for any reason not specifically attributable to either Team while the puck is in the Neutral Zone, the ensuing “face-off” shall be conducted at the nearest Face-off Spot outside the Blue Line whenever possible. When it is unclear as to which of the four (4) Face-off Spots is the nearest, the spot that gives the Home Team the greatest “territorial advantage” in the Neutral Zone will be selected for the ensuing “face-off”.
When Players are penalized at a stoppage of play so as to result in penalties being placed on the penalty time clock to one Team, the ensuing “face-off” shall be conducted at one of the two (2) Face-off Spots in the offending Team’s Defending Zone. There are only three (3) exceptions to this application:
- when a penalty is assessed after the scoring of a goal – “face-off” shall be conducted at Center ice;
- when a penalty is assessed at the end (or start) of a period – “face-off” shall be conducted at Center ice;
- or when the defending Team is penalized, and the attacking Players enter the Attacking Zone beyond the outer edge of the End Zone Face-off Circle – “face-off” shall be conducted in the Neutral Zone.
The Team awarded the “Power-Play” will have the choice of which End Zone spot the “face-off” will take place at to start the “Power-Play”.
When an infringement of a rule has been committed by Players of both Teams in the play resulting in the stoppage, the ensuing “face-off” will be conducted at the nearest Face-off Spot in that zone.
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.
No “face-off” shall be made within 4.50 m of the goal or side Boards nor anywhere other than at a Face-off Spot.
When a goal is illegally scored as a result of a puck being deflected directly off an Official, the resulting “face-off” shall be made at the nearest Face-off Spot in the zone where the puck deflected off of the Official.
When a goal is illegally scored by the attacking Team by “directing”, “batting”, “kicking” or “high-sticking” the puck into the goal, the resulting “face-off” shall take place in the Neutral Zone at the nearest Face-off Spot.
When the game is stopped for any reason not specifically covered in the official rules, the puck must be “faced-off” at a Face-off Spot in the zone nearest to where it was last played.
Following a stoppage of play, should one or both defensemen who are the “point Players” or any Player coming from the Players’ Bench of the attacking Team, enter into the Attacking Zone beyond the outer edge of the End Zone Face-off Circle during an altercation, “gathering or scrum”, the ensuing “face-off” shall take place in the Neutral Zone near the Blue Line of the defending Team.
This rule also applies when an “icing”, an “intentional off-side”, or a penalty has been assessed, and the ensuing “face-off” is to be in the offending Team’s Defending Zone.
Should any of the non-offending Players enter the Attacking Zone beyond the outer edge of the End Zone Face-off Circle during an altercation, “gathering or scrum”, the ensuing “face-off” shall take place in the Neutral Zone near the Blue Line of the defending Team.
For a violation of
Rule 71 – Premature Substitution, the resulting “face-off” will take place at the Center ice Face-off Spot when play is stopped beyond the Center red line. When play is stopped prior to the Center red line, the resulting “face-off” shall be conducted at the nearest Face-off Spot in the zone where the play was stopped.
When play is stopped for an injured Player, the ensuing “face-off” shall be conducted at the Face-off Spot in the zone nearest the location of the puck when the play was stopped. When the injured Player’s Team has “control of the puck” in the Attacking Zone, the “face-off” shall be conducted at one of the Face-off Spots outside the Blue Line in the Neutral Zone. When the injured Player is in their Defending Zone and the attacking Team is in “control of the puck” in the Attacking Zone, the “face-off” shall be conducted at one of the defending Team’s end-zone Face-off Spots.