1. A game consists of three periods of 20 minutes plus overtime and a penalty-shot shootout if required.

2. Two teams compete to score the most goals in a game. The team that scores the superior number is declared the winner.

3. To score a goal, a team must put the puck by legal means according to the rules into the goal net of its opponent (for exceptions see Rules 179 and 180 - "Awarded Goals" ).

4. Skaters control the puck on their stick and work their way down the ice by passing, shooting, and skating.

5. Bodychecking is an integral element of the game. It is the most common method of gaining control of the puck. For a bodycheck to be legal, it must meet a series of criteria specified by these rules.

6. Players and team officials who violate the rules are punished by the on-ice officials or, in more serious cases, by the proper authorities.

1. Regulation time consists of three periods of 20 minutes of game action, stop time.

2. Periods are separated by an intermission of 15 minutes.

3. Teams change ends to start each period.

4. The ice must be resurfaced prior to the start of each period (except 5- and 10-minute overtime periods).

5. Overtime follows the third period when the score is tied after 60 minutes of regulation time and can consist of a 5-minute period, 10-minute period, or 20-minute period. In each case, these periods are played on a sudden-death basis (next goal wins). The penalty- shot shootout consists of a specified number of shots per team, followed by a sudden-death penalty-shot shootout if the score in the shootout remains tied after these shots.

1. The scoreclock keeps time of the game and runs from the length of the period (20 minutes, 10 minutes, or 5 minutes) down to 0:00.

2. The scoreclock is activated by the facing off of the puck by an on-ice official and is stopped by the whistle of an on-ice official.

3. On-ice officials can consult with the video-goal judge in cases where additional time may have elapsed from the scoreclock – notably after a false faceoff or because of slow reaction by the timekeeper to a whistle – and make the necessary adjustments.

1. When an on-ice official blows his whistle to stop play, players must cease contact with their opponents and abandon the puck.

2. If game action is in progress, play continues until an on-ice official blows his whistle to stop play.

1. The puck must be primarily black and be made of vulcanized rubber or other material approved by the IIHF.

2. The puck must be 7.62 cm in diameter and 2.54 cm thick.

3. The puck must weigh 156–170 grams

4. A printed logo, trademark, and advertising on the puck must not exceed 4.5 cm in diameter of the area of each side of a puck or 35 % of the area of each side of the puck. There may be printing on both sides of the puck.

1. Physical contact between players on opposing teams is not allowed during the warmup and players are not allowed to skate over the centre red line during this time. Violations of these rules will be handled by the standby referee who oversees the warmup.

2. Any violations of game rules that occur during the warmup cannot be enforced by on-ice officials because they are not on the ice to witness the violations first-hand, but these may be reviewed after the game by the proper authorities.

1. Game action will be stopped immediately if the puck is less than whole (i.e., fragmented or broken in any way).

2. If a puck other than the one legally in play appears on the ice during game action, game action will not be stopped until a change of possession occurs or if the illegal puck is erroneously played in place of the game puck.

3. The puck must be kept in motion or be played at all times. If either or both teams refuse to play the puck, the on-ice officials will stop play, and the ensuing faceoff will take place at the nearest faceoff spot to where the puck was situated when play was stopped.

Game situation 1: Team A is short-handed because of a minor penalty. If Team B is going to be assessed a minor penalty (delayed), but Team A intentionally refrains from playing the puck so as to let time run out on its own penalty, the referee will stop play. The faceoff will take place at a defensive end faceoff spot of the team being assessed the penalty (Team B).

1. Teams must start a game defending the goal net nearest their players’ bench.

2. Teams must change ends for each succeeding regulation period. For overtime and penalty-shot shootout situations, see IIHF Sport Regulations.

3. For outdoor games, play will be stopped at the 10:00 mark of the third period so teams can change ends. For further information see IIHF Sport Regulations.

1. Game action must always begin with a faceoff conducted by an on- ice official.

2. Every period starts with a faceoff at centre ice. Every other instance of starting play will begin with a faceoff only at one of the nine designated faceoff spots marked on the ice.

1. When game action is stopped for any reason not specifically outlined below, the ensuing faceoff will take place at a faceoff spot in the zone nearest to where the puck was last played.

2. If two rule violations by one team are the reason for a stoppage of play (i.e., high-sticking the puck and intentional offside), the ensuing faceoff will take place at a faceoff spot which provides the offending team no territorial advantage.

3. If rule violations are committed by both teams, resulting in a stoppage of play (i.e., high-sticking the puck and intentional offside), the ensuing faceoff will take place at the nearest faceoff spot to where the puck was situated when play was stopped.

4. When a stoppage of play is caused by an attacking skater in the attacking zone, the ensuing faceoff will take place in the neutral zone at the nearest faceoff spot unless the defending team incurred a penalty at the same time.

5. If a player lifts the puck high enough to hit the scoreclock or any obstacle above centre ice, game action will be stopped and the ensuing faceoff will take place at the nearest faceoff spot to where the puck was lifted.

1. When players are penalized resulting in penalties to one team being placed on the scoreclock, the ensuing faceoff will take place at one of the two end zone faceoff spots in the end of the team that will play short-handed except:

Game situation 1: On a delayed penalty, if the non-offending team makes a premature substitution of the goaltender with the stoppage of play in the non-offending team’s end zone, the faceoff will still take place at one of the two faceoff spots in the end zone of the team being penalized.

1. When game action is stopped for an injured player, the ensuing faceoff will take place at a faceoff spot determined by the location of the puck and by which team is in possession of the puck at the time of the whistle.

2. If the injured player’s team has possession of the puck in the attacking zone, regardless of where the injured player is situated, the ensuing faceoff will take place at one of the faceoff spots outside the attacking zone blue line.

3. If the injured player’s team has possession of the puck in the neutral zone, regardless of where the injured player is situated, the ensuing faceoff will take place at the faceoff spot between the blue lines nearest to where the puck was being played at the time of the whistle.

4. If the injured player’s team has possession of the puck in the defending zone, regardless of where the injured player is situated, the ensuing faceoff will take place at one of the faceoff spots in the defending zone.

5. If an on-ice official is injured, game action will be stopped immediately, unless there is a scoring opportunity, and the ensuing faceoff will take place at the nearest faceoff spot to where the puck was being played at the time of the whistle.

1. When a player on the defending team freezes the puck along the boards in his defending zone, the ensuing faceoff will take place at the end faceoff spot on the side where the stoppage occurred.

2. If an attacking skater shoots or passes the puck up ice and a defending skater deflects the puck in any way out of play in the neutral zone, the ensuing faceoff will take place in the neutral zone nearest to where the puck was deflected.

3. If an attacking skater shoots or passes the puck up ice and a defending skater deflects the puck in any way out of play in his defending zone, the ensuing faceoff will take place at the end faceoff spot nearest to where the puck was deflected.

4. If the attacking team commits an intentional offside, the ensuing faceoff will take place in its defending zone on the side where the offside occurred.

1. Faceoffs will take place at the centre-ice faceoff spot under the following circumstances:

1. If a skater on the attacking team freezes the puck along the boards in the attacking zone in a clear attempt to stop play, the ensuing faceoff will take place outside the attacking zone blue line on the side where the stoppage occurred.

2. If a skater on the attacking team shoots the puck over the protective glass inside the attacking zone blue line without the puck touching an opponent’s body or stick, the ensuing faceoff will take place outside the blue line at the faceoff spot nearest to where the puck was shot.

3. If a skater on the attacking team shoots the puck over the protective glass inside the attacking zone blue line, but the puck touches an opponent’s body or stick, the ensuing faceoff will take place at the faceoff spot inside the blue line on the side where the puck was last touched.

4. If a skater on the attacking team takes a shot on goal from anywhere on the ice and the puck, without deflection, hits any part of the goal frame and goes out of play, the ensuing faceoff will take place in the attacking zone at the faceoff spot nearest to where the puck was shot.

5. When a skater on the attacking team scores a goal by a high stick, kicking motion, or any other method that is deemed illegal by the on-ice officials or video-goal judge, the ensuing faceoff will take place outside the attacking zone blue line.

6. When the puck enters the goal net as a result of a puck being deflected directly off an on-ice official, the ensuing faceoff will take place at the faceoff spot nearest to where the puck deflected off him.

7. If an attacking skater knocks the goal net off its moorings in the attacking zone and makes no attempt to avoid doing so, the ensuing faceoff will take place at the faceoff spot in the neutral zone nearest to the attacking zone. However, if an attacking player is pushed into the goal frame by a defending player, the ensuing faceoff will take place at an end zone faceoff spot in the attacking zone.

8. There are four instances when a whistle is blown inside the attacking blue line but the ensuing faceoff takes place outside the blue line:

1. The on-ice official must drop the puck only on one of the nine designated faceoff spots.

2. Only one skater from each team is allowed to participate in a faceoff.

3. The two skaters taking the faceoff must be positioned squarely facing their opponent’s end, approximately one stick length apart, with the tip of the stick blade stationary on the white part of the faceoff spot. For end zone faceoffs, their skates must be positioned inside the markings on either side of the faceoff dot (double "L"), and players cannot encroach on each other’s space above the midway point of the dot with any part of their body.

4. If either skater taking the faceoff makes helmet-to-helmet contact with his opponent, he will be ejected from the faceoff. If the linesman cannot differentiate which skater caused the contact, both skaters will be ejected.

5. The on-ice official may drop the puck if only one skater is ready for the faceoff provided all other skaters not involved in the faceoff are onside and in ready position.

6. When the faceoff is in the defending half of the ice, the skater of the defending team must place his stick on the ice first followed immediately by the skater of the attacking team.

7. When the faceoff is at the centre-ice faceoff spot, the skater of the visiting team must place his stick on the ice first.

8. All skaters not taking the faceoff must keep their skates outside the circle (contact with the line is permitted). A skater’s stick may be inside the circle provided there is no contact with an opponent’s body or stick.

9. A skater must keep his skates on his side of the hash marks (contact with the line is permitted). A skater’s stick may be inside the area between the two hash marks provided there is no contact with an opponent’s body or stick.

10. All skaters must be on their side of the ice at a suitable distance removed from the skaters taking a faceoff between the blue lines. They must remain stationary and cannot skate freely during the faceoff procedure or influence or interfere with the faceoff procedure.

11. Once all skaters are in the set position for a faceoff, they cannot change positions.

1. If one or both of the skaters taking the faceoff fail to take their proper position immediately when directed to do so, the on-ice official may order one or both replaced for the faceoff by a teammate on the ice.

2. After the replacement has been made, the linesman will notify the incoming player that a second violation will result in a bench-minor penalty for delay of game.

3. If one of the other skaters not taking the faceoff enters the faceoff circle prematurely, the on-ice official will stop the faceoff. The skater of the offending team taking the faceoff must be replaced.

4. If one of the other skaters not taking the faceoff enters the faceoff circle prematurely, and the puck has already been dropped, game action will be stopped and the faceoff will be re-taken, unless the opposing team gains possession of the puck. If play is stopped, the skater of the offending team taking the faceoff must be replaced.

5. No substitution of players is allowed after a false faceoff until the faceoff has been properly executed, except when a penalty is assessed that affects the on-ice strength of either team.

6. If a skater wins a faceoff by kicking the puck to a teammate, game action will be stopped and the faceoff re-taken. The skater of the offending team taking the faceoff must be replaced.

7. If a faceoff is won by a hand pass, play will be stopped and the faceoff re-taken, and the skater of the team which committed the hand pass must be replaced. If a skater gloves the puck on a faceoff and the opposing team gains possession, play will continue. Any on-ice official may make this call.

8. A team that commits a second violation of faceoff procedures at the same faceoff will be assessed a bench-minor penalty.

9. No faceoff may be won by virtue of a player knocking or batting the puck with his hand in the air immediately after it has been dropped by an on-ice official.

10. If the skate of a skater not taking the faceoff crosses the hash mark prior to the drop of the puck at a faceoff, it will be considered a faceoff violation.

11. Any contact with an opponent or his stick prior to the drop of the puck at a faceoff will be considered a faceoff violation.

12. If the scoreclock runs during a false faceoff, the lost time must be added to the clock before the faceoff can be re-taken.

1. An IIHF game that is televised is subject to commercial timeouts.

1. Each team is allowed one, 30-second timeout during a game (60 minutes of regulation time plus overtime).

2. Only a skater designated by the coach or the coach himself may ask the referee for the team timeout during a stoppage in play.

3. All players on ice are allowed to go to their respective benches during a team timeout.

4. Both teams can take their timeout at the same stoppage of play, but the team taking the second timeout must notify the referee of its intentions before the end of the first timeout.

5. A team cannot call a timeout during the penalty-shot shootout, before a period has started, or after a period has ended.

6. A team timeout cannot be called after player changes have been completed.

7. A team timeout cannot be called after a false faceoff.

8. A team timeout cannot be called during game action.

1. A game which must have a winner (i.e., in which a tie score is not allowed) and which is tied after regulation time must be extended by a sudden-death overtime period of 5, 10, or 20 minutes.

1. If no goal is scored in the sudden-death overtime period, a penalty- shot shootout will be used to determine a winner.

2. Prior to the start of the penalty-shot shootout, the entire centre section of the rink between end-zone faceoff spots will be dry-scraped by the ice-resurfacing machine.

3. The referee will call the two captains to the on-ice officials’ crease to call a coin toss. The home team will make the call. The winner has the choice of having his team shoot first or second.

4. Goaltenders will defend the same goal net as in the overtime period.

5. Goaltenders from each team may be changed after each shot, but if a shot must be re-taken for any reason, the skater and goaltender must remain the same except in case of injury.

6. Goaltenders for both teams can remain in their crease during the entire penalty-shot shootout.

7. Different skaters from each team will take shots alternately (A,B,A,B, etc.). The skaters do not need to be named beforehand and can be changed any time up to the point when the referee blows his whistle to signal the start of a shot.

8. Eligible to participate in the penalty-shot shootout are all players from both teams listed on the official game sheet except: a) players serving penalties which had not expired prior to the completion of the overtime period; b) players who had been assessed game- misconduct or match penalties. These players must remain in the penalty box or in the dressing room during the penalty-shot shootout.

9. The team with the most goals is declared the winner of the game. If the game’s outcome is known before all shots have been taken, the remaining shots will be abandoned.

10. If the score of the penalty-shot shootout is still tied, it will continue under a sudden-death format.

11. The sudden-death penalty-shot shootout will allow one skater from each team to take a shot until a winner is determined. Any skater, including those who participated in the first stage of the penalty-shot shootout, is eligible to shoot in as many rounds of the sudden-death format as may occur.

12. The team that took the first shot during the penalty-shot shootout for the first rounds will shoot second for the subsequent shots of the sudden-death format until a winner is determined.

13. If, at the referee’s urging, a coach does not send a skater out to take a shot, or if a skater declines to take a shot, the shot will be declared "no goal" and the opposing team will take its next shot.

14. If a team declines to participate in the penalty-shot shootout, its opponent will be awarded the win.

15. The referee is allowed to consult with the video-goal judge only if there is doubt as to whether the puck crossed the plane of the goal line on a shot. All other uses of video-goal judge are not applicable during the penalty-shot shootout.