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Winter Sports
3–6 players
indoor
rink, puck
10 essential rules
NCAA Ice Hockey is the collegiate variant of ice hockey contested by NCAA Division I, II, and III institutions across both men's and women's brackets in the winter season. NCAA Ice Hockey uses the IIHF rule baseline with NCAA-specific modifications around overtime format, video review, goaltender...
Game starts and resumes after stoppages with a faceoff at the appropriate dot. Centers position sticks flat on the ice; the linesperson drops the puck.
Three 20-minute periods, separated by two 15-minute intermissions; Tied game in regular season: 5-minute 3-on-3 sudden-death overtime, then 5-round shootout if still tied (per NCAA / conference adoption); NCAA Tournament: 20-minute 5-on-5 sudden-death overtime periods until a goal is scored; no s...
Forward passing: legal in all three zones (no two-line-pass restriction since 2005); Offside: an attacking player may not enter the offensive zone before the puck; Icing: a non-power-play team that shoots the puck from its own side of the center red line across the opponent's goal line is whistle...
Puck: vulcanized rubber, 3" diameter × 1" thick, 5.5-6 oz, frozen pre-game; Stick: max 63" length, blade max 12.5" × 3" (skater); goalie stick 26" max paddle, 15.5" blade; Skates: NCAA-approved figure with secure ankle support and toe cap; goaltenders use specialized goalie skates
NCAA rink: 200 ft × 85 ft (standard "North American" dimensions; some venues use larger international 200 × 100); Two blue lines defining the offensive/defensive zones; one red center line; Two end-zone faceoff dots in each defensive zone, neutral-zone faceoff dots, center faceoff dot
5 skaters + 1 goaltender per team on the ice during regulation play; Roster: typically 25-28 players for NCAA D1; suit list 20-22 per game; Unlimited line-change substitutions on the fly through the bench area or at stoppages
Game starts and resumes after stoppages with a faceoff at the appropriate dot. Centers position sticks flat on the ice; the linesperson drops the puck.
Goal: entire puck crosses the goal line between the posts and below the crossbar; Goals are reviewable by NCAA video review for legality (offside, puck in net, kicking motion, hand-pass, distinct kicking motion); Empty-net, shorthanded, power-play, and game-winning goals are recorded for stat pur...
Minor penalty: 2 minutes in the penalty box; team plays short until the penalty expires or the opposing team scores (power play ends on goal for minor); Major penalty: 5 minutes; team plays short for the full 5 minutes regardless of goals scored against; Misconduct: 10 minutes (player only — team...
Mandatory full face mask (NCAA standard); contact-to-the-head zero-tolerance framework; fighting penalty includes mandatory game misconduct + suspension. Concussion protocol: removal + graduated return-to-play assessment.
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