Face-off

Lore & Background

In the first organized ice hockey rules, both centres faced the centre line of the rink, similar to how wingers do today. Another forward position, the rover, faced forward like modern centres but a few feet away. Opposing forwards would whack the ice on their own side of the puck three times, then strike each other's stick above the puck, and then scramble for the puck—a maneuver known as 'bully'. The Winnipeg players invented what is today known as a 'face-off'. In Germany and other countries, the term 'bully' is still commonly used.

Face-offs are typically conducted at designated places marked on the ice called face-off spots or dots. There are nine such spots: two in each attacking zone, two on each end of the neutral zone, and one in the centre of the rink. A rule change approved on June 20, 2007, requires that all face-offs take place at one of the nine face-off spots, regardless of what caused the stoppage of play. Rule 76.2 also dictates that, with some exceptions, a face-off following a penalty must occur at one of the two face-off dots of the offending team's end.

An official may remove a player taking the face-off if that player or any teammates attempt to gain an unfair advantage—called a face-off violation. Common violations include moving the stick before the puck is dropped, not placing the stick properly, not placing the body square to the face-off spot, or encroachment into the face-off circle by a teammate. In the NHL, the visiting team player must place his stick on the ice first when the face-off is at the centre-line dot; for all other face-offs, the defending team player must place his stick first.

Reader's Guide

The face-off is a fundamental element of ice hockey, serving as the primary mechanism to start and restart play. Its significance extends beyond mere procedure: face-offs can determine possession at critical moments, such as after a goal or penalty. A player who specializes in face-offs is sometimes called a Face-Off Specialist. The rules governing face-offs have evolved to ensure fairness, with specific regulations about stick placement, player positioning, and violations. The 2007 rule change standardized face-off locations to nine designated spots, eliminating the previous practice of holding face-offs wherever the puck was last played. This change increased consistency and strategic importance, as teams now know exactly where play will resume. The face-off's legacy includes its adoption in other sports like bandy, floorball, broomball, rinkball, and lacrosse, each with its own variations. In bandy, for example, face-offs are regulated by the Federation of International Bandy and require players to hold sticks parallel on each side of the ball. The face-off remains a distinctive and enduring feature of ice hockey, reflecting the sport's emphasis on controlled, contested starts to play.

Did You Know?

• Face-offs were originally called 'puck-offs' and also known as 'bully'.
• Scoring a goal directly from a face-off, while rare, is not unheard of.