1. Hockey Canada
Face-Off Guidelines

2. Rule 10.2 (g) – Face-Offs 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.
The problem with the highlighted portion of the rule is that we do not always drop the puck at the offending team’s blue line.
Some of the examples are correct according to Hockey Canada interpretation of the rule but can not be justified by the wording of the rule.

3. Neutral Zone face-offs D
When team A causes a stoppage in the shaded area the face-off is at their defending blue line as stated in rule 10.2 g

4. Neutral Zone face-offs D
When team A causes a stoppage in the shaded area the face-off is at their attacking blue line (loss of territorial advantage)

5. A D NZ Example #1 Attacking Team Puck is cleared over the boards.
Face-off location
Puck is cleared over the boards.
Where is the face-off located?
Face-off is located at neutral zone faceoff spot of offending team.
(Do not give territorial advantage to the offending team)

6. A D NZ Example #2 Attacking Team
Face-off location
Puck is shot in and is over the end glass.
Where is the face-off located?
Face-off is at neutral zone faceoff spot of the offending team.
(Do not give territorial advantage to the offending team)

7. A D NZ Example #3 Attacking Team
Face-off location
Puck is between the face-off dots and the blue line and is shot over the
end boards by the attacking player. Where is the face-off located?
Face-off at neutral zone faceoff spot at attacking blue line.
(loss of territorial advantage)

8. A D NZ Example #4 Attacking Team
Face-off location
Puck is in between blue line and face-off dot.
Puck is cleared over the boards. Where is the face-off located?
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. 8

9. A D NZ Example #5 Attacking Team
Face-off location
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
Blue team’s blue line

10. A D NZ Example #6 Attacking Team
Face-off location
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

11. A D A7 A10 NZ Example #7 Attacking Team
Face-off location
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 teams blue line.

12. (Stoppage in defending Zone due to defending player)
NZ Example #8
Attacking Team A D
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?
Face-off would be located at the nearest face-off spot in his/her team’s zone.
(Stoppage in defending Zone due to defending player)

13. Where is the face-off located?
Example #9
Attacking Team A D
Yellow Bench
Blue Bench
Face-off location
Attacking 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?
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. 13

14. A D Example #10 Attacking Team
Yellow Bench
Blue Bench
Face-off location
Attacking 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?
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. 14

15. Rule 10.2 (g) – Face-Offs OFFSIDE SITUATIONS
When a player carries the puck over the attacking blue line causing an offside the face-off will be at the closest dot outside the attacking blue line.
When a player shoots the puck into the attacking Zone resulting in an offside the face-off will be in the Zone that the puck was shot from in accordance with rule 10.2 (g).
For offside situations, neutral Zone face-off location is determined as in the previous examples. 15

16. A D A 10 A7 Offfside example #1 Attacking Team
Face-off location
Attacking player A7 makes a “stretch pass” to teammate A 10
creating 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)

17. A D A 10 Offside example #2 Attacking Team A7
Face-off location
Attacking player A7 makes a “stretch pass” to teammate A 10
creating an “off-side” at the blue line. Pass made from just outside of Team A defensive Zone. Where is the face-off?
Face-off is located at the offending team’s blue line
(Note this gives a small territorial advantage to the offending team)

18. A D A 10 A7 Offside example #3 Attacking Team
Note this is the same as when the puck is carried in for an offside.
Face-off location
Attacking player A7 makes a pass to teammate A 10
creating an “off-side” at the blue line. Pass made from just outside of Team A Attacking Zone. Where is the face-off?
Face-off is located at the team’s attacking blue line
(This gives a loss of territorial advantage to the offending team)

19. PUCK STRIKING OFFICIALS
When a puck strikes an official and goes out of play the face-off will be at the nearest face-off dot in the Zone where the puck struck the official and in accordance with rule 10.2g 19

20. A D Puck is shot & deflects out of play off the official.
PSO Example #1
Attacking Team A D
Face-off location
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 blue line of the player shooting puck so as not to gain territorial advantage -

21. PSO Example #2
Attacking Team A D
Face-off location
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 defensive zone face-off dot closest to where the puck goes off the official in accordance with Rule 10.2(h).

22. PSO Example #3
Attacking Team A D
Face-off location
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)
-Neutral zone Face-off closest to the blue line of the player shooting puck so as not to gain territorial advantage -

23. Face-off at attacking blue line as there is no territorial advantage.
PSO Example #4
Attacking Team A D
Face-off location
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 at attacking blue line as there is no territorial advantage.

24. OTHER EXAMPLES 24

25. A D Other Example #1 Attacking Team
Face-off location
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

26. A D Other Example #2 Attacking Team Attacking player shoots the puck
Face-off location
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

27. D A Other Example #3 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.

28. D A Other Example #4 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.

29. Face-off situations at Center Ice A D
1. Start of game and all periods
2. Pre-mature substitution of the goaltender
3. Error made on icing by officials
4. After the scoring of a goal