The Basics

Here are the basics of the game:

Welcome to Killer Bees Hockey University, your place to learn the game of Hockey. The following will get you started in understanding the basics of the game of Hockey on the CHL level.

The Rink

The official CHL Rink spans 200 feet long and 85 feet wide.

The Rink is divided into three parts by blue lines that are one foot in width. Each blue line is 60 feet from the goal line. The division in which the goal is located is called the Defending Zone, while the opposite goal is located in the attacking zone. The part of the rink between the blue lines is the neutral zone. The goal lines are 13 feet from the end of the rink.

The center line divides the rink in half, and must be one foot in width and red in color. However, the design in the middle of the line is variable...only the outside edges must be continuous red.

In addition to the face-off circles, a ten foot radius semi-circle extends from in front of the timekeeper's seat. This referee's crease is an area that players are not allowed to enter to dispute a call.

The Puck

The puck consists of vulcanized rubber (or other approved material) and is one inch thick and spans three inches across. The weight of the puck can be 5.5 ounces to six ounces.

Pucks not in game play are kept frozen at the penalty bench, under supervision of an off-ice official.

The Game

The CHL Hockey game consists of three, twenty minute periods. If a game is tied at the end of regulation time, the teams skate an overtime period no longer than five minutes. If a team scores during the overtime period, the game is over and the scoring team is the winner.

Intermissions between periods last fifteen minutes.

Each team is permitted one thirty-second timeout during the game.

If a lengthy delay occurs within five minutes left of the first or second period (for, say, a breakage of glass), the referee may begin intermission early. The remaining time of the period is played after intermission. Once the time of that period is elapsed, the players switch goals and the next period immediately begins.

The Players

A team consists of twenty players (18 skaters and two goaltenders).

One player on each team is appointed Captain. Only that player may discuss with the referee an interpretation of a rule during the game. Each club may also appoint up to two Alternate Captains who have the privileges of the Captain when he is not on the ice.

There are six players on the ice at a time for each team, with one of those players usually a goaltender. The goaltender may be "pulled" and replaced by another skater if the team desires. In the case of a penalty, a team may lose up to two players for on-ice play for the duration of the penalty. In overtime, teams are only allowed five players on the ice, including the goaltender.

Players' uniforms must be within some guidelines set by the league. For example, a player must have his name on the back of his jersey. Also, he may not wear 00 as a number.

The Officials

Each game is supervised by four officials on the ice - two linesmen and two referees. Each game also has five off-ice officials: the game timekeeper, official scorer, two goal judges, and a video goal judge.

Referee

The referees have general supervision of the entire game and control over all other officials. In the case of disputes, the referee's judgement is final. The referee also calls the penalties as well as determines the goal-scorer of each goal scored. He does not report the assists.

The referee drops the puck for face-offs at the start of the period and after a goal.

Linesman

The linesmen are generally responsible for calling infractions of the rules of the game, such as icing, offsides, two-line pass, high-sticking, and handling the puck with the hands.

The linesman drops the puck for face-offs at each face-off except for after a goal and the start of each period.