October 20, 2009 in Rules by hockey

Olympic hockey rules differ from NHL in several key areas. The changes from traditional hockey in recent years include more advantage and goalkeeping rights.  Here’s a look at where Olympic hockey rules and international rules depart from the NHL.

The Shootout:

  • The NHL has adopted the shootout for regular season games only. During the Stanley Cup Playoffs, teams play overtime until a tie-breaking goal is scored.
  • In the Olympics, tied playoff games are followed by ten minutes of sudden death overtime. If the game remains tied, it is decided by a shootout. An Olympic hockey shootout uses five shooters from each team, as opposed to three each in the NHL.

The Ice Size:

  • A standard NHL rink is 200 feet long and 85 feet wide, with goal lines 11 feet from the end boards.
  • International ice is 210 feet long and 98 feet wide. Goal lines are 13 feet from the end boards. The extra room can sometimes lead a team to play a more passive “positional” defense, angling attackers away from the goal rather than pursuing the puck carrier.
  • Because it’s being played in North America, the 2010 Olympic tournament will be played on NHL-sized ice.

Goalies with the Puck:

  • Under new NHL rules, goaltenders cannot handle the puck behind the goal line, except in an area directly behind the net.
  • Goaltenders can play the puck anywhere behind the net.

Icing:

  • If an NHL player shoots the puck down the ice from his own half of the center line, an opposing player must touch the puck first before icing is called.
  • International hockey uses “no touch” icing. The play is whistled down as soon as the puck crosses the goal line.

Penalty Shots:

  • In the NHL, the player who was the victim of a foul must take the penalty shot, unless he is injured.
  • When a penalty shot is called during Olympic hockey, any player on the shooting team may be selected to take it.

Fighting

  • NHL players are penalized five minutes for fighting.
  • Players fighting in Olympic hockey receive a match penalty and are ejected form the game.

Rules Against Obstruction

  • Since the NHL’s crackdown on obstruction in 2005, some international tournaments have featured more hooking, holding and interference than an average NHL game. The international standard and NHL standard remain out of step.

Related posts:

  1. How to Bet on Hockey at the Olympic Games