Rule 611. Face-Offs

1. The puck shall be ``faced-off'' by the Referee or the Linesman dropping the puck on the ice between the sticks of the players ``facing-off''. Players facing-off will stand squarely facing their opponents' end of the rink approximately one stick length apart with the blade of their sticks touching the ice. The attacking team player shall be the first player to place his stick on the ice. For face-offs along the center red line, the visiting team player shall place his stick on the ice first.

   When the face-off takes place at any of the end zone face-off spots, the players taking part shall be stationary and stand squarely facing their opponents' end of the rink, and clear of the ice markings. The sticks of both players facing-off shall have the blade on the ice in contact with the nearest white area of the face-off spot and clear of the red center area of the spot.

   No other player shall be allowed to enter the face-off circle or come within fifteen feet of the players facing-off the puck, and must stand on-side on all face-offs.

   If a player, other than the player facing off, fails to maintain his proper position, the center of his team shall be ejected from the face-off.

2. A second violation of any of the provisions of subsection (a) hereof by the same team during the same face-off shall be penalized with a minor penalty to the player who commits the second violation of the rule.

3. If, after a warning by the Referee or Linesman, either of the players fails to take his proper position for the face-off promptly, the Official shall be entitled to face-off the puck notwithstanding such default.

4. In the conduct of any face-off anywhere on the playing surface, no player facing-off shall make any physical contact with his opponent's body by means of his own body or by his stick except in the course of playing the puck after the face-off has been completed.

   For violation of this rule the Referee shall impose a minor penalty or penalties on the player(s) whose action(s) caused the physical contact.

   (Note) ``Conduct of any face-off'' commences when the On-Ice Official designates the place of the face-off and he takes up his position to drop the puck.

5. If a player facing-off fails to take his proper position immediately when directed by the Official, the Official may order him replaced for that face-off by any teammate then on the ice.

   No substitution of players shall be permitted until the face-off has been completed and play has been resumed except when any penalty is imposed.

6. When an infringement of a rule has been committed or a stoppage of play has been caused by any player of the attacking team in the Attacking Zone the ensuing face-off shall be made in the Neutral Zone on the nearest face-off spot.

   (Note) This includes a stoppage of play caused by a player of the attacking team shooting the puck onto the back of the defending team's goal without any intervening action by the defending team.

7. When an infringement of a rule has been committed by players of both teams in the play, resulting in a stoppage, the ensuing face-off will be made at the nearest point along the imaginary lines on each side connecting the end zone face-off spots to where the puck was when the stoppage occurred.

8. When a stoppage occurs between the end zone face-off spots and near end of the rink, the puck shall be faced-off at the end zone face-off spot on the side where the stoppage occurs, unless otherwise expressly provided by these rules.

9. No face-off shall be made within fifteen feet of the goal or sideboards.

10. When a goal is legally scored the ensuing face-off shall be conducted at center ice. When a goal is illegally scored as a result of a puck being deflected directly from an Official anywhere in the Defending Zone, the resulting face-off shall be made at the end zone face-off spot in the Defending Zone.

11. When the game is stopped for any reason not specifically covered in the official rules, the puck must be faced-off at the nearest point along the imaginary lines on each side connecting the end zone face-off spots to where it was last played.

12. The whistle will not be blown to start play. Playing time will commence from the instant the puck is faced-off and will stop when the whistle is blown.

13. When a stoppage of play in an end zone takes place and is followed by a gathering of players, no attacking player shall enter the end zone further than the outer edge of the face-off circles nearest the blue line (this includes players on the ice at the time of the stoppage of play, or players involved in a line change).

    For a violation of this rule the ensuing face-off shall take place at the nearest Neutral Zone face-off spot.

14. Any last play face-off that occurs between a zone line and the end zone face-off spot will take place at the nearest point along an imaginary line extending between the Neutral Zone face-off spot and the end zone face-off spot, directly opposite the location of the puck at the instant the play was stopped.