LFA has a rich tradition of competitive hockey. Consisting of three 15-minute periods, hockey players rotate lineups almost every minute. At the start of each period or a restart of the play, two opposing players battle in just a few seconds for possession of the puck. On the ice, there can only be six players out at a time. This includes a center, two wings (one on each side of the center) and two defensemen also placed on opposite sides. The goaltender is placed at the far end of the rink. If a team exceeds this amount of players out on the ice at any point in the game, they will receive a minor penalty.
Penalties are determined by the severity of a violation, which then dictates the number of minutes the player is off the ice. When this occurs, the opposing team is put into Power Play, an advantage since their opponent is lacking a number of players. The team missing a player is thus put into Power Kill, the disadvantage due to the penalty.
The point system in ice hockey slightly differs from other sports. Each individual player is given one point after performing either an assist or scoring a goal. An assist is a significant play or pass by a player that directly leads to their teammate scoring a goal. A goal can allow up to two assists.
However, there are certain rules hockey players must be mindful of while taking part in the game. Two of the major rules they must follow are avoiding offsides and icing. An offside is when the attacking player enters the offensive zone before the puck itself crosses the line. Icing occurs when a player in their defensive zone hits the puck all the way across the rink to the other side without it touching anything else.
Together, these regulations offer structure in a fast-paced game, but the strategies and dynamics each player brings to the ice are what allow ice hockey to be captivating.