Hockey Rink
The hockey rink is an ice rink which is rectangular with rounded corners and surrounded by a wall, usually called the "boards". It measures 200 feet (60.96 m) long by 85 feet (25.91 m) wide in the NHL, whereas international standards call for a rink measuring 60 to 61 metres (196.9 to 200.1 ft) long by 29 to 30 metres (95.1 to 98.4 ft) wide. The center line divides the ice in half lengthwise. The center line, which is commonly called "the red line", is used to judge icing violations. There are two blue lines that divide the rink into two equal attacking zones and a similar-sized neutral zone. These three lines are 1 foot (30 cm), while all other lines marked on the ice are 2 inches (5.1 cm) in width.
Near each end of the rink there is a red goal line spanning the width of the ice. It is used to judge goals and icing calls.
New in the 2009-10 NHL season, after testing in the American Hockey League, is a trapezoid marked behind each goalie net. The goalie can only play the puck within that area or in front of the goal line. If he plays the puck behind the goal line and not in the trapezoid, a 2-minute minor penalty for delay of game will be assessed by the referees. This rule is widely referred to as the "Brodeur rule," after New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur, whose puckhandling behind the net is believed to be the cause for the rule.
Read more about this topic: National Hockey League Rules