Frozen Four: Rule Differences From NHL to NCAA

With the NCAA’s Frozen Four Tournament upon us, many NHL fans will be tuning in to check out some great hockey, as well as to get a preview of some of their favorite team’s prospects. If you’re a fan who hasn’t watched much college hockey, though, some of the whistles might have you scratching your head.

Here’s a summary of the key rule differences between NCAA Hockey and the NHL:

Action	NHL Rule	NCAA Rule
Goal is scored on a delayed penalty	Goal counts, penalty is waved off	Goal counts, penalty is still served
Hand pass in defensive zone	Legal	Play is stopped for faceoff. Offending team not permitted to change players.
Puck over glass in defensive zone	2:00 penalty for Delay of Game	Penalty only if deemed intentional. Faceoff in defensive zone. Offending team not permitted to change players
Net dislodged by defending team	Play is stopped for defensive zone faceoff	Play is stopped for defensive zone faceoff. Offending team not permitted to change players.
Fighting	5:00 major penalty	5:00 major penalty and game misconduct
Defender dives, knocks puck away with stick and trips player	If puck is hit first, no penalty for tripping	Tripping may be called regardless of what happens with the puck
Goaltender playing the puck	Only permitted below goal line when within trapezoid	No restrictions
Hitting from Behind	Minor or Major	Minor or Major if in open ice Major + Misconduct if into boards or goal cage
Coaches Can Request Video Review	Not available	Yes. In situations where a potentially missed offside or too many men call directly leads to a goal, coaches may use their timeout to challenge the play.
Overtime	4-on-4; teams remain on same side as third period. (Regular season) 5-on-5; teams switch sides (Playoffs)	5-on-5. Teams switch sides.
Face shields	Visors required for all new players; current players may opt out from wearing	Full face protection required