Blue Line Hockey

Blue Line Hockey Rulebook

Table of Contents

Setup

Each player chooses a team and positions 6 players on the on their half of the ice as shown below.

Suggested setup (diagram on page 1 of the rules).

Each player is labeled by position (C) Center, (LW) Left Wing, (RW) Right Wing, (RD) Right Defense (LD) Left Defense and (G) Goalie.

Determine which team is home and which are the visitors. Home is red, and the visitors are blue.

There are (5) SHOT ON GOAL cards and (5) GOALIE POSITION cards. These cards are separated and stacked face down on the table. Next, shuffle the (15) PENALTY cards and stack them face down on the designated penalty area on the game board.

There are 3-periods of play each consisting of 10-series. Take the scoreboard and set the dials to zero for each team and set the series dial to 10. As each series passes move the dial down by 1.

Basic Play

Each period begins with a face-off at center ice. Each coach rolls a 1D6 and the highest roll wins the draw. Tied rolls go the home team. Winner of the draw takes the puck and places it under their Center. The center may hold the puck and skate with it or pass to a team. This constitutes a turn.

To skate with the puck, roll 2D6 and move your player(s) in any direction to a maximum distance according to your dice roll. See SKATING section for full rules on Player movement. Also see PASSING section for rules on passing the puck to a teammate.

If a player attempts a shot on goal, there are several steps involved in the outcome. The first is to determine if the goalie was in position to defend the shot location. Was the shot screened or blocked and then refer to the Shot on Goal Slide Rule Calculator and roll 2D6 for the result. See SHOTS ON GOAL section for rules on shooting and scoring.

After a skater(s) has moved with the puck, defender(s) now skate for position to defend a given area of the ice surface or move into to check the puck carrier. See CHECKING section for rules on stealing the puck.

Coaches alternate turns to create the real flow of hockey. A turn is described as follows:

Offense (may choose one of these options per turn): Moving a player(s); Passing the puck; Dumping the puck; Attempting a shot.
Defense (may combine these options per turn): Moving a player(s); Attempting to check.

Each player on the ice is surrounded by 8 squares all the time. This area is known at the Contact Zone. See CONTACT ZONE section for the rules. Penalties and other game flow effects may occur when players skate into the contact zone of an opposing player.

Penalties (minor/major) may occur only between a puck carrier and defender. See both the CHECKING section and PENALTIES section for rules on penalties.

Series

A new series begins only when there is a turn over of puck possession. This includes face-offs meaning that if the last team in possession of puck wins the draw, there is no change of series. On a new series, adjust the series dial on the scoreboard downward by 1 each time a new series begins. When the series dial is turned to from 1 to 10, the period ends immediately. There will be no additional movement, passes or shots. At this point play simply stops.

Face-Offs

There are 9 face-off spots on the ice surface. For opening face-offs, players are positioned according the suggested setup on page 1. For all other face-offs, players may be positioned in any manner as long as they are at least 3 spaces from the centers facing off and the players from each team must be lined up onside. This means there must be 2 empty spaces between players.

Each player rolls 1D6 in an attempt to win the face-off. High roller wins and takes possession and places the puck beneath their center. In the case of a tie, the HOME team wins the draw (home ice advantage!)

SITUATION	FACE-OFF SPOT
Beginning of a period or after a goal is scored	Center Ice
Offside	Nearest Face-off dot in the neutral zone
Icing	Face-off dot in the offending teams end of the ice
Goalie holds the puck following a save	Either face-off dot nearest the goalie making the save
Delayed Penalty	Face-off dot nearest the place where the play was stopped
Simultaneous Penalties on both teams	Face-off dot nearest the point of infraction
Penalty on an attacking player in the opponent's zone	Nearest Face-off dot in the neutral zone

The face-off must always be at least 4 spaces from the goal line and/or boards.

Skating

During a turn, the coach rolls 2D6 and may move the center -or- both wings together -or- both defensemen together using the result of one roll. For example, if the coach wants to move the wingers, the 2D6 are rolled and result applies to both wingers for movement.

Let's say the coach rolls a 9. This means that each winger can be moved a maximum of 9 spaces each in any direction. Wingers cannot split the amount of spaces they can move meaning that on a roll of 9 as above – you may not move one winger 12 and the other one 6. They simply may move a maximum of 9 spaces each. Same applies for defensemen.

A player may skate in any direction forward, backward, sideways or diagonally and in any combination of moves. A coach may also choose not to move a skater as well.

Movement applies equally to both the offense and defense. A player moved is a player played - No adjustments after moving!

REMEMBER …

Centers always move alone
Left Wing & Right Wing always move together
Left Defense & Right Defense always move together

Exchanging the Puck (Drop Passes)

Players may not skate through the same square as any other player. The puck may be exchanged between two players when a teammate is passing by the puck carrier in an adjacent space (Contact Zone). This is essentially a drop pass and is NOT an additional turn. Drop passes are a free action. The player receiving the drop pass simply takes the puck and carries on with it.

Offsides

The puck carrier must be the first of the attacking team to cross the opponents blue line into the attack zone. If a player on the attacking team is inside the opponent's blue line before the puck crosses over, that player is offside. Plays stops immediately if a player carrying the puck crosses the blue line while a teammate is already in the attack zone. Face-off now takes place at the nearest face-off dot in the neutral zone.

Passing

Passing constitutes a turn. The puck may be passed from teammate to teammate on the same turn but may not be passed through a space occupied by an opponent except when successfully checking an opponent and stealing the puck. In this case an immediate pass may be made to a teammate regardless of the having to pass through the space of the player that you just stole the puck from.

Passes can be made forward, backward, sideways or diagonally as long as they follow a straight line between the to two closest corners of the passer and recipient. You may use the edge of a Shot on Goal Calculator to determine if the pass makes it past a defender. See pictures below.

Open Pass (diagram): Puck may be passed from corner to corner through any unoccupied squares.

Blocked Pass (diagram): Puck may not be passed through any occupied square, or passed horizontally or vertically if a player occupies a square adjacent to its path.

Passing Off Sideboards

(Diagram: Puck passed off sideboards rebounds exactly three squares diagonally.)

(Diagram: Puck passed off sideboards rebounds exactly three squares straight back.)

(Diagram: Puck passed off sideboards at corner rebounds three squares straight back.)

Passing Around the Boards

(Diagram: On pass around boards, puck comes to rest five squares beyond first corner.)

(Diagram: Or, puck comes to rest five squares beyond second corner in Row 3.)

Passing Through an Opponent's Contact Zone

The contact zone is the 8 spaces that directly surround a player. Passes made through a defender's contact zone "may" be intercepted. The defender makes a skill check roll with 2D6. If the result is (8) or higher the pass is intercepted causing a turnover and a new series begins. See CONTACT ZONE section for more detail on page 4.

Coaches Turns

Coaches now take alternating turns. Moving, passing, dumping or shooting on offense while the defenders chase & check or move to defend an area of the ice surface.

Offensive Turn

If moving will roll 2D6 and move:

Center alone
Wingers together both get the same amount as the roll
Defensemen together both get the same amount as the roll

If passing, may attempt to pass to as many teammates as are open without moving.

If dumping the puck, may simply move the puck to the area being dumped to. Be sure to follow the rules of passing off or around the boards as shown on page 3.

If shooting, will choose a SHOT ON GOAL card and reveal at the same time as the defending team's GOALIE POSITION card. Determine if the goalie is in position or not and refer to the Shot on Goal Slide Rule Calculator for the shot result with a roll of 2D6.

Each of he above 4 actions constitute a TURN for the offense independent of each other.

Defensive Turn

When moving will roll 2D6 and move:

Center alone
Wingers together both get the same amount as the roll
Defensemen together both get the same amount as the roll
Goalie (roll 1D6 only) Goalie movement is NOT a turn. Its free.

If a defender moved into the contact zone of the puck carrier on their move, they may either attempt a "Stick Check" or a "Body Check". Checking is a free move and does not constitute an additional turn.

Contact Zone

The Contact Zone applies to all players on the ice except the Goalie's. It is the comprised of the 8 spaces that are directly adjacent to and surrounding every player on the ice … no matter where they are on the ice.

(Diagram: Defender Outside Contact Zone.)

(Diagram: Defender Encroaching the Contact Zone.)

Defenders in the contact zone may attempt a "Stick Check" which has LOWER risk of penalty or a "Body Check" which has a HIGHER risk of penalty. See Penalty section for more detail.

The Contact Zone also affects player movement of opposing players who are not in possession of the puck. Your player movement is reduced by 2 spaces if you are starting in or skating through an opponent's Contact Zone.

This applies to all players on both teams during even strength play. If you are in the contact zone of two opposing players at the same the reduction in movement is NOT doubled. You're still only reduced by 2 spaces of movement.

Shots on Goal

Note: the Shot on Goal Slide Rule Calculator (the 2D6 result chart the rules refer to for open, screened and blocked shots, inside and outside) is a separate physical component and is not reproduced in the rulebook PDF; its results are not transcribed here.

A shot on goal is a turn and may NOT be combined as part of a move or pass.

Shots on goal may ONLY occur between lines 1-13 inclusive (maximum one space outside the opponent's blue line).

When attempting a shot on goal, the attack team will secretly choose one of (5) SHOT ON GOAL cards. This will determine what part of the net that player is targeting: Top Left/Right Corners, Bottom Left/Right Corners or the 5-Hole.

The defending team will then secretly choose one of (5) GOALIE POSITION cards. This will determine which of the shooter's target zones the Goalie will defend. See the new cards attached at the back of this rule book.

Both coaches now reveal their cards simultaneously. If the Goalie chose the same target area that shooter was aiming for, its an automatic save and face-off at the nearest circle.

If the Goalie fails to pick the right target area but correctly choose to defend either the top or bottom, the Goalie is then considered to be IN POSITION.

If the Goalie fails to pick he right target area and also fails to correctly defend the top or bottom, the Goalie is then considered to be OUT OF POSITION.

Next, determine the line from which the shot is taken and whether or not it is an INSIDE or OUTSIDE shot as this will alter which side of the Shot of Goal Slide Rule Calculator you are going to refer to.

Finally, confirm if the shot is OPEN, SCREENED by a teammate or BLOCKED by an opponent and then roll 2D6 for the result.

Screened means that a teammate is between you and the Goalie and the puck would travel through your teammate.

Blocked means that an opponent is between you and the Goalie and the puck would have to travel through that player.

Checking

When a defender successfully encroaches the puck carriers Contact Zone, they may attempt to gain control of puck by way of a STICK CHECK or a BODY CHECK and must announce which one they are using before rolling 2D6.

Stick Checking

If choosing to stick check, both player roll 2D6. Defender rolls first. High roll wins. If the defender steals the puck, advance the series dial on the scoreboard by 1 and place the puck beneath the defender. The defender now in possession immediately gets a turn and may skate, pass, dump or shoot depending where they are on the ice.

If the defender fails the stick check, play continues as normal.

If player attempting a Stick Check rolls double 6's they draw a penalty card and serve a penalty according to the card they drew. The offensive player cannot receive a penalty on a Stick Check.

Body Checking

If choosing to throw a body check, both players roll 2D6. Defender rolls first. High roll wins. If the player throwing the Body Check wins, the following action is taken:

Place the puck under the defender
Advance the series dial by 1
Place the checked player token on its side (that player may not move for the next 2 turns)
Defender now in possession immediately gets a turn and may skate, pass, dump or shoot depending where they are on the ice.

If the defender fails (misses) the body check, play continues as normal however, the defender who missed the body check may not be moved on the next turn.

If either or both coaches roll doubles 1's or double 6's, a penalty has been called and a penalty card is drawn. Player(s) serve a penalty according to the card they draw. If both players rolled doubles, the checking player draws a penalty card first. See Penalty section.

If both players draw minor penalties, they are cancel each other as "Incidentals". Neither goes to the box.

Penalties & the Penalty Box

When a penalty occurs as a result of an attempted Stick Check or Body Check, players draw a penalty card from Penalty Card draw pile.

If both players involved receive a penalty the player who attempted the check will draw first. If both players happen to draw MINOR penalties, they are ruled as INCIDENTALS. Neither player will go to the penalty box in this case but play stops and a face-off occurs at the nearest face-off dot.

When a player is serving a penalty, it will either be a MINOR (Space #2 in the box) or a MAJOR (Space #4 in the box). In order for a penalized player to move 1 space closer to the gate the one of the following things must occur:

A shot on net by either team
The puck is cleared down the ice by the penalty kill team

MINOR penalties will automatically expire if there is a power-play goal. MAJOR penalties must be served in their entirety regardless of a power-play goal against.

Delayed Penalty

A delayed penalty occurs when checking player rolls double 1 or double 6 in the case of a body check, and the puck was NOT stolen. Play continues until there is a stoppage in play, however, immediately draw a penalty card and place it face up on the Delayed Penalty Area of the game board. The penalty will be imposed on the next stoppage in play. The face-off will occur in the face-off dot nearest where the play was stopped unless there was a goal in which case it would be at center ice.

3rd Player Penalty

If you already have 2 players in the penalty box and receive a third penalty. Draw the next penalty card and place it face up in the Delayed Penalty Area. As soon as one of your serving players penalty expires, place the third player in the box. You must always have 3 skaters on the ice.

Goalie penalties are served by a teammate.

Power Plays & Penalty Killing

Following a penalty when the offending player is in the box, a face-off will occur. The following are Power-Play Team Enhancements until both teams are even strength:

Move & Pass for one turn (Shooting not included)
Movement dice rolls get a +2 added for all power play skaters
Face off dice rolls get a +1 added (Ties go to the power play team)

Penalty Kill Team Positioning

Whenever the power-play team is in possession of the puck in the neutral zone or the penalty-killers end of the ice, the penalty-kill team will automatically move all of its available skaters into the one of three penalty-kill defensive postures without having to roll any dice:

2-2 Large Box PK Defense
2-2 Small Box PK Defense
1-2-1 High/Low PK Defense

The power-play then positions its players in the attack zone in any fashion except that one PP defenseman will start with the puck and must be in any space on line 12 inside the blue line without having to roll any dice. Penalty-Kill team now rolls to skate/check first!

Penalty Kill Team Limitations

The team on the Penalty-Kill will experience the following limitations until both teams are at even strength:

Skating dice roll movements reduced by 2 when in their own end of the ice only
Checking dice rolls reduced by 2 anywhere on the ice
Unable to block shots from center even if in position to do so

Goalie's

Goalie movements in the crease (3 spaces side to side) are a free move and do not constitute a turn or require a dice roll.

If a Goalie wants to leave the crease to recover and play a loose puck or "Stick Check" an opposing player. They may roll 1D6 only. If they fail a stick check and the offensive player decides to shoot … consider the goalie to be automatically out of position.

If a Goalie successfully gains possession of a loose puck or steals a puck via a stick check they may hold for a face-off at the nearest face-off dot or, they may pass the puck a maximum of 8 spaces in any direction.

NOTE: The penalty-kill players still have the ability to intercept any pass that travels through a penalty kill players Contact Zone. In order to intercept a pass, they must roll now 2D6 and achieve a (10) or higher.

Goalie's may NOT attempt body checks.

Dumping the Puck (Penalty-Kill Team)

If the penalty-kill team manages to secure possession of the puck in their own end, they may opt to dump the puck down ice. (Which moves their penalized player one space closer to exiting the penalty box if successful)

To successfully dump the puck, a player must make a skill check roll with 2D6 and achieve a result of (6) or higher. If successful, the puck is considered to have traveled down ice an the zone is cleared.

Goalie's may also sweep the puck to the either corner of the ice surface behind their own goal line – The puck would then come to rest in the space up against the boards directly adjacent to the goal line just below line 1.

If the puck is NOT cleared – it is given to the power-play defenseman furthest away from the player who unsuccessfully tried to clear the puck.

If the puck is successfully cleared, it is assumed that the power-play team has regained control and play resumes back in the penalty-kill team's end of the ice. Also, if the puck is cleared, DO NOT advance the series dial even though a change of possession had just occurred.

The penalty-kill team will again automatically setup one of the three available penalty kill defensive postures without having to roll the dice. Both teams simply place their respective players in in position in the penalty-killing teams' end of the ice and resume play with the PK team moving first. Again, the power play team starts with the puck anywhere along line-12 with a defenseman. These movements are done to speed up play and create more realistic player positioning for this game situation.

Shots on Goal Against

If the Shot on Goal Slide Rule Calculator reveals a blank space, the Goalie may hold the puck for a face-off or pass to an open teammate a maximum of 8 spaced.

Pulling the Goalie

During the final 3 series of the game, a team that is behind by two or fewer goals may decide to "pull the goal". The goalie is then put into play as a forward.

The starting position for this extra attacker is across the ice from the penalty box gate (line 18) on that team's side of the center ice up against the boards. You may only do this at the beginning of a new series before a pass is made. The extra attacker now moves with the Wingers on their skating roll. This means that 3 players will move with the roll of 2D6 for the Wingers. YOU MUST BE IN POSSESSION OF THE PUCK TO PULL THE GOALIE.

The Goalie may be returned directly to the crease but only after skating to the starting position at line 18 where they entered the game as an extra attacker.

ALL THE SAME ADVANTAGES OF A POWER PLAY TEAM ARE IN PLAY FOR THE TEAM WITH THE EXTRA ATTACKER.

Ending the Game

The game may end one of 3 ways:

Regulation Time after 3 periods of play
Over Time
Shoot Out

Regulation

If a team is in the lead at the end of regulation time (3rd period), they win the game.

Over Time

If teams are tied at the end of regulation, the game now moves to Over Time. Re-set the series clock to "4" and face-off at center ice. Remove one of the wingers from each team so that both teams are 4-on-4.

Skating rolls for Center now moves both the Center and the Winger together. Center/Winger skating rolls now also have +2 added to the result.

Defensemen Skating rolls remain as usual.

Passing is a free turn for all players meaning that a player may move and pass or may pass to a teammate and that player may now move.

Shoot Out

If the score is still tied after Over Time, the game will now move to a Shoot Out.

Shoot Outs are handled by the Shooter playing a SHOT ON GOAL card vs the Defender playing a GOALIE POSITION card. Determine whether the Goalie is in position of not and use the Shots from Center "Open" side of the Shot on Goal Slide Rule Calculator to determine the result as normal.

Each team gets 5 attempts to best their opponent in the shoot out.

Set the series dial to 5 to keep track of shooting rounds. After both teams have taken their first shot and adjusted the score dials if necessary, move the series dial down to 4. Repeated until the both teams have taken 5 shots.

Time-Outs

Each team may call one time out in the 3rd period only. Calling a time-out will add one series back onto the series dial on the scoreboard.

Shot on Goal and Goalie Position Cards

The rules refer to (5) SHOT ON GOAL cards and (5) GOALIE POSITION cards, attached at the back of the rulebook. The card faces are:

SHOT ON GOAL cards

Top Right Corner (Glove Side)
Top Left Corner (Blocker Side)
Bottom 5-Hole
Bottom Right Corner
Bottom Left Corner

GOALIE POSITION cards

Defend Top Left (Blocker Side)
Defend Top Right (Glove Side)
Defend Bottom 5-Hole
Defend Bottom Left Corner
Defend Bottom Right Corner