Specifications for Hockey Goals

From the bright lights of the NHL all the way down to junior league hockey, it is impossible to play the game without goals. Sure, setting up a couple of cones or a pair of garbage cans work for a pickup game. But if you're going to play competitively, you will want to make sure that your goals and nets are set up to certain specifications.

  1. Goal Posts

    • The goal posts on an ice hockey rink should stand 6 feet apart and have a crossbar that sits 4 feet above the surface of the ice. The posts themselves are generally made from galvanized steel, though they can also be made from steel, aluminum or PVC piping. The posts and crossbar should be painted red and any other exterior surface on or around them should be white. The goal is kept in place by 10-inch flexible green pegs fixed into the ice.

    Nets

    • The net should be white and made from nylon. It should hang completely over the back of the goal so that the puck can not rest on the outside of it and it should be strung in a way that the puck will stay inside when a goal is scored. Normally a heavy nylon or canvas skirt covers the area where the net and goal frame connect--in order to prevent the net from being cut or broken. It should either be cut away or recessed near the goal mouth so that it does not obstruct the puck from going in.

    Goal Crease

    • The crease is the area that extends 1 foot beyond each goal post and extends forward 4 1/2 feet. From there, the two lines are connected by a semi-circle that is 6 feet in radius with the center of the arc matching up with the center of the goal line. The area inside of the crease is usually painted blue. In many leagues, the crease is the area in which the goaltender is allowed to operate without any opposition interference; however, that rule has been dropped by the NHL and other leagues in North America.

    Restricted Area

    • A goalkeeper is not allowed to play the puck behind the net outside of a specified area. That area extends 5 feet outside of each edge of the goal crease (6 feet outside of each goal post) and 11 feet from the goal post to the boards at the end of the rink.

    Other Variations

    • While ice hockey is the most popular version, there are other forms of hockey regularly played in the United States. In field hockey, the goals are painted white and sit at either end of the field with the inner edges of the posts standing 3.66 meters (approximately 12 feet) apart with the crossbar sitting 2.14 meters (approximately 7 feet) above the ground. In roller hockey, the goal's dimensions are identical to those in ice hockey; however, the restricted area is deeper--anywhere from 12 to 15 feet.