Speed hockey game

Abstract

A rink layout and rules of play for speed hockey. The rink defines a substantially square play area, preferably with chamfered corners. A preferred size is approximately eight five feet (26 meters) by one hundred feet (30 meters). Goal creases define an approximately twelve and one half foot (4 meter) radius, and red zones define an approximately thirty two and one half feet (10 meters) in radius. Goals are recessed into dasher boards, and referee positions may be defined above each goal. Each team preferably comprises three players and a goal keeper in play, and an additional three players and one goal keeper in reserve. A team receives one point for goals scored inside the red zone, and two points for goals scored from outside the red zone. Over Time (OT) preferably comprises a first OT period with full teams, a second OT period with a first reduction, and a third OT period with one player for each team.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A sport rink comprising: 
 a substantially square playing area having a first end and a second end;    a first goal in the first end; and    a second goal in the second end,    wherein faces of the first goal and the second goal are substantially even with the first end and second end respectively.    
     
     
         2 . The sport rink of  claim 1 , further including a rink length and a rink width, wherein the rink length is between approximately fifty five feet (17 meters) and approximately one hundred feet (30 meters) and the rink width is between approximately fifty five feet (17 meters) and approximately one hundred feet (30 meters).  
     
     
         3 . The sport rink of  claim 2 , wherein the rink length is approximately one hundred feet (30 meters) and wherein the rink width is approximately eighty five feet (26 meters).  
     
     
         4 . The sport rink of  claim 2 , wherein the rink length is approximately eighty five feet (26 meters) and wherein the rink width is approximately eighty five feet (26 meters).  
     
     
         5 . The sport rink of  claim 1 , further including chamfered corners.  
     
     
         6 . The sport rink of  claim 1  further including referee positions above the first goal and above the second goal.  
     
     
         7 . The sport rink of  claim 1 , wherein the first goal and the second goal are approximately five and one half feet (1.5 meters) wide and approximately three and one half feet (1 meter) high.  
     
     
         8 . The sport rink of  claim 1 , further including a first goal crease and a second goal crease, wherein the first goal crease and the second goal crease define an approximately twelve and one half foot (4 meter) crease radius arc, which crease radius arcs are centered approximately four and one half feet (1.5 meters) behind a first face of the first goal and approximately four and one half feet (1.5 meters) behind a second face of the second goal respectively.  
     
     
         9 . The sport rink of  claim 1 , further including a first red zone and a second red zone, wherein the first red zone and the second red zone define an approximately twenty five foot (8 meter) radius arc to an approximately thirty five foot (11 meter) radius arc, wherein the red zones are centered on the face of the first goal and on the face of the second goal respectively.  
     
     
         10 . The sport rink of  claim 1 , further including dasher boards and including a bumper along at least one portion of a base of the dasher boards.  
     
     
         11 . A method for playing hockey, the method comprising: 
 placing two teams into play on a substantially square rink, wherein each team includes players selected from the group consisting of two players and three players, and wherein each team further includes one goal keeper;    playing a game comprising four periods lasting approximately twelve minutes each;    receiving one point for goals made from shots inside a red zone;    receiving two points for goals made from shots outside the red zone; and    if the game is tied at the end of the final period, entering overtime comprising: 
 playing a first overtime period with full teams; and  
 if the game is tied after the first overtime period, playing a second overtime period with a reduced number of players.  
   
     
     
         12 . The method for playing hockey of  claim 11 , wherein placing the two teams into play comprises placing the two teams into play on the substantially square rink, wherein the rink has a length of approximately one hundred feet (30 meters) and a width of approximately eighty five feet (26 meters), wherein each team places three players and one goal keeper into play.  
     
     
         13 . The method for playing hockey of  claim 11 , wherein receiving two points for goals made outside the red zone comprises receiving two points for goals made outside the red zone, wherein the red zone is between approximately twenty five feet (8 meters) and approximately thirty five feet (11 meters) in radius.  
     
     
         14 . The method for playing hockey of  claim 11 , wherein the rink includes two goals, and further including the step of refereeing the game from positions proximal to each goal.  
     
     
         15 . The method for playing hockey of  claim 11 , wherein playing the first overtime period with full teams comprises playing the first overtime period for approximately three minutes with full teams.  
     
     
         16 . The method for playing hockey of  claim 11 , further including, if the game is tied after the second overtime period, playing a third overtime period with a further reduced number of players until a goal is scored.  
     
     
         17 . The method for playing hockey of  claim 11 , further including penalizing for checking the goal keeper inside the crease, wherein the crease defines an approximately twelve and one half foot (4 meter) radius centered approximately four and one half feet (1.5 meters) behind the face of the goal.  
     
     
         18 . A hockey rink comprising: 
 a playing area having approximately one hundred foot (30 meter) length and approximately eighty five foot (26 meter) width;    a first end of the playing area, and a second side opposite the first end;    a first goal in the first end;    a second goal in the second end;    a first crease and a second crease defining a radius of approximately twelve and one half feet (4 meters) and wherein the radius is taken from a point centered approximately four and one half feet (1.5 meters) behind a first face of the first goal and a second face of the second goal respectively;    a first red zone and a second red zone defining radius of approximately thirty two and one half feet (10 meters) and centered on the first face and the second face respectively; and    chamfered corners having approximately twelve foot (3.5 meter) hypotenuse.    
     
     
         19 . The hockey rink of  claim 18 , further including dasher boards and including a rubber bumper along at least one portion of a base of the dasher boards.  
     
     
         20 . The hockey rink of  claim 18  further including referee positions proximal to the first goal and proximal to the second goal.