Table Hockey Rules

Table hockey is essentially a hockey version of foosball that takes place on a small hockey rink game board. Playing pieces, mounted on the rink, are moved by rods that stick out the sides of the game. The object is to shoot a small puck into your opponent's goal. Game lengths and how a goal can be scored is ultimately up to the participants, but the following rules apply to all official table hockey tournament matches.

Game Play

Players must be at the hockey board when play is scheduled begin. Any player not in position 30 seconds after the game is to start loses by a 10-0 forfeit score. Matches last 5 minutes, with no clock stoppages, even if the puck goes out of play. If play is stopped because of non-play-related reasons (such as a broken playing piece), that time is added back to the clock. The match begins by placing the puck in the center of the rink and each players' center forwards facing off. All face-offs in the game are done this way. After the start of a match and any face-offs, at least 3 seconds must tick off before any side can score. The player with possession must move the puck away from his own center forward before it is legal to score (like passing it to another piece). No player can hold the puck for more than 5 seconds without passing or shooting it.

Goal Scoring

The puck must stay within the goal's cage in order to count as a goal. If a playing piece stabilizes the puck (meaning it is completely stopped) and then shoots it, a goal doesn't count. A player can approach a puck that has stopped on its own and shoot it. The puck can't be pushed up against a player's own goal by a goalkeeper or defenseman in order to ricochet it into the other goal--unless the puck bounces off the rink border or another playing piece before scoring. The same applies to a defenseman pushing the puck against the goalkeeper. A goal must be scored before the final buzzer to count.