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OVERVIEW |
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Thank
you for visiting Lax 101, an introduction to
the
National Lacrosse League and the great
game of professional indoor lacrosse. We
hope that you find this section helpful in
your introduction to to the professional
indoor game.
 The
National Lacrosse League is North America's
professional indoor lacrosse league,
featuring the best lacrosse players in the
world. The NLL has thirteen teams playing in
the major markets of the United States and
Canada. NLL teams each play a 16-game
regular season schedule (eight home & eight
away) that begins in December and runs
through April, followed by the Champion’s
Cup Playoffs. All games are played on the
weekends. Professional indoor lacrosse
combines the physical play of hockey with
the high scoring, fast pace and play-making
style of basketball. Indoor lacrosse is
played inside the confines of an ice hockey
rink, with glass and rink boards intact. The
playing surface consists of a green dieter
turf carpet that is laid down over the
hockey ice. The two teams combine to score a
total of 25 goals in the average NLL game.
Each team has five runners (forwards and
defenseman) and a goaltender on the floor
during the game. Each team dresses eighteen
players (sixteen runners and two
goaltenders) per game, and the players
rotate on and off the floor in shifts,
similar to ice hockey. The game consists of
four quarters, each fifteen minutes in
length. A game that is tied at the end of
regulation is decided in a sudden-death
overtime. There are no tie games in
professional indoor lacrosse. |
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NLL
RULES |
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Rosters: 23 man roster, each team
dresses 18 players for games (16 runners and
two goalies). A team shall be composed of
six (6) players on the floor, 5 runners and
one goalie
Time Format: Four 15-minute quarters;
two minutes between quarters; 12 minute
halftime.
Time Outs: Each team may take two
45-second timeouts per half. A TV game has
one timeout per half.
Sudden Death Overtime: Games ending
regulation play with a tie score are decided
by a sudden death overtime period. Play
continues until a goal is scored. More than
one overtime period is played if necessary.
10 Second Violation: Occurs when team
on offense fails to advance the ball past
midfield within 10 seconds after taking
possession at their end.
Face-Offs: To determine possessions
at the start of each quarter and after every
goal, two players face their sticks at
midfield with a referee placing the ball
between the heads of the sticks.
Shot Clock: A 30-second clock begins
(counting down) when a team assumes
possession of the ball. The offensive team
must put a shot on goal during that time or
they will lose possession. If they do shoot
on goal (without scoring) and recover
possession of the ball (via rebound/loose
ball recovery), the clock is reset for a new
30 seconds |
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TERMS OF THE TURF |
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Body Check: Used to slow an opponent who
has the ball; must be above the waist and
below the neck.
Breakaway: One-on-one (shooter on
goalie) scoring opportunity.
Cradle: Method used to keep the ball
inside the pocket of the stick by rocking it
back and forth.
Crease: Only the goalie can stand in
this nine-foot radius with the ball.
Shooters or their teammates can not stand on
(or inside) the line or their goals won't
count. Any violation of this rule will
disallow the goal.
Crosscheck: An defensive strategy
using the shaft of the stick to push on an
opponent to force a missed or bad shot.
Hidden Ball Play: A player without
the ball cradles his stick, drawing the
attention of the defense, while a teammate
who has the ball passes or shoots on net.
Loose Ball: Occurs when there is no
possession and the ball is bouncing,
rolling, or rebounding off the boards or
goaltender.
Major Penalty: Five minutes in the
penalty box for infractions such as high
sticking, boarding, face masking, fighting
and spearing.
Man Down: When a team has one less
player on the floor than their opponent.
Minor Penalty: Two minute penalty for
infractions such as delay of game, elbowing,
holding, illegal crosschecking, slashing,
and tripping, for example.
Offensive Pick: The legal
interference by an offensive player from a
set position on a defensive player who is
trying to defend the ball carrier.
Outlet Pass: The first pass from the
goaltender or defender that begins the
transition from defense to offense.
Penalty Box: Where a player goes to
sit while serving a two and/or five minute
penalty.
Power Play: When a team has an extra
man advantage because the other team has at
least one player in the penalty box.
Screen Shot: When the goaltender
can't see a shot because someone is in the
way.
Shorthanded: When a team has one or
more players in the penalty box and the
opponent is at full-strength, or has more
players on the floor.
Loss of Possession: Illegal screens,
30 second shot clock violation, 10 second
half court violation, loose ball push, and
illegal procedure during faceoffs are among
the acts that can cause a team to lose
possession of the ball. |
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PLAY
OF THE GAME |
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Minor Penalties: On two minute personal
fouls, the penalized player is released from
the penalty box if a goal is scored before
the expiration of the two minutes.
Major Penalties: On five minute major
personal fouls, the penalized player stays
in the box for the duration of the penalty,
though the offending team returns to full
strength if two goals are scored against
them during the five minutes. When a second
major penalty is imposed on the same player
in a game, an automatic game misconduct
penalty shall be imposed.
Use of Penalty Shot: Since a team
cannot be more than two men down at a time,
if a third penalty is called, the official
will award a penalty shot to the
non-offending team.
Ejection from Game: Players can be
ejected from a game for several reasons
including being the third man participating
in a fight or accumulating two major
penalties in one game.
Slow Whistle (Delayed Penalty): If a
defending player commits a minor or major
penalty against an opponent in possession of
the ball where there is offensive momentum
and the opponent doesn't lose possession,
the official raises his hand and does not
blow the whistle until a shot is taken, the
30-second shot clock expires, or a goal is
scored or possession is lost.
Coincidental Penalties: When each
team is given the same amount of penalty
time arising out of the same incident, the
offending players shall not be released
until the expiration of the penalty. Teams
do not lose floor strength, and the ball is
awarded to the team who was in possession
prior to the fouls.
Field & Goals: Indoor lacrosse is
played on a hockey rink covered by an
artificial turf playing surface, which is
usually referred to as the floor or the
carpet (as opposed to the field). There must
be boards around the sides of a minimum
height of 3' high. Dimensions are 200' x 85'
but may be altered.
Goals: are 4' (high) x 4'9" (wide).
The circle around the goal known as the
crease is 9'3" in diameter. An offensive
player is not allowed to intentionally step
into the crease area.
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