Face-offs: full blade on the ice, and who puts the stick down first
Rule numbers: NCAA 81.1 ACHA Additions Rule 81
The ACHA additions apply the 2026-28 face-off procedure to all six ACHA divisions. Each center must set the whole blade down inside the white area. Away from center ice, the defending center puts the stick down first and the attacker follows at once; at center ice the visitor goes first. In the NCAA book this full-blade standard sits in the men's-game paragraph, so ACHA women's games are stricter than NCAA women's games here. A goalkeeper may not take a face-off.
At the eight face-off spots (excluding center ice face-off spot), the defending player shall place their stick within the designated white area first followed immediately by the attacking player.
- On the ice
- Center not set with the full blade down: face-off violation and the center is replaced.
Example
Neutral-zone face-off outside Team A's blue line. Team A is the defending team for that spot, so Team A's center puts the stick down first.
Common mistake: Letting the attacking center set first at an end-zone or neutral-zone spot, or accepting a tilted blade in an ACHA women's game.