what is the purpose of the trapezoid in hockey
National Hockey League rules New since the 2005–06 NHL season, after testing in the American Hockey League, a trapezoid is marked behind each goalie net. The goalie can only play the puck within that area or in front of the goal line. If he plays the puck behind the goal line and not in the trapezoid, a 2-minute minor penalty for delay of game will be assessed by the referees. This rule is widely referred to as the "Brodeur rule", after New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur, whose puckhandling behind the net is believed to be the cause for the rule.[2][3] In 2014, the NHL lengthened the goal-line side of the trapezoid by two feet on both sides of the net.[4]
First indoor ice hockey game On March 3, 1875, the Rink hosted what has been recognized as the first organized ice hockey game,[2] between members of the Victoria Skating Club, organized by Creighton.[8] The match lays claim to this distinction because of factors which establish its link to modern ice hockey: it featured two teams (nine players per side) with a recorded score. Games prior to this had mostly been outdoors. In order to limit injuries to spectators and damage to glass windows, the game was played with a "flat block of wood" instead of a lacrosse ball. The two teams, members of the club, included a number of McGill University students. Sticks for this game were imported from Nova Scotia.[9] This first game was pre-announced to the general public in the pages of The Montreal Gazette: