Box Lacrosse 101


Box 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. Combined, teams score an average of 25 goals during an NLL game.

Each game consists of four fifteen-minute quarters. A tie at the end of regulation is decided in sudden-victory overtime. Each team has five runners (forwards, transition players, and defensemen) and a goaltender on the floor during the game. Each team dresses 19 players (17 runners and two goaltenders) per game, and the players rotate on and off the floor in shifts, similar to ice hockey.

History of Box Lacrosse

Lacrosse is a traditional indigenous people’s game and was first encountered by Europeans when French Jesuit missionaries in the St. Lawrence Valley witnessed the game in the 1630s. Lacrosse for centuries was seen as a key element of cultural identity and spiritual healing to Native Americans.

Box lacrosse is a modern version of the game that was invented in Canada during the 1920s and 1930s. The roots of indoor lacrosse are obscure, but its invention has been attributed to one Paddy Brennan, a field lacrosse player and referee from Montreal, who, being annoyed by the constant slowing of play from balls going out of bounds in the field game, experimented with indoor games at the Mount Royal Arena during the early 1920s.

The form was also adopted as the primary version of the game played on Native American reservations in the US and Canada by Iroquois and other Native peoples. It is the only sport in which the American indigenous people are sanctioned to compete internationally, participating as the Iroquois Nationals.

NLL Rules

Rosters: 21-man active roster, each team dresses 19 players for games (17 runners and two goalies). A team shall be composed of six players on the floor, five runners, and one goalie.

Time Format: Four 15-minute quarters; two minutes between quarters; 15-minute halftime.


Sudden-Victory Overtime: Games ending regulation play with a tie score are decided by a sudden-victory overtime period. Play continues until a goal is scored. More than one overtime period is played if necessary.

8-Second Violation: Occurs when the team on offense fails to advance the ball past midfield within 8 seconds after taking possession at their end of the floor.

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. A small scrum usually occurs to secure the ball.

Shot Clock: Similar to professional and collegiate basketball, 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 shoot on goal without scoring and recover possession of the ball (via rebound/loose ball recovery off the goaltender or goal posts), the clock is reset for a new 30 seconds.

Terms of the Turf



Cradle: Skill used to keep the ball inside the pocket of the stick by rocking it back and forth.

Crease: Nine-foot radius surrounding the goal. Only the goalie can stand in this area with the ball. Shooters or their teammates can not stand on (or inside) the line or their goal won’t count. Any violation of this rule will disallow the goal. If a player is diving into the crease on a shot, the ball has to cross the goal line before any part of their body touches the crease.

Crosscheck: A defensive strategy using the shaft of the stick to push on an opponent to force a missed or bad shot.


Loose Ball: Occurs when there is no possession and the ball is bouncing, rolling, or rebounding off the boards or goaltender. Loose ball recoveries are a tracked statistic.

Loss of Possession: Illegal screens, 30-second shot clock violation, 8-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 without sending a player to the penalty box.

Major Penalty: Five minutes in the penalty box for infractions such as high sticking, boarding, face masking, fighting, and spearing. Two goals can be scored during a major penalty before the offending team will be back to full strength. The offending player will remain in the penalty box until the five-minute duration has passed.


Minor Penalty: Two-minute penalty for infractions such as delay of game, elbowing, holding, illegal crosschecking, slashing, and tripping, for example. The team with the man advantage can score one goal before the offending team is back to full strength and the offending player is released from the penalty box.



Penalty Box: Where a player goes to sit while serving a minor or major penalty.



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.

Play of the Game

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.








Frequently Asked Questions

  • How many teams are in the NLL?

    With the recent addition of the Panther City Lacrosse Club franchise, the league sits at 14 teams. The Panther City Lacrosse Club will start play in 2021-22 season at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, TX. The NLL has franchises in Albany, Buffalo, Calgary, Colorado, Fort Worth, Georgia, Halifax, New York, Philadelphia, Rochester, San Diego, Saskatchewan, Toronto, and Vancouver.

  • How many games does each team play during the regular season?

    Each NLL team plays 18 regular-season games, nine at home and nine on the road. The season traditionally starts in December and runs through April. Playoffs begin in May.

  • Where can I watch NLL games?

    Outside of attending NLL games live, fans throughout North America can watch all NLL games on B/R Live.

    In addition, a select Game of the Week airs on NLL Facebook in season and is archived on @NLL on Facebook for anyone to view, anytime.

  • Is box lacrosse just field lacrosse but indoors?

    The objective of the game, much of the equipment, and some of the terminology is the same but that is where it ends. A team is trying to outscore their opponent, all players (outside of the goalie) use short-shaft lacrosse sticks (no long poles), and there are picks, seals, crease violations, faceoffs, and more.

    The biggest differences are in the spacing. Playing in a hockey rink with confined boards and glass limits the space the players have to utilize. There are fewer players on the floor at a time than on a field and the pace is quicker due to the smaller play area and a shot clock.

    The goals are much smaller (4’x4’9”) versus field and the goalie wears much more padding in box lacrosse. That, along with the smaller spacing, usually makes for players’ accuracy and handling skills being more advanced than in field. Unlike field, box players will typically only use their dominant hand.

    If you are a field lacrosse fan, a lot of elements will look similar, with the obvious changes being game play structure and pace. Many players play both field and box lacrosse, the skills gained in one version of the game translates well to the other.

  • Why do goalies wear so much protective equipment?

    Have you ever felt a lacrosse ball? A lacrosse ball is a very dense rubber ball. Professional lacrosse players can shoot the ball upwards of 100mph given clear space. Because of the smaller environment of box lacrosse, goalies wear this equipment to best protect themselves from any potential injuries when saving a shot with the body. Box goalies usually save the ball with their body versus field lacrosse, where a goalie typically saves using their stick.

  • What is a crease violation?

    A crease violation occurs in several ways. One is when an offensive player comes into contact with any part of the crease while cradling the ball. A crease violation can also occur when an offensive player runs through the crease and is the next person to touch the ball. When shooting on goal, as long as the ball is beyond the goal line before any part of the player’s body touches the ground, it is a good goal. If the offensive player lands in the crease before the ball is beyond the goal line, the goal will not count.

  • Is fighting allowed?

    Yes, with a caveat. Fighting can occur during lacrosse but both players will receive penalties (usually a five-minute major). The referees have the discretion to call additional penalties depending on the incident. Additional fines and suspensions can occur as a result of a fight.

  • What happens if the goal moves on a shot?

    Unlike hockey, the goals aren’t staked into the ground. They are still difficult to move but a goalie may accidentally move the goal off its mark. If this occurs and a ball is shot on net, the ball must cross the goal line (where the goal normally sits). A goal can be counted if the goal is not in its primary position. Arenas have cameras above the goal to help check if the ball crossed the line where the goal would have been.

  • How do referees determine whether an infraction is a change of possession or a penalty?

    Referees use their discretion as to whether an infraction is worthy of a penalty or just a change of possession. A change in possession is less serious in nature, considered a statistical turnover, and both teams remain at full strength. Minor penalties result in a two minute penalty where the offending team will go one man down. Major penalties result in a five minute penalty.

  • Does music play over gameplay?

    Yes! Music is constantly playing during NLL games, adding to the fast-paced and exciting atmosphere throughout the league. Unlike basketball, music plays constantly and varies throughout the league. It adds a unique character to the game and keeps fans engaged through the night. The PA announcer also has a role in the game and frequently gets the crowd hyped for their team!

  • How do the playoffs work?

    A total of eight NLL teams qualify for the playoffs. The three regular-season division champions will be the top three seeds, the three second-place teams in each division will be seeded four through six, and the teams with the next two best records from any division will be seeds seven and eight. For the single-game Elimination in the first round, the first seed will host the eighth seed, the second seed will host the seventh seed, the third seed will host the sixth seed, and the fourth seed will host the fifth seed.

    The four winning teams from the first round will play in the second round. The winner of Seeds 1 vs. 8 will play the winner of Seeds 4 vs. 5, and the winner of Seeds 2 vs. 7 will play the winner of Seeds 3 vs. 6.

    The NLL Cup Finals is a best-of-three series, with the higher-seeded team hosting Game 1 and Game 3 (if necessary)

  • I saw many NLL players playing for other lacrosse leagues, how does that work?

    Because of the shortened season time compared to sports like the MLB, NHL, or NBA, players are able to play in multiple lacrosse leagues throughout the year to hone their skills and grow the game. Since lacrosse is a year round sport, there are always games happening with the best players in the world!

Think Inside the Box

Hear from current and former NLL players and college coaches about how box lacrosse has made them better athletes, lacrosse players, and more.

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