Dice Hockey Game: Rules, Rush Chart and Odds
Dice hockey is a paper version of ice hockey for two players or two teams. Each roll of two dice is one rush up the ice: most rushes come to nothing, some lead to a shot, a power play or a breakaway, and a few end in a goal. After three periods the side with more goals wins, and a tie goes to sudden-death overtime and then a shootout. All you need is two dice and a pencil, and a game takes about 15 minutes. Below is a simple home version with the exact chance of each result.
What you need
- Two six-sided dice, or a dice roller set to two dice.
- A scoresheet with a column for each team and a row for each period.
- Two players, or two teams that take turns rolling.
- A coin flip for the face-off.
The face-off
A real game starts with the puck dropped between two players. Here a coin flip does the job: one side calls heads or tails, and the winner takes the first rush of the first period. The teams then swap who goes first in each new period, so the toss only changes the order.
How to play
- A game has three periods. In each period, each team has 8 rushes, so 24 in the whole game.
- On a rush, roll both dice, add them up and look at the chart below.
- If the chart says to roll one die, roll a single die to see whether the shot goes in.
- Write down any goal in your team’s column. Then the other team takes its rush.
- After three periods, the team with more goals wins. If the score is tied, play overtime and, if needed, a shootout, as described below.
This chart is a common style of home version, not an official game. Families and teachers often make their own, so agree on it before the face-off.
The rush chart and the chance of each result
In the table, “Roll” is the total of the two dice, “Result” is what happens on that rush and “Chance” is the exact probability of that total out of the 36 ways two dice can land.
| Roll | Result | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| 2 or 12 | Goal | 2 in 36 |
| 3 | Breakaway: roll one die, 4 to 6 scores | 2 in 36 |
| 11 | Power play: roll one die, 5 or 6 scores | 2 in 36 |
| 7 | Shot on goal: roll one die, 6 scores | 6 in 36 |
| 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 | No goal | 24 in 36 |
Two thirds of rushes end with no goal. A seven is the most common total and always gives a shot on goal, but the goalie stops five shots in six. The breakaway is the best chance after a direct goal: it goes in half the time. Put together, the chance that one rush ends in a goal is exactly 7 in 54, about 13%. You can read more about why the middle totals come up more often in our guide to dice probability.
How many goals does a team score?
With 24 rushes each, a team scores about 3.1 goals per game on average. Because every rush is independent, the number of goals can be worked out exactly. In the table, “Goals by one team” is how many goals one side scores in the three periods and “Chance” is how likely that is.
| Goals by one team | Chance |
|---|---|
| 0 (shutout) | about 4% |
| 1 | about 13% |
| 2 | about 22% |
| 3 | about 24% |
| 4 | about 19% |
| 5 or more | about 19% |
A shutout, where a team scores no goals at all, happens about one game in 28 for each team. Most games end with each side scoring two to four goals.
Overtime and the shootout
If the score is tied after three periods, which happens in about 17% of games, play sudden-death overtime. Toss a coin again to see who rushes first, then take turns, up to 5 rushes each, using the same chart. The first goal wins the game.
If nobody scores in overtime, go to a shootout. Each team takes three shots, taking turns. For each shot roll one die: 5 or 6 scores, so a shot goes in one time in three. If the teams are still level after three shots each, which happens about one time in three, carry on one shot at a time until one scores and the other misses.
The next table shows how often a game is decided in each way. “Won in regulation” means one team was ahead after three periods.
| How the game ends | Chance |
|---|---|
| Won in regulation | about 83% |
| Won in overtime | about 13% |
| Goes to a shootout | about 4% |
Going first in overtime is a small advantage: the team that rushes first wins about 40% of overtimes, the other team about 35%, and the rest go to a shootout. That is why the coin decides it.
Tips
- Keep a running score after every period. It saves time at the end and catches mistakes.
- Give each team a name and a goalie, and let the goalie roll the saves in the shootout for extra drama.
- For a shorter game, play three periods of 5 rushes each. A team then scores about 2 goals on average.
- Play a best-of-seven series, just like the playoffs, and flip a new coin before each game.
Classroom ideas
- Fractions: pupils work out the chance of a goal from a shot on goal, 6 in 36 times 1 in 6, and compare it with a breakaway.
- Tally and graph: each pair plays one game and the class makes a bar chart of goals per team, then compares it with the table above.
- Mental maths: pupils add up shots, goals and saves for each period.
- Fair teams: split the class into teams with a random name picker, then do the face-off with a coin.
Variations
- Penalties: a 4 is a penalty for the defending team, and the attacking team gets one extra rush right away.
- Empty net: in the last period, a team that is behind may pull its goalie: its rushes score on a 7 with no extra roll, but the other team also scores on any 7.
- Players: give each team five skaters numbered 2 to 6 and roll one die after a goal to see who scored.
- No shootout: if overtime ends with no goal, the game is a tie, as in older hockey leagues.
If you like sports played with dice, try dice basketball or dice football next.
FAQ
How do you play hockey with dice?
Each roll of two dice is one rush. A 2 or 12 is a goal; a 3, 11 or 7 gives a breakaway, power play or shot on goal, which you finish with one more die; any other total is no goal. Each team has 8 rushes in each of three periods.
What is the chance of a goal on one rush?
With this chart it is exactly 7 in 54, about 13%.
How many goals does a team score in dice hockey?
About 3.1 goals per game on average. About one game in 28, a team is shut out.
How often does a game go to overtime?
About 17% of games are tied after three periods. About a quarter of those overtimes end with no goal and go to a shootout.
How does the shootout work?
Each team takes three shots. Roll one die for each shot: 5 or 6 scores. If still level, keep going one shot each until one scores and the other misses.
How do you decide who starts?
Toss a coin for the face-off. The winner takes the first rush, and the teams swap who goes first each period.