What is the regulation height of an NHL hockey goal?

The regulation height of an NHL hockey goal is 4 feet. Under NHL rules, the goal opening is 48 inches high and 72 inches wide, measured between the inside edges of the posts.

The red goal posts extend vertically four feet above the ice, while the crossbar joins them at the top. The net is attached behind the frame, and the goal’s footprint extends about 40 inches back from the goal line. Flexible pegs help hold the frame in place while allowing it to move if struck.

The height is often confused with the goal’s width: an NHL net is 4 feet high but 6 feet wide. The crease in front of it is a separate marked area designed to give the goaltender room to play; it is not part of the goal’s dimensions.

For a goal to count, the entire puck must cross the goal line between the posts and beneath the crossbar. A puck that hits the post or remains partly on the line has not completely entered the net.