The rink was the name of a venue where another game, curling, was played. The rink is a Scots word that means 'course.' Ice hockey was first played on rinks that were designed for curling. After hockey-specific facilities were created, the name was kept.
The North American continent:
Most North American rinks are 200 by 85 feet (60.96 m x 25.9 m) with a 28-foot (8.5 m) corner radius, as specified by the National Hockey League. Each goal line is 11 feet from the end boards or 3.4 metres. The NHL blue line is 75 feet (22.9 metres) from the end boards and 50 feet (15.2 metres) apart.
International:
The rest of the world's hockey rinks are built to the International Ice Hockey Federation's
requirements, which are 60.0 by 30.0 metres (196.9 ft 98.4 ft) with an
8.5 metre (27.9 ft) corner radius.
The blue lines are 22.86 metres, or 75.0 feet, from the end boards, while the two-goal lines are 4.0 metres, or 13.1 feet, from the end boards.
Origins:
The rink's specifications are based on the ice surface of Montreal's Victoria Skating Rink, which opened in
1862 and hosted the first indoor game in 1875. Its ice surface
was 204 by 80 feet or 62.2 metres by 24.4 metres.
The curved corners are supposed to have been inspired by the 1898 design of the Montreal Arena.
