<P> A new professional indoor lacrosse league was created in the 1970s with the formation of the original National Lacrosse League . This league opened in 1974 with teams in Montreal, Toronto, Rochester, Syracuse, Philadelphia, and Maryland . For the 1975 season, Rochester moved to Boston, Syracuse moved to Quebec City, and Toronto moved to Long Island . Thus, by its second year, the original NLL was playing in all major league arenas: the Colisée de Québec, the Montreal Forum, the Boston Garden, Nassau Coliseum, the Spectrum, and the Capital Centre . When the two wealthier' 75 NLL franchises, Philadelphia and Maryland, finished out of the playoffs, and with Montreal losing access to the fabled Montreal Forum in the upcoming season due to the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games, the league folded after two seasons due to financial uncertainty . </P> <P> The rebirth of professional box lacrosse in the United States came on March 13, 1986, with the formation of the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League, which was incorporated by Russ Cline and Chris Fritz . The league originated with four teams: the Philadelphia Wings, New Jersey Saints, Washington Wave, and Baltimore Thunder, and unlike box lacrosse generally, was played during the winter . The league rebranded itself as the Major Indoor Lacrosse League (MILL) immediately after its inaugural season, and in 1998 renamed itself again, this time to the NLL . In 1998, the NLL entered into the Canadian market for the first time with the Ontario Raiders . Although 5 of the league's 9 teams are based in American cities, more than two - thirds of the players are Canadian . </P> <P> During play, a team consists of six players: a goaltender and five "runners". A runner is any non-goalkeeper position player, including forwards, transition players, and defenders . Runners usually specialize in one of these roles and substitute off the field when the ball moves from one end to the other . When the sport originated teams played with six runners . However, in 1953 the sixth runner, a position called rover, was eliminated . The goalkeeper can be replaced by another runner, often when a delayed penalty has been called on the other team or at the end of games by teams that are behind to help score goals . </P> <P> A player's lacrosse stick must be between 40 inches (1.0 m) and 46 inches (1.2 m) in length (youth levels may use shorter sticks). In most box lacrosse leagues, the use of a traditional wooden stick is allowed . However, almost no lacrosse players use wooden sticks anymore, preferring aluminum or another metal, and a plastic head . In the NLL, wooden lacrosse sticks are not allowed . Besides a lacrosse stick, each player must also wear a certain amount of protective equipment, including a lacrosse helmet with facemask, lacrosse gloves, arm and shoulder pads, and back / kidney pads . Rib pads are optional in some leagues . </P>

How many players on a box lacrosse team