Because of the one stick, rather than two, the ball was usually carried in your hand, and the stick used only for scoring and picking up ground balls.

Anyone could be checked at any time, in any part of their body, regardless of their position relative to the ball.  Goals were scored by touching the goal pole with the stick with the ball in the stick (think of tagging a runner out in baseball).

We were told as children that the losing team was often sacrificed, though I have my doubts about that being true.  Because any type of defense was legal (including head shots, back shots, tripping), it’s easy to think that a few people were killed in any match to give the impression that the losers were sacrificed.