When was a puck first used instead of a ball in an ice hockey game?

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ice hockey Goalie Marc-André Fleury of the Vegas Golden Knights blocking a shot by Jakub Vrána of the Washington Capitals in game five of the 2018 Stanley Cup finals. The Capitals won the game and the series.

The first recorded use of a puck instead of a ball in an ice hockey game occurred in 1860 at Kingston Harbour, Ontario, Canada.12

While early versions of the game were played with balls, the transition to a flat object was motivated by safety concerns. A report from 1875 noted that a flat block of wood was used in place of a ball to prevent it from rising off the ice and striking spectators. Over time, this equipment evolved into the modern puck, which is now made of vulcanized rubber.34