While getting into a sport can seem difficult at times, hockey is one of the easiest to understand! Once you know the two most basic rules – offside and icing – you’ll be on the way to becoming a hockey fan in no time:
| Offside | A play is offside if any attacking member crosses the defending teams’ blue line before the puck. Play will be stopped and a face-off will be held in a neutral zone outside the defending teams’ blue line. |
| Icing | If a player shoots the puck across the ice from his side of the centerline and it crosses the opponent’s goal line without being touched, this is considered icing the puck. This rule does not apply if a team is shorthanded due to a penalty, or if a goal is scored by the puck going into the opponent’s goal. |
| Face-off | A face-off is how a puck is put into play to start or continue a game after goals, penalties, or any other time when the clock would stop. |
The Rink
A hockey rink is 200′ x 85′. There are two attack zones on either end, and a neutral zone in the center.
Players
Each team can have 6 players on the ice at one time and the roster can have as many as 19 players.
| Goaltender | The goalie’s number one responsibility is to keep the opposing team from getting the puck into the goal. He seldom leaves the net to take part in any attacks at the opposing goal. |
| Defensemen | These players try to stop the incoming play at their own blue line. Their duties are to: – attempt to block shots – cover the opposing forwards – clear the puck from in front of their goal. |
| Center | The center does the following: – exchanges passes with the wings – attempts to break up a play before it gets to his teams side – moves opposing players to neutral and defensive zones |
| Wings | The wings move up and down the ice with the play and work on the attack to set up shots at the goal. |
Equipment
| The Goal | The goal net is 6′ x 4′, and curves from 1′ – 3′ to the sides and back. To score a goal, the puck must completely pass the goal line at the mouth of the goal. |
| Sticks | While each player has their preferences to their sticks, there are size limits that are enforced. Sticks must not exceed 53 inches from the end of the shaft to the heel of the blade. Blade sizes are limited to 14 1/4 inches by 3 inches. The average player uses 2 – 4 dozen sticks per season. |
| Gloves | Each finger and thumb is individually padded, and covers the wrists and forearms to protect against the puck. |
| Pants | Hockey pants have fiber padding along the front and side of the thighs and run high enough to protect the lower back and kidneys. |
| Skates | Skates are sharpened before each game, and the typical player uses up to 3 pairs per season. The toes and tendons are hard and strengthened for protection. |
| Elbow Pads | Leather covered in felt. |
| Shoulder Pads | Similar to football pads. |
| Shin Pads | Shin protection is made of fiber or plastic. |
| Goalkeeper | The goalkeeper has a wider stick at the blade and shaft. Heavier felt chest protection covers the stomach, shoulders, and abdomen. Large gloves protect the hands and are shielded on the back. Overstuffed and ribbed leg pads. |
| Puck | The puck is 3 inches in diameter, 1 inch thick and weighs between 5.5 – 6 oz. Made of vulcanized rubber, the puck is frozen for several hours before the game to prevent bounces during play. More than a dozen are used in most games. The puck can reach speeds of up to 100mph when shot. |
Officials
| Referee | Referees supervise the game and are in charge of: – Starting the game – Calling penalties – Determining Goals – Handling face-offs |
| Linesman | There are two linesmen that are in charge of: – Calling offsides – Calling icing – Handling face-offs in the neutral zone They do not call penalties, but recommend that penalties be called. |
| Goal Judge | Goal judges sit off-ice behind each net and indicate goals by turning on the red light. Referees can overturn any call made by the goal judge. |
| Scorer | The scorer determines which player scored and credits assists, if any. The scorer is the final authority in crediting points. |
Common Penalty Signals
| Boarding | Driving opposing player violently into boards with bodycheck |
| Elbowing | Using an extending elbow in a manner that may or may not cause injury |
| High Sticking | The carrying of sticks above the height of the shoulders, so that injury to the face or head results |
| Hooking | The use of the stick in tripping or otherwise impeding the progress of the opponent |
| Interference | When a player interferes or impedes the progress of an opponent without the puck |
| Holding | Holding the opponent using hands, arms, or legs |
| Tripping | Upsetting player either through means of your foot or stick |
| Cross Checking | A check or block delivered by a player with both hands on the stick and no part of the stick on the ice |
| Charging | Taking a run at an opposing player using more than three strides to build up speed |
| Wash Out | When used by the referee it means goal disallowed, by linesman it means there is no offside |
| Slashing | Striking the opposing player with a stick. |
Hockey Vocabulary
| Body Check | Using hip and shoulder to slow or stop an opponent with the puck. |
| Back Check | Attempts by forwards on their way back to the defending zone to regain the puck. |
| Fore Check | Keeping opponents at their end of the rink while attempting to regain possession of the puck. |
| Poke Check | Stabbing at the puck with the blade of the stick to take it away from the puck carrier. |
| Sweep Check | Using the entire length of the stick while laying it flat on the ice in order to take the puck away from the carrier. |
| Breakaway | The puck carrier getting in front of all opponents except goalkeeper. |
| Drop Pass | Puck carrier leaves the puck behind for a trailing teammate to pick it up. |
| Freezing the Puck | Holding the puck against the boards using sticks or skates. |
| Hat Trick | Three goals scored by one player in one game. |
| Headmanning | Passing the puck forward to a leading teammate. |
| Neutral Zone | Center ice between attacking and defending areas. |
| Penalty Box | Area off ice at red line where penalized players serve their penalties. |
| Power Play | When an opponent is shorthanded due to a penalty, the team with an advantage of having more men on the ice have a power play. |
| Slap Shot | Bringing the stick back and quickly forward, slapping the puck ahead. |
| Splitting Defense | Man with the puck goes between two defenders. |
| Stick Handling | Carrying the puck along the ice with the stick. |
| Wrist Shot | Flicking motion of the wrist to propel the puck off the blade. |