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Hockey: Rules
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Most of Hockey rules can be divided up into three sections
1) Icing
2) Offside
3) Penalties
Source: US Air Force
1) Icing in Hockey
The rule of icing is key to hockey play. The rule is intended to keep defending teams from just smacking the puck to the other end of the rink every time they were pressured by the offense. This would make it even more difficult to score and would also make the game a bit boring.
Icing is called when a player his the puck across the red line towards the attack zone and:
- The puck is not aimed at the net.
- The puck must get all the way to the other end of the rink without a defender being able to touching it. This is up to the linesmen to determine.
- If an offensive player touches the puck before or just after it hits the other end of the rink, there is no icing.
- Icing is not called on the short handed team during a power play.
If icing is called then the puck comes all the way back to the defensive zone for a face-off.
2) Offside in Hockey
When moving the puck into the attack zone, the puck must enter the zone before any offensive player or offside is called. This means that any time the puck leaves the offensive zone all the offensive players have to come back over the blue line and then get the puck back into the offensive zone before they enter it. If you are ever watching a hockey game and wondering "why are those guys are skating back and why is that guy skating parallel to the blue line instead of attacking?". Well, now you know.
There is also offside for a two-line pass. This is where a pass is made from the defensive zone over the blue line and the red line before it's touched by another offensive player.
3) Hockey Penalties
As in many sports, there are many possible penalties in ice hockey. Unlike many others sports, the hockey player committing the penalty may have to go to the penalty box for a length of time and his team will have to play short-handed. This is called a power play for the other team and is a great scoring opportunity.
Some hockey penalties include:
Boarding - A violent check of a hockey player when they are facing the boards. They get smashed up against the boards and can get injured.
Cross-checking - checking another player with your hockey stick held in front of your body in both hands.
Elbowing - That's right no elbows. Use your shoulders!
High Sticking - hitting another hockey player above the shoulder with the stick.
Holding - grabbing another player or another player's hockey stick.
Hooking - using the hockey stick or blade to hold up another players progress.
Tripping - That's right you can't trip or you go to the penalty box.
Other hockey rules surround the crease or area around the goal. Players must not interfere with the goaltender inside the crease.
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More Hockey Links:
Hockey Play
Hockey Rules
Hockey Strategy
Hockey Glossary
National Hockey League NHL
List of NHL Teams
Hockey Biographies:
Wayne Gretzky
Sidney Crosby
Alex Ovechkin
