Icing in Hockey: Everything You Need to Know
Contents
Icing is when a player shoots the puck across the red line and into the opposing team’s zone. It is often used to relieve pressure on a team’s defense.
Introduction
Hockey is a sport that is played on ice with two teams of skaters using sticks to direct a puck into the other team’s net. The object of the game is to score goals by shooting the puck into the other team’s net.
Icing in hockey is when a player shoots the puck across two red lines, from his own half of the rink into the opposing team’s end, and the puck is not stopped before it crosses the goal line If the puck goes out of play, or if it hits the goaltender or net, then it is not considered icing. Icing is whistled dead and a faceoff is held in one of the faceoff circles in the offending team’s zone.
What is Icing in Hockey?
Icing is a rule in hockey that is designed to limit bench-switching and prevent teams from making defensive zone clearings too easy. When a team ices the puck, the opposing team is awarded possession of the puck at Center Ice Icing can only be called if the puck is cleared all the way down the ice and past the red line (into the attacking zone) without being touched by another player. If it is touched by another player before it crosses the red line, icing is not called.
Icing in the NHL
In the National Hockey League (NHL), icing is when a team shoots the puck across the red line and white dashed center line and it is first touched by a player of the other team in their own defensive zone. It is not icing if the puck enters the attacking zone before being touched, if it is touched by a member of the defending team first, or if it goes out of play. Icing also results in a stoppage of play and face-off in the defensive zone of the team that iced the puck.
International Icing Rules
In recent years the international rules for icing have been revised to try and make the game more fair and safe. Here’s a quick rundown of the new rules:
-The offending team is not allowed to make any substitutions after an icing is called, even if they have a Power play
-The faceoff must take place at one of the faceoff dots in the offending team’s defensive zone.
-If the puck goes out of bounds, the faceoff will be in the same spot.
-The linesmen will drop the puck immediately after all players are lined up correctly.
-The defending team must verified control of the puck before it can be cleared out of their zone.
Icing in Junior Hockey
Junior hockey is a level of competitive Ice Hockey generally for players between the ages of 16 and 21. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered to be amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each country.
Icing is when a player shoots the puck from his own half of the ice, across the red line and over the opposing team’s goal line It is not icing if the puck goes out of play before crossing the goal line, if the puck is shot by a defenseman and goes in off an opposing player, or if a team is on a power play Icing is also not called if a team is already down by two goals, since in that case it would result in a faceoff in the offending team’s zone.
When icing occurs, play is stopped and a faceoff takes place at one of the faceoff dots in the offending team’s zone. Icing can be used as a strategy to relieve pressure on a team that is being forechecked heavily, or to try to create a turnover in the other team’s zone. It can also be used as a way to slow down the game when a team is leading late in the third period.
Icing in College Hockey
In college hockey icing is called when a team shoots the puck from behind the center line into the other team’s defensive zone, and the puck is not touched before it crosses the goal line. The purpose of icing is to relieve pressure on the defensive team by allowing them to make a line change and rest their players. Icing is not allowed in professional hockey but is still used in college and amateur games.
When icing occurs, play is stopped and the face-off takes place at one of the end zones. If the team that iced the puck ends up winning the face-off, they are not allowed to make a line change. Icing can be called even if the puck goes out of bounds before it crosses the goal line, as long as it was shot from behind the center line. If a team ices the puck more than once in a row, they are given a penalty.
Icing in High School Hockey
In high school hockey icing is called when the puck is shot from behind the center red line, past the opposing team’s red line and is then touched by any member of the defending team before it crosses the goal line. Once icing is called, play is stopped and the face-off will take place in the defending zone of the team that iced the puck.
Icing in Recreational Hockey
Inice is when a team shoots the puck all the way down the rink and it crosses the red line at the opposing team’s end of the rink, and is first touched by a player on the opposing team other than the goalkeeper. When this happens, play is whistled dead and a faceoff occurs at one of the faceoff dots in the defending zone of the team that iced the puck.
Icing can happen intentionally or unintentionally. Intentional icing is when a team shoots the puck down the rink to relieve pressure from their own defensive zone, or to run out the clock if they are winning late in a game. Unintentional icing is when a team attempts to make a pass up ice, but it’s intercepted by an opposing player or goes too far.
If an icing call is made and the puck goes out of bounds, or is touched by anyone other than the goaltender before it crosses completely over the goal line, then play will resume.
In recreational hockey, icing is used as a strategy to change up possession and give teams an opportunity to rest on defense. It can also be used as a way to get rid of bad ice in front of your own net. However, some leagues do not allow intentional icing, so be sure to check with your league rules before using this strategy.
Icing in Women’s Hockey
In women’s hockey, icing is used to keep the game fair and prevent one team from having an advantage. It is also used to prevent injuries as players can gettripped up or slide into the boards while chasing the puck. Icing is called when the puck crosses the red line at the far end of the rink and is then shot back down the ice by a player on either team. If it crosses the goal line without being touched by anyone, icing is called. If it is touched by a player before crossing the goal line, no icing is called.
There are two types of icing in women’s hockey: touch and no-touch. Touch icing occurs when a player on the defending team touches the puck before it crosses the red line. No-touch icing occurs when the puck crosses the red line and is then shot down the ice without being touched by a player on either team. If there is any doubt as to whether or not icing should be called, touch icing will be called.
Icing can be waived off if the team that iced the puck gains an advantage from it, such as if they are able to clear the puck out of their zone before the other team can touch it. Icing can also be waived off if it would be unsafe for play to continue, such as if there is a player down on one knee or both knees in front of their own net.
Icing in Street Hockey
Icing is when a player throws or hits the puck from behind the red center line all the way down the ice and over the opposing team’s goal line. It is not icing if the puck hits the boards or goes out of play before it crosses the goal line. Icing is also not called if a defenseman on the team icing the puck touches it first, or if a player on the team that iced the puck is able to touch it before an opposing player. When icing occurs, play is stopped and a face off takes place in one of the face off circles in the defensive zone of the team that iced the puck.
