The Hockey Icing Rule – What You Need to Know

The Hockey icing rule is one of the most misunderstood and controversial rules in hockey. In this blog post, we will take a deep dive into what the rule is, why it exists, and how it is enforced.

What is the Hockey icing rule?

In hockey, icing is when a player on his team’s side of the red line shoots the puck all the way down the ice and it crosses the opposing team’s goal line It does not matter if another player on either team touches the puck before it crosses the goal line or if it goes in off the crossbar or post, icing is still called. Icing is considered a dangerous play because it can lead to serious injuries. Players can be hit in the head or neck by an opponent’s skate or stick while they are trying to reach the puck.

How does the rule benefit the game?

The Hockey icing rule is designed to benefit the game of hockey by preventing team s from being able to “dump” the puck down the ice in order to wast time and protect a lead. Icing is when a player on his own team’s side of the red line shoots the puck all the way down the ice and it goes over the opposing team’s goal line.

What are some common misconceptions about the rule?

One common misconceptions is that the rule was written to protect players from getting hurt by being sent flying into the boards when an opposing player tried to clear the puck down the length of the rink. In actuality, the rule was put in place to keep the game fair by allowing both team’s offense a chance to set up before the puck is cleared. If a team is able to clear the puck all the way down the rink without being stopped, they would automatically have an advantage over the other team.

Another misconception about icing is that it only occurs when a team shooting the puck from their own half of the rink and it goes all the way down and across the red line at Center Ice In fact, icing can be called even if the puck is shot from behind an opponent’s net as long as it crosses over two red lines before being touched by another player. This includes if a team shooting goalie sends it all down him and it goes in front of his own net and then over center ice.

How did the rule come to be?

In order to prevent team’s from icing the puck excessively, the NHL implemented a rule change prior to the start of the 1937-1938 season. The new rule stated that if a team iced the puck, the resulting face-off would take place in that team’s defensive zone.

The thought process behind the rule was that it would encourage teams to keep the puck in their offensive zone leading to more scoring opportunities and a more exciting product on the ice.

While today’s version of the Icing rule has undergone several changes since it was first introduced, the basic premise remains the same – to keep teams from “wasting time” by icing the puck and to encourage offensive play.

What are the consequences of icing in hockey?

In hockey, icing is when a player illegally shoots the puck across the opposing team’s goal line. If the puck is shot and it crosses the goal line, icing is called. Icing results in a face-off in the defensive zone of the team that committed the infraction. In some leagues, if a team ices the puck multiple times in a game, they are given a penalty.

How can players avoid icing?

In order for a team to avoid being called for icing, one of their players must touch the puck before it crosses the goal line. Icing is only called if the puck is shot from behind the center red line, and no player on either team touches it before it crosses the goal line. If the puck is touched by a defending player before it crosses the goal line, there is no icing.

What are some common strategies used to take advantage of the icing rule?

Under current NHL rules, if a team commits an icing infraction, the opposing team is awarded possession of the puck. This can be a huge advantage, especially late in the game when one team is trying to protect a lead. There are several strategies that teams use to take advantage of this rule:

1) The Dump and Chase: This is probably the most common strategy used to take advantage of icing. The team with the puck simply dumps it into the other team’s zone and then chases after it. This can be an effective way to keep the other team pinned in their own zone and away from your goal.

2) The Overload: This strategy is used when one team has already established control of the puck in the offensive zone The other team will send players deep into their own zone to prevent an icing call This can create an odd-man situation for the attacking team if they can keep control of the puck.

3) The Face-off Play: If a team is losing late in the game, they may elect to ice the puck on purpose in order to stop the clock and give themselves a chance to regroup. This strategy can backfire though if the other team wins the ensuing face-off and scores quickly.

4) The Empty Netter: If a team has pulled their goalie late in a game, they will often try to ice the puck so that they can make a line change and get fresh players on the ice. This can be a risky play because if you don’t win the ensuing face-off, you could be giving up an easy Empty Net Goal

How do officials enforce the rule?

There are two types of icing – automatic and hybrid. Automatic icing is when the puck is shot from behind the center line, across the opposing team’s goal line, and no one touches it before it goes out of play. The faceoff will take place at the end of the ice where the puck went out of play. If an official blows his whistle before the puck crosses the goal line, the icing is negated.

Hybrid icing leaves it up to the officials to determine whether to whistles the play dead for an icing or not. This type of icing is used in college and international hockey as well as in the American Hockey League (AHL). In hybrid icing, if an offensive player is able to touch the puck before it crosses the goal line, then there is no icing. However, if a Defensive Player gets to the puck first or if there is no definitive touch on the puck by either team, then it is up to the linesman’s discretion whether to call an icing or not.

What are the challenges of enforcing the rule?

Icings are a judgment call by the linesman. They must determine if the defending team has had a realistic chance to play the puck If they rule it was icing, the offending team will not be able to make any substitutions for the following faceoff, which usually takes place in their own defensive zone. This can put them at a disadvantage if they were already short-handed or if their players are tired.

There are challenges of enforcing the rule though. First, as we just mentioned, it’s a judgment call by the linesman. They have to decide if the defending team had a realistic chance to play the puck. And even if they think so, sometimes the puck takes funny hops or ricochets in a way that makes it hard to judge. Second, because it’s such a close call, sometimes coaches will intentionally ice the puck to give their players a break or to try and slow down the momentum of the other team. You see this strategy used more often when a team is leading late in the game and is trying to hang on to their lead.

Are there any proposed changes to the rule?

The NHL Board of Governors recently approved a change to the icing rule, effective for the 2015-16 season. The new rule states that a team will not be able to ice the puck if they have possession of the puck in their own defensive zone. This is a change from the previous rule, which allowed teams to ice the puck as long as they were behind the red line.

The change is designed to help prevent injuries as it will eliminate the need for players to chase the puck into the corner after an icing call. It will also help keep the flow of the game going, as there will no longer be a need for a face-off after an icing call.

There has been some criticism of the new rule, as it could lead to more stoppages in play and less action overall. However, it is still too early to tell how exactly this will play out once the season gets underway.