What Is Icing the Puck?

Icing the puck creates a faceoff in your defensive zone.

Some rules in ice hockey are designed to protect the players, while others are focused on maintaining the flow of the game. Icing is the second type of rule, designed to discourage teams from simply shooting the puck down the ice when they are experiencing pressure in the defensive zone. The rule states that the player controlling the puck must cross the red center line before shooting the puck to the other team's goal line. The icing rule will not apply if the other team's goaltender handles the puck, or if the team shooting the puck is killing a penalty.

Instructions

Icing the Puck

1. Collect the puck anywhere in your team's half of the ice surface.

2. Shoot the puck toward the other end of the ice, using enough force to carry it all the way to the goal line at the other end.

3. Bank the puck off the boards, if opposing players prevent you having a clear path to shoot the puck. Try to have the puck carom off the boards at waist height, where it's difficult for opposing players to block it with a hip or their stick.

Preventing an Icing Call

1. Keep the puck on your stick until you've reached the center line, before shooting it in.

2. Shoot the puck directly on the net. If the goaltender has to play the puck, it's not considered icing.

3. Outrace the opposing players, and be the first skater to touch the puck after it crosses the opposing team's goal line. This rule applies in the NHL and some other leagues, but not in international hockey.

Tips & Warnings

• When you ice the puck, officials will whistle the play dead and bring the puck back into your defensive zone for the next faceoff. Your team will not be allowed to bring fresh players onto the ice, but the opposing team can. This gives the opposing team an advantage, and discourages icing. However, if you're being hard pressed by the opposition, icing the puck presents an opportunity to relieve the pressure and earn your players at least a brief rest.

• Under NHL rules, if a skater from the team icing the puck is the first to reach it after it crosses the other team's goal line, the icing infraction is waved off. The feeling is that watching rival players hustle after the puck makes the game more exciting. Detractors say that this headlong race to the end boards of the rink creates an unnecessary risk of injury. In international hockey, icing is called as soon as the puck crosses the goal line, and there is no need for any player to touch it. This is referred to in hockey circles as "no touch" icing.

References

• NHL Official Rules, 2011: Rule 81 -- Icing
• NHL.com: NHL-IIHF Rules Comparison, 2010
• Ice Hockey Rules: Icing