Ice Hockey Rules: A Beginner’s Guide
Welcome to the thrilling world of ice hockey! This guide will help you understand the basic rules of the game, the flow of play, and how penalties are signaled.
The Objective
The goal of ice hockey is simple: score more goals than your opponent by shooting the puck into their net.
Game Structure
An ice hockey game is divided into three periods, each 20 minutes long of stop-time play. This means the clock stops whenever the whistle blows, ensuring a full 60 minutes of action. There are intervals between each period, allowing players to rest and strategize.
Overtime and Points
If the game is level at the end of the three periods, the excitement continues with an overtime period. This is played under 3-on-3 sudden death rules, meaning the first team to score wins the game.
Points are awarded as follows:
- Winning the game (in regulation or overtime) earns 2 points.
- Losing in overtime earns 1 point.
Key Rules and Concepts
- The Puck: A hard, vulcanized rubber disc, 3 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick.
- The Rink: The playing surface is an ice rink, typically 200 feet long and 85 feet wide, with rounded corners.
- Lines:
- Goal Lines: Red lines at each end of the rink where the nets are located.
- Blue Lines: Two blue lines, 60 feet from each goal line, divide the rink into three zones: the attacking zone, the neutral zone, and the defensive zone.
- Center Red Line: Divides the rink in half.
- Offsides: A player is offside if they enter the offensive zone before the puck. This results in a face-off in the neutral zone.
- Icing: Touch icing is used in this league. This means if a player shoots the puck from behind their own red line all the way down to the opposing team’s goal line, it’s an icing infraction. Play is stopped, and the face-off occurs in the defensive zone of the team that iced the puck, unless an opposing player touches the puck first, in which case the icing is waived off.
- Penalties: Infractions of the rules result in penalties, typically leading to the offending player spending time in the penalty box. Common penalties include:
- Minor Penalty (2 minutes): For less severe infractions like tripping, hooking, holding, or roughing.
- Major Penalty (5 minutes): For more severe infractions, often involving intent to injure, such as fighting or checking from behind.
- Game Misconduct (Ejection): For serious offenses, resulting in the player being ejected from the game.
- Power Play: When one team has a player in the penalty box, the other team has a numerical advantage on the ice, known as a power play. This is a prime scoring opportunity.
- Shorthanded: The team with a player in the penalty box is said to be shorthanded.
Referee Signals
Referees use a series of hand signals to communicate penalties and stoppages in play. Here are some of the most common signals you’ll see:
| Signal Name | Description There are some key concepts to understand regarding how the play works and the ways a referee signals different occurrences in the game.
Key Rules & Concepts
- The Puck: A 3-inch (7.62 cm) diameter, 1-inch (2.54 cm) thick vulcanized rubber disc.
- The Rink: An ice rink, typically 200 feet (60.96 m) long by 85 feet (25.91 m) wide, with rounded corners.
- Lines:
- Goal Lines: The red lines at each end of the rink, where the nets are placed.
- Blue Lines: Two blue lines, 60 feet (18.29 m) from each goal line, divide the rink into three zones: the attacking zone, the neutral zone, and the defensive zone.
- Center Red Line: Divides the rink in half.
- Offsides: A player is offside if they enter the offensive zone before the puck. This results in a face-off in the neutral zone.
- Icing: Touch icing is in effect. This means if a player shoots the puck from behind their own red line all the way down to the opposing team’s goal line, play is stopped and the face-off occurs in the defensive zone of the team that iced the puck. However, if an opposing player touches the puck first, the icing is waived off.
- Penalties: Infractions of the rules lead to penalties, typically resulting in the offending player spending time in the penalty box. Common penalties include:
- Minor Penalty (2 minutes): For less severe infractions like tripping, hooking, holding, or roughing.
- Major Penalty (5 minutes): For more severe infractions, often involving intent to injure, such as fighting or checking from behind.
- Game Misconduct (Ejection): For serious offenses, resulting in the player being ejected from the game.
- Power Play: When one team has a player in the penalty box, the other team has a numerical advantage on the ice, known as a power play. This is a prime scoring opportunity.
- Shorthanded: The team with a player in the penalty box is said to be shorthanded.
Referee Signals
Referees use a series of distinct hand signals to communicate penalties and stoppages in play to the players, coaches, and fans. Here are some of the key signals you’ll encounter during a game:
Signal Name | Description |
Icing | The referee points to the far goal line with one arm and then sweeps the arm across the body. |
Offside | The referee points to the blue line with one arm outstretched and holds the other arm bent at the elbow. |
Washout/No Goal | The referee waves both arms horizontally in front of the body. Also used to indicate “no goal.” |
Tripping | The referee extends one arm forward and sweeps it down across the ankle. |
Hooking | The referee makes a pulling motion with both arms, as if pulling a stick towards their body. |
Holding | The referee grasps one wrist with the other hand in front of the chest. |
Slashing | The referee makes a chopping motion with one hand against the opposite forearm. |
Interference | The referee crosses arms in front of the chest with clenched fists. |
Charging | The referee rotates a clenched fist in front of the chest. |
Elbowing | The referee taps one elbow with the opposite hand. |
Kneeing | The referee taps one knee with the hand. |
Cross-Checking | The referee extends both arms out from the chest, parallel to each other, with clenched fists. |
High-Sticking | The referee raises both hands above the head, as if holding a stick. |
Delaying the Game | The referee extends one arm forward and then sweeps it in a circle around the body. |
Too Many Men on the Ice | The referee holds up 6 fingers. |
Roughing/Fighting | The referee clenches one fist and makes a forward and backward motion at arm’s length. |
Game Misconduct | The referee points with both hands to the dressing room. |
Understanding these rules and signals will greatly enhance your enjoyment of ice hockey, whether you’re watching from the stands or following the game online!