The Rules of Ice Hockey

What is ice hockey?

Ice hockey is a fast team sport played on an ice rink. Two teams wear skates and use curved sticks to control a hard rubber disc called a puck. The aim is simple: shoot the puck into the other team's net more times than they shoot it into yours. 🏒

Each team usually has six players on the ice: three forwards (who attack), two defenders (who protect their goal), and a goaltender (the goalie) who guards the net.

Why the rules exist

Ice hockey is fast and the puck is hard, so the rules are designed to keep the game fair and safe. Two of the most important rules — offside and icing — stop teams from cheating by camping near the goal or wasting time.

Offside

The rink is split into three zones by two blue lines. The offside rule says:

You may not cross the blue line into your attacking zone before the puck does.

This stops attackers from waiting next to the goal for a long pass. If a player is offside, the referee blows the whistle and play restarts with a faceoff, where two players battle for the dropped puck.

Icing

Icing happens when a player shoots the puck from behind the centre line all the way past the far goal line without anyone touching it. It is called to stop a losing team from simply hitting the puck away to waste time. When icing is called, the faceoff goes back to the offending team's own zone — a disadvantage for them.

Scoring a goal

A goal counts when the whole puck crosses the goal line between the posts and under the bar. The puck must be played with the stick — you cannot kick it in or throw it in with your hand.

Penalties and the penalty box

Hockey allows some hard play, but many actions are against the rules, such as:

• Tripping or hooking an opponent with your stick
• High-sticking (raising the stick above the shoulders)
• Slashing, holding, or dangerous body checks

When you break a rule, you are sent to the penalty box, usually for two minutes. Your team must play a player short during that time, which is called a power play for the other team.

Key skills

• Skating — the most important skill. You must skate forwards, backwards, turn and stop quickly.
• Stickhandling — moving the puck side to side with the stick while you skate.
• Passing — sliding the puck flat along the ice to a teammate.
• Shooting — using a wrist shot or slap shot to send the puck at the goal.

Safety first

The ice is hard and the puck flies fast, so protective gear is not optional. Players wear a helmet with a cage or visor, a mouthguard, gloves, shoulder pads, elbow pads, shin guards and padded trousers. Goalies wear even more padding. Always play under the supervision of a coach or trained adult, and learn to fall safely.

Practice activity: the cone weave

Set up four or five cones in a line, about two metres apart. Skate slowly between them while pushing the puck from side to side with your stick. Keep your head up so you can see ahead, not down at the puck. As you improve, move the cones closer together and go faster. This builds skating balance and stickhandling at the same time.

Now you know the rules

You understand goals, offside, icing, penalties and the gear that keeps you safe. Lace up your skates, find a rink with a coach, and start with skating before you worry about scoring.

For more team sports, read The Rules of Hockey or learn about working together in Teamwork and Sportsmanship.