ICE HOCKEY
The rink is divided into three parts: two blue lines and one red line. The blue lines divide the surface into offensive and
defensive portions. The red line divides the surface into two equal parts and is used to determine icing, which is a
stoppage of play that occurs when a team sends the puck down the length of the ice from its side of the red line. The
neutral zone is the area between the two blue lines that includes the centre line.
LD = Left Defense RD = Right Defense C = Centre LW = Left Wing RW = Right Wing
PENALTIES:
TYPE OF MINUTES EXAMPLES
PENALTY
Holding, hooking, interference, tripping, delay of game, high-sticking,
2 min charging, slashing, elbowing, roughing, cross-checking, grasping the face
MINOR mask, checking from behind, playing with illegal equipment, and abusing the
official.
Cross-checking, boarding, elbowing, kneeing, slashing, fighting, checking
MAJOR 5 min after a whistle, checking from behind, spearing, butt-ending, attempting to
injure.
General – 10min Most of the major penalties above come with a misconduct, also: not
MISCONDUCT Game – rest of game surrendering a stick for measurement, abusing official, mouthguard violation,
Gross -suspension leaving bench during an altercation, and striking, attempting to injure,
touching or holding a game official.
MATCH Suspension Attempting to injure opponent, deliberately injuring opponent, swinging stick
at opponent, and taped hand cutting opponent in altercation.
A goal can be awarded Deliberate illegal substitution, goalkeeper deliberately displaces goal,
instead if, in the eyes deliberate removal of goalkeeper’s helmet/mask, player falling on puck in
PENALTY SHOT of the official, the puck crease, throwing stick at puck in defensive end, and illegal entry into game
would have gone in the on a breakaway.
net.
GOALKEEPER’S Wearing or playing with illegal equipment, leaving the crease during an
PENALTY 2 min altercation, participating in play across centre line, intentionally delaying the
game.
Hockey Terms to Know
attempt to injure (deliberate injury)—An infraction resulting from a player or team official attempting to hit
an opposing player, team official, or game official with the intent to cause injury.
back-checking—-Attempts by forwards after losing possession of the puck/ball to slow or stop opponents’
offensive attack.
boarding—An infraction resulting from a player checking an opponent violently into the boards. At the
discretion of the referee, players shall be penalized, based upon the degree of violence of the impact with
the boards, if they body check, cross-check, elbow, charge, or trip an opponent in a manner that causes
the opponent to be thrown violently into the boards.
body checking—Intentional use of the body or part of the body to hinder an opponent. Body checking is
prohibited in ice hockey for boys 10 years and younger, all girls and women classifications.
breakaway—A scoring opportunity that exists when players with full control of the puck have no opposing
players between themselves and the opposing goal.
butt-ending—An infraction resulting from a player using the shaft of the stick above the upper hand to jab
or attempt to jab an opposing player.
captain—A player, other than a goalkeeper, selected to represent the team with the officials.
charging—Taking more than two steps or strides to make contact with an opposing player.
creases—An enclosed space designated for the goalkeeper’s protection and the referee’s use. The lines
which designate this space are considered part of the crease.
cross-checking—An infraction resulting from a player, holding the stick with both hands, checking an
opponent by using the shaft of the stick with no part of the stick on the surface.
deke—A fake accomplished by moving the puck or part of the body to one side, then moving in the opposite
direction.
delayed offsides—A situation arising when an attacking player has preceded the puck across the attacking
blue line, but the defending team has gained possession of the puck and is in position to bring it out of the
defending zone without delay or contact with an attacking player.
dribbling—Another term for handling the puck.
elbowing—An infraction resulting from a player using the elbow in any way to foul the opponent.
face-off—The action of the referee dropping the puck between the sticks of two opposing players to start or
resume play. A faceoff begins when the referee indicates location of the face-off and ends when the puck
has been legally dropped.
forwards—A collective term for the center and wingers, who have the primary offensive objective of scoring
a goal.
game disqualification—The result of a serious infraction in which a player is ejected from a game. This
player must leave the area of the player’s bench and may in no way direct, coach, or assist the
team in any manner for the remainder of the game.
game suspension—The result of a serious infraction in which a player, coach, or manager is ineligible to
participate in the next scheduled game.
high-sticking—An infraction resulting from a player carrying any part of the stick above the normal height
of the waist.
holding—An infraction resulting from a player impeding the progress of an opponent.
hooking—An infraction resulting from a player using the stick blade in a pulling or tugging motion to impede
the progress of an opponent.
icing—A stoppage of play that occurs when a team sends the puck down the length of the ice from its side
of the red line.
kicking—An infraction resulting from a player deliberately using~ the skate(s) with a kicking motion to
contact an opponent, with no intent to play the puck/ball.
kneeing—An infraction resulting from a player using the knee in any way to foul the opponent.
minor official—Officials appointed to assist the on-surface officials in conducting the game,
including scorer, game timekeeper, penalty timekeeper, and goal judges.
offsides—An infraction resulting from players of an attacking team preceding the puck/ball into the
attacking zone.
on-surface officials—Referees.
penalty—The result of an infraction of the playing rules by a player or team official.
penalty-killing unit—A group of players brought in to defend against a power play.
players—Members of the team physically participating in a game. The goalkeeper is considered a player
unless rules specify otherwise.
poke checking—A sudden move goalkeepers make with the stick to contact the puck with the stick blade.
possession—The state of a player other than a goalkeeper who has most recently come in contact with the
puck.
power play—A situation in which one team gains a numerical player advantage, usually following a penalty.
power-play goal—A goal scored while the opponent is skating a player down for a minor penalty.
protective equipment—Equipment worn by a player for the sole purpose of protecting against injury.
shorthanded—A condition in which a team is below the numerical strength of its opponent on the surface.
slashing—An infraction resulting from a player hitting an opponent with the stick while holding the stick with
one or both hands. A player who swings the stick at an opponent without making contact is still guilty of
slashing.
spearing—An infraction resulting from a player poking or attempting to poke an opponent with the toe of
the stick blade while holding the stick with one or both hands.
stick checking—A technique involving players’ use of the stick or blade to poke or strike an opponent’s
stick blade or a puck in an opponent’s possession.
team officials—Managers and support personnel, such as team manager, coach, assistant coach, trainer,
equipment manager, and statistician.