Watch any ice hockey game and play will regularly stop for icing or offside. Both lead to a faceoff, and both are about where the puck and players are relative to the lines on the ice.
Once you know the lines, the rules make sense.
Know the lines
- ▸The centre red line splits the rink in half
- ▸Two blue lines mark the edge of each team’s attacking and defending zones
- ▸Goal lines run across the rink at each end, through the goal mouths
Offside
A team is offside if an attacking player enters the opponent’s zone (crosses the blue line) before the puck does. The puck must cross the blue line first. Officials judge by the position of the player’s skates. The result is a faceoff outside the zone.
Icing
Icing happens when a player shoots the puck from their own side of the centre red line all the way across the opponent’s goal line without anyone touching it. It stops teams simply firing the puck down the ice to relieve pressure.
Icing exceptions
- ▸A team playing shorthanded because of a penalty is allowed to ice the puck
- ▸If the puck goes into the goal, it is a goal, not icing
- ▸Officials may wave it off if an opponent could have played the puck
Why icing hurts
After an icing call, the team that iced the puck cannot change players, and the faceoff takes place in their defensive zone. Tired skaters stuck on the ice are a big advantage for the opposition.
This is general sports information and commentary. Rules, schedules, and records change — check official league, federation, and event sources for the latest details. Consult a qualified coach or medical professional before starting a new training programme.