1. Red Line Rules
Icing occurs when a hockey player dumps the puck from the defensive side of the blue line and into the opponent’s zone. The puck must pass at least two red lines on the ice to qualify as icing with the opposition’s goal line being the last. In addition, a player from the other team, other than the goalie, must touch the puck after it crosses the goal line. If a player from your team or the opposing goalie touches the puck, the referee will wave off the icing. Finally, in some leagues they play “No touch icing” rules. Under this hockey rule, all other icing rules are the same except no player has to touch the puck for it to be icing.
2. Result of Icing
The result of an icing call is that the ref then brings the puck back for a face-off in the defending zone on the opposite end of the ice on which the icing call occurred. The puck is set up in the face area nearest the place the puck was first shot to begin the icing. There are four possible face-off zones on the ice, one to each side of both goals. They are usually red circles with dots placed in the middle.
3. Pros and Cons
The disadvantage to icing is obviously that you have to bring the puck back near your own goal for a face-off. There is an advantage to the icing call, though. If a hockey shift is tired, a coach will often call for a player to ice the puck so that the team can change the shifts and rotate in new and fresh players. However, the National Hockey League ended this advantage by not allowing the offending team to substitute. Most other leagues still allow the line switch on the icing.
4. Watch the Ref
To know if the icing is possible you need to watch the referees on the ice. When the back referee sees the potential for an icing call, he or she will raise the non-whistle hand straight up in the air. The front referee will raise the non-whistle hand to signal that the icing call is official and the puck is dead. However, if the referee chooses to waive off the call he will extend the arms straight from the shoulders and form a tee to make this call.
5. Exceptions to Rule
There are exceptions to the icing rule. If a team is playing shorthanded, meaning they had a penalty called against them, then the referee will wave off the icing. The referee can also cancel the icing call if she believes the opposing players other than the goalie could have gotten the puck but choose not to do so. This is purely a judgment call on the referee’s part.
About this Author
Kelley Keith has been an avid runner and hiker for twenty years, a fitness trainer and a staunch advocate for healthy living. He lives in San Marcos, Texas and hits the trails and tracks of the hill country as often as possible. Keith is a freelance writer dedicated to exploring the benefits of healthy living.
