Icing is an important rule in hockey because there are many factors for it and it can affect gameplay. So, players, coaches and fans must understand what icing means
TABLE OF CONTENTS
– What Is Icing In Hockey?
– This History Of Icing In Hockey
– Different Types Of Icing
– Touch Icing
– No-Touch Icing
– Hybrid Icing
– Advantages And Disadvantages Of Icing
– Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
– What Is The Referee’s Signal For Icing?
– What Are The Exceptions To The Icing Rule?
Icing is a rule where the defending team shoots the puck down the length of the ice, without anyone touching it. The puck must start from anywhere within the center red line of the team’s defensive zone and be shot, regardless of intention, past the opposing team’s goal line, without anyone touching the puck. If this occurs, the linesmen will blow the whistle and the ensuing face-off will occur in the defensive zone of the offending team who iced the puck.
The rule was introduced in 1937 to eliminate the defensive tactic teams were using to maintain scoring leads. It would commonly occur when the team who had the lead was in their defensive zone and when they gained possession of the puck instead of skating or passing the puck out of their zone they would ice it down effectively eliminating any offensive pressure the other team had and reducing the time left on the clock limiting the opportunity the opposing team had to score goals. This tactic was frustrating for opposing players and fans, hence the icing rule was formed, eliminating the ‘running of the clock’ strategy because this infraction is now a whistle blown and stoppage of play, with the ensuing faceoff placed inside the infracting team’s defensive zone, so there really wouldn’t be an alleviation of pressure.
There are three types of icing in hockey.
The opposing team player (a player on the team who didn’t ice the puck) must touch the puck first after it crosses their red goal line. If a player on the team who iced the puck touches the puck first then the icing and the ensuing stoppage of play doesn’t occur and gameplay continues.
The no-touch icing rule is also known as automatic icing which means when the puck is iced and crosses the goal line, play shall be stopped.
Hybrid, as the word implies, is a happy medium between touch and no-touch icing. Hybrid icing is essentially touch icing but instead of touching the puck, it’s the first player to reach the opposing team’s faceoff dot first. So, if a player on the team who iced the puck reaches the opposing team’s faceoff dot first, icing is waived.
The National Hockey League today currently uses the hybrid icing rule.
The icing rule was created to eliminate a defensive strategy, so it’s obviously more advantageous for the opposing/attacking team, why would a team purposefully ice the puck?
To relieve pressure
Technically it doesn’t because icing effectively means the puck and gameplay never leave the defensive zone but in a way, it does relieve pressure because it forces a stoppage in play. It allows the defensive team to catch their breath and recompose themselves for the ensuing face-off.
To create an offensive opportunity
The hybrid and touch icing rules allow teams to ice the puck. On the plus side, if their teammate can reach the puck first it’s essentially an indirect pass and can lead to an offensive opportunity at the very minimum the puck is out of their team’s defensive zone greatly reducing the chances of a goal getting scored on them.
When an icing call is suspected a referee will shoot up one of their arms to the sky. If the puck crosses the goal line and the defending team doesn’t cross the face-off dot before the opposing team does they will blow their whistle ending gameplay.
If an icing is waived off, initially nothing changes, they will continue to have one arm straight up in the air but if it’s waived off the official lowers the raised arm and then extends both arms in opposite directions sideways, at shoulder-length. This means that the icing has been waived. The picture to the right demonstrates this.
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