The Hockey Lowdown: Understanding the Fundamental Rules

Hello Hockey Families!

Delve into the nitty-gritty of hockey rules that govern the fast-paced game your young athlete loves.

Game Basics

Hockey involves two teams striving to score by directing a puck into the opponent's net using their sticks. Two key rules of gameplay are 'icing' and 'offside'. 'Icing' bounds a player from shooting the puck across an imaginary line that crosses the rink - unless they are on the defensive side of the center line. 'Offside' is called if any part of an attacking player's body crosses into the attacking zone before the puck does.

Components of a Penalty

There are several violations that can result in a player spending time in the penalty box:

Tripping: A player causes an opponent to fall using their body or stick.

Hooking: A player impedes an opponent's movement using their stick.

Holding: A player grabs and holds onto an opponent or their clothing.

These, along with other violations like boarding, high sticking, elbowing, and roughing, keep the game safe and fair.

Stopping Play and Puck Drops

Referees or linesmen can stop play for several reasons such as the puck leaving the rink, a player injury, a goal, icing, or violations leading to penalties. After stopping a play, a puck drop, known as a face-off, restarts the game.

The location of the face-off depends on why the play was stopped. If a team commits an offence, the face-off usually happens in one of the two face-off circles in their defensive zone. If the puck leaves the playing area, the face-off occurs in the closest face-off spot. In cases of penalties or goals, the puck is often dropped at the center-ice face-off spot.

Body Checking

Each league has a specific age when body checking becomes permissible - usually at the Bantam age group (13-14 years). Body checking adds physicality to the game but needs to be taught and executed responsibly and safely.

League-Specific Rules

It's important to note that the application of these rules can vary by league and region. Hence, checking with your local Minor Hockey Association can provide clear guidelines specific to your player's league.

Understanding the rules will surely enhance your experience as a hockey parent and make the game more engaging and enjoyable to watch. So, keep learning, and enjoy every moment at the rink cheering for your young player.

Erin @ My Hockey Store.