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whats icing in hockey

Icing in hockey is when a team dumps the puck from their own side of the center red line all the way down the ice, past the other team’s goal line, and no one touches it before it gets there. Play is stopped, and a faceoff happens back in the zone of the team that iced the puck, which is basically a small punishment for taking the “easy way out” instead of making a proper play.

Quick Scoop: What’s Icing in Hockey?

Think of icing as a built‑in rule that stops a team from just firing the puck down the rink every time they’re under pressure.

In simple terms:

  • A player shoots the puck from behind the center red line.
  • It crosses the center red line and then the other team’s goal line.
  • No one touches it along the way and it doesn’t go in the net.
  • Whistle blows: that’s icing.

The result:

  • Play stops.
  • The puck comes back for a faceoff in the defensive zone of the team that iced it.

Why Does Icing Exist?

The rule exists to stop teams from:

  • Constantly blasting the puck away just to escape pressure.
  • Ruining the flow of the game with endless long clears.

By making icing an infraction, the game:

  • Stays more offensive and exciting.
  • Forces teams to make controlled passes or carries instead of panic clears.

A quick example:
Your team is trapped in its own end, the other team is buzzing, and a defenseman just hammers the puck all the way down the ice. If that was allowed with no downside, teams could do it every time they got in trouble. Icing says, “You can’t just do that for free.”

What Happens After Icing?

When icing is called:

  • Play stops immediately after the puck crosses the goal line (under most modern rules).
  • A faceoff is held in your own defensive zone, giving the other team a good scoring opportunity.

In many leagues (like the NHL):

  • The team that iced the puck is not allowed to change players before the faceoff, so tired players are stuck on the ice.
  • This makes icing a risky move if your line is already exhausted.

When Icing Is Not Called

There are several common exceptions where icing is waved off:

  • If your team is shorthanded (penalty kill)
    Many leagues let a team that’s killing a penalty shoot the puck down the ice without icing.
  • If the goalie can play it or touches it
    If the puck is close enough for the goalie to play and they move toward it or touch it, icing can be waved off.
  • If the other team reaches it first (depending on the rule type)
    Under some versions of the rule, if the attacking team would clearly reach the puck first, the linesman can wave off icing and let play continue.
  • If the puck actually goes in the net
    If that long shot crosses the goal line between the posts , it’s a goal, not icing—often on an empty net.

Types of Icing Rules (Why It Looks Different in Different Games)

Different leagues use slightly different versions of the icing rule, which is why you might notice variations when you watch junior, international, or NHL games.

  • Touch icing
    • Play continues until a player from the non‑icing team touches the puck.
    • This can cause full‑speed races to the end boards and dangerous collisions.
  • No‑touch (automatic) icing
    • As soon as the puck crosses the goal line, play is blown dead, no touch needed.
    • Safer, often used in lower levels and youth hockey.
  • Hybrid icing (used in NHL and many top leagues)
    • The linesman judges who would get to the puck first at the faceoff dots.
    • If the defending player would get there first, icing is called.
    • If the attacking player would win the race, icing is waved off and play continues.
* This aims to reduce collisions but still reward hustle.

How Icing Affects Strategy

Icing is technically an “infraction,” but teams still use it as a strategic tool.

Why a team might still ice the puck:

  • To stop a dangerous attack when everyone is out of position.
  • To buy even a tiny bit of time to reset defensively.
  • As a desperation play late in a shift when players are exhausted.

Why it can backfire:

  • You’re forced into a defensive‑zone faceoff.
  • In many leagues, your tired players can’t change, while the other team can send out fresh attackers.

So icing becomes a trade‑off: short‑term relief vs. giving the other team a set offensive chance.

Very Short Version (TL;DR)

  • Icing = shooting the puck from your own side of center all the way past the other team’s goal line with no one touching it.
  • Result = whistle, faceoff back in your own zone, often with your tired players stuck on the ice.
  • Purpose = stop teams from endlessly dumping the puck down the ice to escape pressure and keep the game more skill‑based and attacking.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.