Ice Hockey

• The “neutral zone” - the area within the blue lines  
• The 2 net areas - “defending” and/or  “attacking” zone

Equipment:

• Puck - black, vulcanized rubber, 1" thick and 3" in diameter, weighing 5.5 - 6 oz.
• Hockey stick - made of wood or composite materials and varying in length, used by players to retrieve, control, carry, pass and shoot the puck.
• Net - cage measuring 4-feet tall and 6-feet wide, strung with nylon mesh in back. One is set at each end of the ice rink, guarded by goalies.
• Helmet and padding - designed to protect players. Goalies wear thicker/heavier pads for protection and blocking the puck, a goalie mask or special helmet and wire facemask.
• Skates - worn by players to move about on the ice.

Strategy:

The object of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team. A game begins with the face-off when the puck is dropped by the referee between two opposing forwards (face-offs are also used to restart a game after a stoppage). Just like football or basketball, players on each team must try to maneuver the puck across the ice to the opposing team’s goal to score points, while keeping the puck away from opposing players. The use of body checks by the defending teams to stop opposing players is the only real tactic that can be used. Sometimes a team's players may use icing (an infraction) as a strategy for providing a break in the action, a rest, substitutes, or a chance to plan/change tactics with a new face-off, especially when the opponents are in a good position to score..

Rules:

• Players - 2 teams, 6 players each (1 goalie, 3 forwards, 2 defensemen)
• Game - three 20-minute periods. Clock is stopped during all stoppages in play. Team with highest score wins.
• All players (except goalie) can move anywhere on the ice during gameplay
• Goalie cannot cross center red line
• Substitutions can occur at anytime, and don’t require official’s permission or stoppage in play
• Checking - player can use shoulder, hip or torso to “check” an opponent, but only if opponent has the puck. Checks to the head, or to the back if opponent is facing the boards, is illegal.
• Penalties/Infractions - can play a major role in the how games are played as they result in a team having to play shorthanded when a player is sent to the 'penalty box'; thereby, giving the other team a significant advantage in manpower on the ice and usually an excellent opportunity to score goals.
  • Examples - boarding, icing, tripping, holding, hooking, slashing, spearing, high-sticking, cross-checking, etc. The most common major penalty is fighting.