A Beginner's Guide To Playing Ice Hockey

So, you're thinking of playing i of the most exhilarating, thrilling sports on the planet? What a fantastic idea!

Whether you're taking a leap into a new hobby at your local rink/university, or y'all're a parent of a kid who wants to join - we're here to show you everything you need to know to start playing water ice hockey.

Why get-go playing water ice hockey?

For adults taking the plunge, strapping blades to your feet and inbound the ice is an adrenaline-fuelled feeling, it will go on you fit and it'south great for your mental wellbeing.

For children, non simply is it fun and the perfect social activity, it will provide them with life-long skills; confidence, teamwork, advice and decision-making abilities.

What are the main rules and structure of the game?

Hockey at its core is a very simple game. Yous skate, you pass, you shoot and yous score. Before jumping onto the water ice, it'southward worth getting to know a few nuts of the game.

Objective

  • The objective is to score more goals than the opposing team.
  • A goal counts equally ane on the scoreboard (just like football/soccer).

Players

There are 6 players per team on the ice at ane time (including the goalie).

The game allows unlimited substitutions from the bench during stoppages and play.

There are six dissimilar positions:

  • Goalie - Their job is to preclude the ice hockey puck from inbound their net.
  • Defense players (left &amp right) - They are tasked with stopping the opposing forwards when their squad does non have possession of the puck, and providing offensive support when the team does take possession.
  • Forward – centre - Responsible for taking faceoffs (the way play starts and restarts after a goal) to regain possession and roofing the center of the ice at both ends of the rink.
  • Forrard – left &amp right wing - The wingers are responsible for play along the sides of the rink. They take some defensive responsibilities, but are primarily relied upon equally goal scorers.

A goal tin be scored by anyone on the ice, including the goalie, but this is still a rarity.

The bones rules

  • Offside - Play is declared 'offside' when an attacking player enters into the offensive zone before the puck does. Both skates over the blue line would count as 'entering'.
  • Icing - When a team shoots the puck from their own side of the centre red line and across the opposition's goal line. There is one exception though - when a team is brusk-handed due to a punishment, icing is legal.
  • Faceoffs - Each play begins with a faceoff and ends when a goal is scored, or the referee blows the whistle.

Penalties

Penalties are how players go in trouble with their sticks and bodies. Players will serve their penalties in the penalty box (sin bin).

A minor punishment is two minutes in length. Major penalties and misconducts are for more serious offences and can be for 5 minutes, ten minutes or a full match.

Whilst a penalty is beingness served, the opposing team receives a human advantage chosen a 'ability play'. A ability play lasts for the duration of the penalty. In the case of small penalties, the ability play will end early if the team with the man advantage scores a goal.

Penalties can exist for stick fouls such equally, high sticking, hooking and tripping.

Penalties are also for body fouls, including holding and roughing.

Here'south a few penalties to avoid:

  • Roughing – hitting an opponent with a hand or fist.
  • Hooking – obstructing progressive play by 'hooking' an opposing actor with your stick.
  • High sticking – playing with your stick above shoulder acme or the goal cross bar.
  • Tripping – using trunk parts or your stick to cause an opposing role player to fall over.
  • Interference – obstructing a histrion not in possession of the puck.
  • Spearing – stabbing at an opponent with your stick (regardless whether this makes contact or not).
  • Charging – jumping or taking over three strides to violently hit a histrion and separate them from the puck.
  • Holding – grabbing an opponent to concur them dorsum.
  • Fighting – partaking in a physical altercation. Often when punches are thrown.

Do I already need to be able to ice skate?

If you can't already skate, this shouldn't stop you taking up hockey - it's just a hurdle to overcome.

Start by going to open up ice skating sessions at a nearby rink, followed by skating lessons if you feel you need them. Our local is Ice Sheffield but they're everywhere, and then bank check out where yours is.

Additionally, accept a wait at YouTube videos, for example Vinnie Langdon's: How To Hockey Ice Skate for Beginners!

What should I expect from Ice Hockey?

  • Friendships – yous'll encounter plenty of new people. Information technology'southward a sport known for tight team bonds.
  • A proper piece of work out – adults burn down approximately 400 - 700 calories per hour of play, from the short interval bursts.
  • Patience – learning to play is a complex skill which needs coaching and training. Determination, commitment and exercise are the keys to success.

How do I discover a team near me?

England or Wales

Find your local social club at the English Ice Hockey Association site.

Scotland

Observe your local team at the Scottish Ice Hockey Clan site.

Ireland

Have a look at the Irish clubs on the Irish Ice Hockey Association site.

Northern Ireland

The Belfast Giants are in an elite league but they do take a inferior, evolution team. Find out more.

UK University

If you want to start playing at uni, notice out if they accept a social club at the British Universities Ice Hockey Clan site. You don't need to study at the academy to play in their team, and so take a look at nearby universities that may have a squad besides.

USA

Detect your local team at Usa Hockey.

Canada

Find your nearest hockey league.

What'southward the right equipment?

Making certain your kit fits properly is crucial. Equipment that fits correctly is not only more protective, information technology is also more comfy and allows you lot to perform better.

As the following items must fit yous perfectly, we would recommend buying these items first:

Skates

Having comfortable, well-fitted ice hockey skates is vital and will assist you lot to savour the game. Skate brands offer different skate models that are tailor-fabricated for your foot shape, offering the best possible fit.

The platonic fit is snug, with your foot resting apartment on the foot bed. A skate that is too big won't offer the best skating stability and will affect your skating performance. A skate that is too small will feel cramped and uncomfortable with each stride.

At that place are two types of skates – player water ice hockey skates and goalie hockey ice skates. Equally a rookie, a standard pair of actor skates will be just fine until you've got a permanent position in a team.

Helmet

An ice hockey helmet is an absolute must for protection on the ice. Your helmet should:

  • Fit snugly without constricting the head.
  • Cover roughly half of the forehead to just above the brow.
  • Be secure enough that the helmet does not wobble out of position.

One of the top junior helmets is the CCM Fitlite 3DS Youth Helmet, providing youth-specific protection. Take a look at its adjustment features in our guide.

In one case you have a designated position, you lot tin can build upward your kit depending on your position.

Goalie:

    • Stick
    • Mask
    • Chest protector
    • Neck guard/pharynx protector
    • Goalie jock
    • Knee pads/thigh guards
    • Leg pads
    • Blocker
    • Catching glove

Actor:

  • Stick
  • Gum shield/mouth guard
  • Neck guard
  • Shoulder pads
  • Elbow pads
  • Shin guards
  • Gloves
  • Jock

Go to grips with the lingo

Here'southward our A-Z of ice hockey terms and so you tin can talk the talk also as skate the skate:

Assist: An assist is a credit given to 1 or ii players (other than the goal scorer), who helped to create the goal opportunity e.g. past passing.

Backchecking: The aim of backchecking is for the defending team to regain possession of the puck.

Barn: Slang for the ice rink.

Biscuit: The puck

Blueliner: Defence players

Body checking: Using trunk parts (shoulders to hips), to physically knock into an opposing role player and separate them from the puck.

Bucket: Helmet

Butterfly: When goalies plunge to their knees in order to block the net with their leg pads.

Catcher: A glove worn by goalies so they can grab pucks heading towards them.

Clapper: Slap shot.

Cookie jar: The superlative of the goal cyberspace.

Crease: A semi-circle surface area in front of the goal. Offence players cannot enter the pucker until afterward the puck does.

Deke [deek]: A play intended to trick an opponent into moving out of position.

Drop pass: A direct pass behind to a teammate.

Dropping gloves: Preparing for a fight.

Egg: When a game's final score is 0.

Faceoff: When the game begins, or play is re-started, the puck is dropped onto a faceoff spot on the ice. A player from each opposing team tries to win possession of the puck.

Fisticuffs: Fighting.

V-pigsty: The space between a goalie's legs.

Forechecking: Defensive play occurring in the offensive zone, in order to re-possess the puck.

Gino [jee-noh]: A goal that is scored.

Grinder: A player praised for working hard on the ice and assisting with goals, rather than beingness a atomic number 82 scorer.

Easily: A player with corking stick treatment.

Hat-play a trick on: If a teammate scores 3 goals in one game. See our 'Bizarre water ice hockey traditions' for fan'south reactions to a hat-trick.

Loftier-stick: A punishment for hitting a player to a higher place the shoulders with a stick.

Hitting: When a body check successfully removes the puck from an opposing histrion.

Interference: A penalisation for obstructing a histrion non in possession of the puck.

Jibbs: Teeth.

Laser: A powerful, precise shot.

Limoges: Ain goal.

Liney: The linesmen.

Long side: The goal side that is furthest abroad from the thespian shooting.

Man on: Teammates shout this as a alert that an opposing player is nearby.

Major penalty: 5 min penalty.

Pocket-sized penalty: ii min penalization.

Mitts: Player'southward hands.

Netminder: Goalie.

Neutral zone: The ice betwixt bluish lines.

Official: The referee.

Paddle: The broad section of a goalie'due south stick.

Pepper pot: Fast player.

Pillows: Goalie'due south leg pads.

Playoff bristles: 'A superstition' – players not shaving any facial hair during the playoffs.

Poke checking: When an opponent pokes the puck abroad from the other team.

Power play: If a squad has more than players on the ice due to penalties.

Rebound: When someone takes a shot and the puck bounces off a role player or the cyberspace.

Shadow: Following an opposing player to skew their game.

Shaft: Long function of a player's stick.

Sieve: A jeer towards the goalie if they let in too many goals.

Sin bin: Where you're sent if you lot're given a punishment.

Snipe: A powerful, authentic goal.

Stickhandling: Controlling the puck through the opposing team.

Stripes: Referee.

Tilly: Having a fight.

Top shelf: The upper goal area.

Trapper: The goalie'due south catching glove.

Twig: Hockey stick.

Waffle: The goalie's blocker.

Wrap around: A goal from behind the net.

Wheels: Water ice skates.

Zebra: Referee.

At present you lot know the rules, lingo and you're safely kitted out, yous can hit the ice and get practising.

Good luck!

Published 20 November 2018

Last Updated: 13 June 2019