What is the icing rule in hockey?

HOCKEY referees are tasked with enforcing rules throughout the course of a game.

One of the most common calls that is made is icing, and now fans want to know what it means.

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What is the icing rule in ice hockey?

Icing the puck is one of many rules in hockey.

Essentially, the call is made by referees after a player shoots the puck from behind the middle red line on their team's side to the other side of the ice and it crosses the red goal line.

It is not permitted when teams are at equal strength or on a power play, according to ChicagoWolves.com.

If icing is called, the play will be stopped and teams will face off in the defending zone of the offending team.

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When does icing get waved off?

While icing might not be permitted, there are a few instances where referees can wave off the call.

Those situations, according to USA Hockey, include:

• If the "offending team is shorthanded (below the on-ice numerical strength of their opponent) when the puck is shot"
• If the "puck is shot by an attacking player and rebounds off of the body or the stick of a defending player on their defensive half of the center red line"
• If the "puck travels the length of the ice as a result of either player participating in a face-off"
• If the "puck touches any part, including stick, skates, or body, of an opposing player prior to crossing the goal line"
• If an "opposing player – except the goalkeeper – has an opportunity to play the puck, and has not done so, prior to the puck crossing the goal line"

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What is 'offsides' in hockey?

Another common call that's made by refs is offsides.

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When a team is called for being offsides, it means that one of the players went past the blue line, into the offensive zone, before the puck does.

The call is made based on the player's skate, not their stick.

Like icing, offsides can also be called off if the player passes the puck back into their team's zone while an opposing player is in the zone.