If you live in a colder climate or spend your winters indoors, you may not get to witness the fast-paced action of ice hockey very often. That doesn’t mean it isn’t worth learning about. Ice hockey is one of the most exciting, fastest-growing sports today.
If you are an ice hockey fan or new to the sport, read on to learn about this fast-paced game. This article will fill your knowledge of all the basics of ice hockey.
Basics of Ice Hockey
The ice hockey rink is 200 feet long and 85 feet wide. It is a round rink, and it has two blue lines that divide the rink into three zones. A red line divides the rink in half. The goal at each end of the rink is 6 feet by 4 feet, and the netting is between 16 and 24 inches wide.
The ice hockey puck is 2 inches in diameter and made of vulcanised rubber. It has grooves for better control and is used instead of a ball. While compared to a regulation basketball which weighs between 6 and 8 ounces, a regulation hockey puck weighs only 3 to 3.5 ounces.
The Players in Ice Hockey
Each team has six players on the ice at a time, and they rotate after each shift. There are six positions, including 2 defencemen, 2 forwards, and 2 goalies. These positions do different tasks during gameplay.
Defencemen
The defencemen can be the tallest players on the team. Their primary goal is to prevent the other team from scoring. They often play near their own goal, which makes them the last line of defence.
Forwards
The forwards are often the quickest players on the team. They are sometimes called the “skill positions” because they are the ones who are often expected to score.
Goalies
The goalies are the only players who can’t score. They keep the other team from scoring.
The Goal in Ice Hockey
The goal in ice hockey is to put the puck into the other team’s net. Goalies are assigned to each team with the task of preventing pucks from entering their net. In order to score, the puck must completely cross the goal line, which is located inside the net, between the posts and below the crossbar. If the puck goes in the net but is above the goal line, the goal is no good.
If a player shoots the puck into the goal but it goes out the other side before it completely crosses the line, the goal is no good. If a player accidentally or deliberately shoots the puck but it hits the goalie in the body, shoulder, or arms, it is not a goal. If the puck is shot and hits the goalie in the skate or foot, it is a goal.
Equipment in Ice Hockey
Besides a pair of skates, all the players wear a hockey helmet, shoulder pads, elbow pads, hockey gloves, and hockey pants. The hockey helmet has a plastic cage that goes over the face, a chin strap to keep it in place, and ear flaps that cover the ears. There are two types of nets in hockey, the goal net and the goal crease net.
The goal net is 6 feet high and 4 feet wide, and it is the net in which the puck must completely cross the goal line to be a goal. The goal crease net is attached to the goal net and is 3 feet high. The goal line is the imaginary line that is drawn across the rink that goes between the posts.
Famous Plays and Strategies
There are several plays and strategies unique to ice hockey, and some are common both to ice hockey and other sports. For example, if a team has a player stand in front of their goal and try to block shots from the opposing team, that is a “defensive strategy.” If two players from the same team skate toward the opponent’s net and try to score on the goalie, that is called a “two-on-one.”
If a player intentionally trips an opposing player, that is called a “clipping penalty.” If a player blocks the puck with his glove, that is legal. If he blocks it with anything else, like his skate, it is called “foot blocking” and is illegal.
Knowing the ins and outs of hockey can take your game to the next level. One good example is an online sportsbook. Being clued up on different team strategies can be the key difference between a win and a loss.
Conclusion
The sport of ice hockey is a fast and furious one. Each team has six players, and each player has a specific job based on their position. If you love ice hockey and are looking for new ways to enjoy the game, these facts will have you well on your way to becoming an ice hockey expert. Now that you know more about the game, you can enjoy it even more than before.
