The playing rules of hockey are divided into three basic categories. The following is a brief explanation of each category, or type, of violation. Naturally, there are technical aspects of each rule that will, at various times, determine whether or not the violation is called.
Off-Sides - An offensive player may not precede the puck across the blue line into the offensive zone.
Off-Sides Pass - The puck may not be passed from a team's defensive zone to a player of the same team who is beyond the center red line (applies only to Junior B and above).
Icing - A team, when both teams have an equal number of players on the ice, may not shoot the puck from behind the center red line over their opponent's goal line (except if the puck goes into the goal)
A penalty shot is most commonly awarded if:
To take a penalty shot, an offensive player takes control of the puck at center ice and tries to score against the opposing goaltender. All other players are removed from the action.
For the following penalties, the penalized team must play minus the number of players serving such penalties, with one exception: the penalized team can have no fewer than four players, including the goaltender, on the ice:
For the following penalties, the team will replace the penalized player on the ice immediately:
Hockey Referee Signals
DELAYED PENALTY Delayed calling of penalty or other violation. Arm extended fully above head (hand without whistle). |
GOAL
Referee points into the net.
MATCH
Flat part of hand patted on head. |
PENALTY SHOT
Arms crossed above head, giving signal of stoppage in play. |
HOLDING
Clasping either wrist with the other hand in front of the chest.
SLASHING
A chopping motion with the edge of one hand across the opposite forearm. |
ROUGHING
Fist clenched and arm extended out of the side of the body. |
CROSS CHECKING
A forward motion with both fists clenched extending from the chest.
CHARGING
Rotating clenched fists around one another in front of the chest. |
SPEARING
A jabbing motion with both hands thrust out directly in front of the body. |
INTERFERENCE
Crossed arms with closed fists stationary in front of the chest. |
WASHOUT
No goal or no icing.
ICING THE PUCK
The back referee of linesman signals a possible icing by fully extending his arm without the whistle over his head. The front referee or linesman indicates the icing is completed by extending his arm over his head. The back referee or linesman will then blow his whistle and skate to the face the spot. When he is standing on the face-off spot, he extends his arms to indicate the icing.
CHECKING FROM BEHIND
A forward motion of both arms, with the palms of the hands open and facing away from the body, fully extended from the chest at shoulder level.
HIGH STICKING
Holdings both fists clenched, one immediately above the other at the height of the shoulders. |
POSSIBLE ICING
Pass out of defensive zone.
HAND PASS
Open part of hand displayed in a pushing motion.
HOOKING
A tugging motion with both arms, as if pulling something from in front of the stomach.
BUTT ENDING
A cross motion of the forearms, one passing under the other. |
BOARDING
A cross motion of the forearms, one passing under the other. |
TRIPPING
With both skates on the ice striking right leg with the right hand below the knee.
KNEEING
Slapping either knee with the palm of the hand whilst keeping both skates on the ice. |
ELBOWING
Tapping either elbow with the other hand.