What is icing in ice hockey?
B · Beginner · Game flow · 8 of 10Icing is when a team at equal or greater strength shoots the puck from its own half beyond the opponents' goal line. By the time a player reaches the end-zone dots, the linesperson judges whether a defender would win the race. If so, icing is called, with the face-off in the offending team's end. A short-handed team may ice the puck.
How it works
- Halves: the centre red line divides the ice for icing.
- The offence: shooting, batting or deflecting the puck from your own half past the opponents' goal line.
- Gaining the line: the puck on the stick touching the centre line cancels icing.
- The race: decided by the time the first player reaches the end-zone face-off dots; too close to call means icing.
- No race: icing when a defender crosses their blue line and the puck crosses the goal line.
- Short-handed teams: may ice the puck without penalty.
- The goalkeeper: if they play or move towards the puck, icing is cancelled.
- Not icing: if the puck touches an opponent, or an opponent could have played it but did not.
- After icing: the offending team may not change players and may not take a time-out; the other team picks the dot.
The glossary has the icing, the red line, the linesperson, the short-handed, the numerical strength and the line change.
Tricky cases
A team is killing a penalty and fires the puck down the ice. Icing?
No. A short-handed team may ice the puck.
The puck is shot a second after the penalty expired. Icing?
The decision depends on when the puck leaves the stick: if the penalty had expired, icing applies.
The attacker wins the race to the dots. What happens?
No icing; play goes on.
Can the iced team bring on fresh players?
No, except to replace a goalkeeper pulled for an extra attacker or an injured player.
Why the rule exists
Icing stops teams from clearing the puck the length of the ice to relieve pressure. Barring a line change makes the tired players stay on.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Icing | Hybrid race to the dots | IIHF 81.1 |
| Short-handed | No icing | IIHF 81.6 |
| After icing | No line change, no time-out | IIHF 81.4, 87.1 |
From the rule book
International Ice Hockey Federation, Official Rulebook 2026/27 (version 1.0, June 2026), Rules 72.4, 81 and 87.1. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the IIHF Official Rulebook, revised each season.