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Hockey Basics | Hockey Lingo | Hockey Penalties
THE
HISTORY
Ice
hockey is an adaptation of the Native American game of lacrosse.
In fact, many of the first rules were borrowed directly from
the game, and changes for action on ice.
The
first formal game was recorded in Kingston, Ontario in 1855.
Twenty years later, students of Montreal's McGill University
(credited for much of the game's early development), imposed
a code of conduct familiarly known as the McGill Rules. Many
of those same principles govern the game today.
In
1885, Canada's first national hockey association was formed,
with teams quickly influencing their neighbors to the south.
By 1896, teams were competing in the New York area, with the
first game between the U.S. and Canada played by 1899.
The
first professional league, called the National Hockey Association,
formed in 1909. The four original teams from that league (Toronto,
Ottawa and two from Montreal) were among the first to play
under the auspices of the new NHL in 1917.
THE
PLAYERS:
Offense
Center:
Most like football quarterbacks in regard to playmaking ability.
Operating up and down the middle of the ice, Centers lead
their team's attack by passing the puck between his two wings
to set up a goal. Defensively, he tries to keep the play from
leaving the attack zone. As the play approaches his own goal,
it's the center's job to hustle and break up the opposing
team's plays.
Wings:
You can't fly with just one. These guys follow the action
up and down the rink on either side of the center. Left and
right side wings pass back and forth, trying to position themselves
for a shot on goal. Defensively, they guard the opponent's
wings and attempt to disrupt them.
Defense
Defensemen:
The two defensemen try to stop incoming play before any chance
of scoring is possible. They block shots, clear the puck from
their own net area and entertain the opposing team's forwards
with body shots and ridicule. Offensively, they move the puck
up the ice and pass to the forwards, then follow play into
the attack zone.
Goaltender:
As the last line of defense, everyone takes a shot at the
goalie. This player's challenge is to keep the puck from entering
his team's goal. Goalies can use any piece of equipment or
any part of his body (even the head) to protect his net.
The
Rink
Ice hockey is played on an ice surface known as the rink.
A regulation ice rink is 200 ft long x 85 ft wide.
The
Goals
A goal net, or cage, is 6 ft wide x 4 ft high. It is designed
so that the pucks entering the net will stay in, though shots
will occasionally rebound off a back post and carom out. The
goal line itself is 2 inches wide.
The
Puck
Made of vulcanized rubber. It is 3 inches in diameter and
1 inch thick. It weighs about 6 ounces, and is often frozen
before games to make it slide and not bounce.
Scoring
Scoring a goal is the object of the game. It is not necessary
to shoot the puck into the netting behind the goalie to score.
It the entire puck crosses the goal line inside the posts,
it is a goal unless:
- An attacking
player kicks the puck, throws the puck or otherwise deliberately
directs the puck into the goal by means other than the stick.
- An attacking
player is in the goal crease, and is in no way held by a
defender, while a teammate "scores".
While a goal
does not count if an attacker kicks it in, if that same attacker
kicks it in off a defender other than the goalie, it does
count. In this case, the kicker is credited with the goal.
On the other hand, if a shot is deflected in off a teammate,
the teammate gets credit for the goal, and the shooter gets
an assist.
The
Teams
Six players each, made up of a center, a right and left winger,
two defensemen and a goaltender.
The
Time
Youth Games vary in length, depending upon the age of the
players. Midget, Bantam and Peewee teams play games that consist
of three 15 minute periods with very brief intermissions in
between. Squirts and Mites play 12 minute periods. Often in
tournament play, due to the large number of games to be played,
all teams will play 12 minute periods to help speed along
the play.
Referee
The referee controls the game. He calls all of the penalties
and must decide the legality of goals. Sometimes he will call
time-out and ask the linesmen for an opinion before he makes
a final decision.
Linesmen
The duty of the linesman is to determine offsides and icings.
They drop the puck for face-offs and chase the puck after
stoppage of play. It is also the linesmen's unenviable job
to break up fights while the referee assesses the penalties.
Starting
Play
The game begins with a face-off, in which the referee drops
the puck in the center circle, and two players facing each
other in an attempt to gain control of the puck. Face-offs
at different locations on the ice are used to restart the
play throughout the game.
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