Icing (ice hockey)

Icing in ice hockey occurs when a player shoots the puck across both the red line and the opposing team's goal line without the puck going into the net. When icing occurs, a linesman stops play. Play is resumed with a faceoff in the defending zone of the team that committed the infraction.

In European professional leagues and most amateur leagues worldwide, play is stopped for icing once the puck crosses the goal line. This is called automatic or no-touch icing. In the NHL and other North American professional leagues, a player other than the goaltender on the opposing team must touch the puck to cause the stoppage of play. If the puck is first touched by the goaltender or a player on the team that iced the puck, icing is washed out (canceled) and play continues. The NHL icing rule can lead to high-speed races for the puck. While an icing call is pending, the linesman raises an arm to indicate that a potential icing call may be made. If the icing is washed out, the official lowers his arm and gives the washout signal – extends both arms sideways from the body at shoulder height.

Icing is always washed out in the following situations:

• The team committing the icing is shorthanded
• The linesman believes a player on the opposing team could have played the puck before it crossed the goal line