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A two-minute penalty assessed to the team rather than a specific player. Usually called for too many men on the ice or unsportsmanlike conduct from the bench area. The coach picks which player serves the penalty.

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The lines that divide the ice into three zones. The blue lines are 60 feet from each end of the rink. The area between the two blue lines is the neutral zone. When you cross the blue line heading toward the other team goal, you are entering the offensive zone. The blue lines are critical for offside calls.

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Violently checking a player into the boards. Boarding is a penalty called when a player pushes, checks, or hits another player violently into the boards. The key word is violently. Body contact along the boards happens on almost every shift and is legal. Boarding is called when the hit is excessive, when the player being hit is in a vulnerable position, or when they are hit from behind. This is one of the more dangerous penalties because players can get seriously hurt when they go into the boards head first or at an awkward angle. It usually results in a two-minute minor but can be a five-minute major if the hit is bad enough.

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Striking opponent with stick handle end

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Taking three or more strides or jumping before delivering a body check. Charging is called when a player takes three or more strides or jumps before delivering a body check. The idea is that building up a running start to hit someone creates a dangerous amount of force. A legal body check happens when a player uses the momentum they already have. Charging is when they deliberately accelerate or leap into the hit. This is a two-minute minor penalty and can be a major if the hit is violent or causes injury.

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The blue painted area directly in front of the goal. The crease is the goalie area. Attacking players are allowed to enter but cannot interfere with the goalie inside it. If an attacking player is in the crease when a goal is scored and they interfered with the goalie, the goal can be disallowed. The crease is a sacred area. Goalies are protected inside it, and teammates are expected to clear opposing players who get too close.

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Shoving a player with your stick held in both hands. Cross-checking is when a player holds their stick with both hands and shoves it into another player. Imagine holding a broomstick horizontally and pushing someone with it. This penalty gets called a lot in front of the net where defensemen are trying to clear attackers out of the crease area. A little stick contact is usually allowed, but when a player uses their stick to deliver a forceful push, the referee calls it. It is a two-minute minor and can be a major if it causes injury.

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Intentionally slowing down play. The most common version today is when a player in the defensive zone shoots the puck over the glass and out of play. That is an automatic two-minute penalty. Other examples include a goalie freezing the puck when there is no pressure, a player intentionally knocking the net off its pegs, or a team taking too long to set up for a faceoff. The rule exists to keep the game moving and prevent teams from stalling.

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Penalty kill diamond shape

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Four minutes in the penalty box. The most common double minor is for high-sticking that draws blood. If the other team scores during the first two minutes, the player stays in the box for the remaining two minutes instead of coming out.

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Using your elbow to make contact with another player. Elbowing is using your elbow to hit another player, usually targeting their head or face. It is a two-minute minor and can be a major if it causes injury. Players sometimes throw elbows during body checks to add an extra shot, which is illegal and dangerous. This penalty is taken very seriously in youth hockey because of the risk of concussions.

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Both teams have the same number of skaters on the ice. The standard is five on five. When someone says a goal was scored at even strength, it means neither team was on a power play or penalty kill. Most of the game is played at even strength.

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Breaking the rules during a faceoff. Common violations include moving before the puck is dropped, not having your stick on the ice, or lining up incorrectly. When a center commits a violation, they get kicked out and a teammate has to take the draw instead.

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Ejection from game

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Line extending from goal posts

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The short lines inside faceoff circles indicating player positioning. Hash marks show where players need to line up for a faceoff. Only the two players taking the faceoff are allowed inside the circle. All other players must be outside the hash marks until the puck is dropped.

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Hitting another player with your stick above the shoulders. High-sticking is when a player hits another player with their stick above the shoulders. If the high stick draws blood, it is a four-minute double minor instead of the normal two minutes. If a player scores by deflecting the puck with a high stick above the crossbar, the goal does not count. This happens a lot accidentally. A player will follow through on a shot or lose control of their stick, and the blade catches someone up high. Intentional or not, it is still a penalty.

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Grabbing another player or their equipment to slow them down. Holding is when a player grabs another player, their stick, or their equipment to prevent them from moving freely. If you grab their jersey to stop them from skating past you, that is holding. If you grab their stick so they cannot make a play, that is holding the stick. Both are two-minute minor penalties. Holding happens constantly at small levels that referees let go, but obvious grabs that affect the play will always be called.

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Using the blade of your stick to slow down another player. Hooking is using the blade of your stick to slow down or pull back another player. If a player is skating past you and you reach out with your stick and hook it around their body or hands, that is hooking. It is similar to holding but involves the stick instead of your hands. It is a two-minute minor penalty.

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Shooting the puck from your side of center ice to the other end without anyone touching it. Icing is when a player shoots the puck from their side of the center red line all the way down to the other end of the ice past the goal line without anyone touching it. When this happens, the referee blows the whistle and brings the puck all the way back for a faceoff in the defensive zone of the team that iced it. The rule exists to prevent teams from just dumping the puck down the ice every time they are under pressure. It forces teams to actually move the puck up the ice with passes or skating. There are a few exceptions. Icing is not called if the team that shoots the puck is shorthanded. It is also not called if the referee thinks a player on the other team could have gotten to the puck first but chose not to. The team that ices the puck is not allowed to change their players before the faceoff, which makes icing even more of a punishment because tired players have to stay on the ice.

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Making contact with a player who does not have the puck. Interference is when you make contact with a player who does not have the puck and is not in the process of playing it. In hockey, you can only body check the player who has the puck. If you hit someone away from the play or block a player from getting to where they need to go, that is interference. This also includes preventing a player from picking up a dropped stick or blocking a goalie from getting back into position. It is a two-minute minor penalty.

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Substituting players on the fly

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Five minutes in the penalty box for severe infractions. Major penalties are called for more severe versions of minor penalties, like a vicious hit, a fight, or a high stick that causes serious injury. Unlike a minor penalty, the full five minutes must be served even if the other team scores during the power play.

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Ejection for dangerous intent

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Two minutes in the penalty box. A minor penalty sends a player to the penalty box for two minutes, giving the other team a power play. If the team on the power play scores, the penalty ends early and the penalized player returns to the ice. Most penalties in hockey are minor penalties.

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Ten minutes in the penalty box for unsportsmanlike behavior. A misconduct does not give the other team a power play. The penalized player sits for ten minutes, but their team can put another player on the ice. A game misconduct means the player is ejected for the rest of the game.

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Entering the offensive zone before the puck crosses the blue line. Offside happens when an attacking player crosses the blue line into the offensive zone before the puck does. Think of it like this. The puck has to go into the zone first, and then you can follow it in. If both of your skates cross that blue line before the puck, the referee blows the whistle and there is a faceoff outside the zone. The tricky part is that it is your skates that matter, not your stick. As long as one of your skates is touching or behind the blue line when the puck crosses it, you are onside. Players will sometimes drag a skate on the line to stay onside while reaching forward with their stick. Delayed offside is when a player is offside but the attacking team has not touched the puck yet. If all the attacking players clear the zone before anyone touches the puck, the play continues without a whistle.

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Extra time played when a game is tied after regulation. In the NHL regular season, overtime is five minutes of three-on-three hockey, which creates open ice and excitement. In the playoffs, overtime is full 20-minute periods of five-on-five until someone scores. There is no shootout in the playoffs.

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Playing shorthanded because your team has a player in the penalty box. Your team has four skaters against the other team five. Penalty kill units use formations like the box or diamond to protect the front of the net and block shots. A good penalty kill is one of the most important parts of winning hockey games.

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A one-on-one attempt against the goalie awarded for certain fouls. A penalty shot is awarded when a player on a clear breakaway is fouled from behind and prevented from having a fair scoring opportunity. The player starts at center ice, skates toward the goalie, and must keep moving forward. They get one shot or move to try to score. Penalty shots can also be awarded if a defending player other than the goalie covers the puck in the crease. It is one of the most exciting plays in hockey.

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Having more skaters on the ice because the other team has a player in the penalty box. The most common is five on four. The team with more players is on the power play. NHL teams convert on about 20-25% of their power plays. Teams practice specific formations designed to take advantage of the extra player. A strong power play can win games.

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The center line that divides the rink in half. The red line is used for icing calls. If a player shoots the puck from their side of the red line all the way to the other end without anyone touching it, icing is called. Faceoffs happen at center ice at the start of each period and after goals.

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Punching or hitting another player outside normal play. Roughing is a penalty for punching or hitting another player outside of the normal flow of play. If two players get into a shoving match after the whistle or one player throws a punch, that is roughing. It is different from fighting, which involves both players dropping their gloves. Roughing is a two-minute minor penalty. It usually happens after a hard hit, a scrum in front of the net, or when emotions run high. Both players can be called for roughing if they are both involved.

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A tiebreaker where players go one-on-one against the opposing goalie. Each team selects three shooters who take turns from center ice. The team that scores more in three rounds wins. If still tied, it goes to sudden death rounds. Shootouts are exciting for fans but controversial among purists who feel a team game should not be decided by individual skill.

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Swinging your stick at another player with force. A light stick-on-stick tap during a battle is usually fine. But when a player takes a swing at someone stick, hands, or body, that is slashing. Slashing the hands is the most common call because it can break fingers even through gloves. It is a two-minute minor penalty.

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Jabbing another player with the point of your stick blade. Spearing is one of the most dangerous and unsportsmanlike acts in hockey. Think of it like poking someone with the tip of a sword. It is always at least a double minor and is often a five-minute major with a game misconduct, meaning the player is ejected. Attempting to spear someone, even if you miss, is also a penalty.

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The next goal wins. In overtime, the game is sudden death. As soon as one team scores, the game is over. This creates incredible tension, especially in playoff overtime where one mistake can end your season.

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Having more than the allowed number of players on the ice. Each team is allowed six players (five skaters and a goalie). During line changes, there is a brief moment where both the old and new players are on the ice, and that is allowed as long as the player coming off is near the bench and not playing the puck. If a team has seven or more players on the ice involved in the play, it is a two-minute minor penalty served by a player chosen by the coach.

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Causing another player to fall using your stick, knee, or foot. The most common version is when a player reaches out with their stick and clips the skates of the puck carrier, causing them to go down. It is a two-minute minor. If a player is on a breakaway and gets tripped from behind with no defenders between them and the goalie, the referee may award a penalty shot instead.

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Pass crossing two lines without touch (old rule)

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