Situation 1
The puck is shot from behind the center red line and lands on top of the goal of the opposing team. Should icing be called?
Yes. Rule Reference 624(a).
Even though the puck comes to rest on top of the goal, it has completely crossed the goal line and therefore icing must be called.
Situation 2
The puck is shot over the opposing team’s goal line by a player who has both skates behind the center red line. However, the puck does not leave the stick until the blade has crossed the center red line. Should icing be called?
No. Rule References 624 Note and (a).
It is the position of the puck the moment the puck leaves the stick that determines whether or not there is a potential icing infraction.
Situation 3
For icing purposes, how high does the goal line extend?
Indefinitely. Rule Reference 624(a).
The goal lines extend horizontally across the entire width of the playing area and also vertically extending indefinitely.
Situation 4
A player in his Defending Zone shoots or passes the puck to a teammate still on his defending side of the center red line. The puck deflects off this player’s stick and goes the remaining length of the ice in the air, leaving the rink above the opposing goal. Is the Official correct in declaring this to be a “puck out of bounds” situation, with the face-off being held at the spot of the deflection nearest neutral zone spot to where the puck was deflected.
No. Rule Reference 624(a).
The fact that the player deflected the puck out of the rink has no bearing other than the fact that it was done before the center line. Under these conditions, the Official must rule the play as “icing” and conduct the face-off at the spot adjacent to the goal of the team that originally passed/shot the puck.
If the puck were deflected beyond the center red line or by an opponent, the Official would be correct in ruling this out of bounds (no icing) and then facing-off the puck at the nearest spot in the same zone of the deflection, as defined in Rule 612(b).
Situation 5
The puck is shot by a player from his defending half of the Neutral Zone and hits a teammate (body or stick), who is completely behind the center red line. The puck continues down the ice and crosses the goal line of the opposing team. Should icing be called?
Yes. Rule Reference 624(a).
The deflection is in the defending player’s half of the ice, so the icing infraction must be called.
Situation 6
The puck is shot by a player from his defending half of the Neutral Zone and hits a teammate, who is also in the Neutral Zone but completely over the center red line. The puck continues down the ice and crosses the goal line of the opposing team. Should icing be called?
No. Rule Reference 624(a).
In this situation the deflection occurred beyond the center red line, so the icing infraction is nullified.
Situation 7
The puck is passed from behind the center red line and deflects off a teammate’s stick. It continues down the ice, crossing the goal line of the opposing team. The player deflecting the puck has both skates on or behind the center red line, but his stick is over the center red line. Should icing be called?
No. Rule Reference 624(a).
It is the position of the puck at the moment it is deflected that determines whether or not an icing infraction has occurred.
Situation 8
At which end face-off spot does the face-off take place following an icing?
The face-off takes place at the end face-off spot on the side of the ice from which the puck was shot or passed. Rule Reference 624(a).
On which side of the ice the puck crosses the goal line is not a factor in determining face-off location.
Situation 9
A player shoots the puck into his opponent’s Defending Zone. The puck leaves the stick directly on the center red line. Is this a potential icing?
No. Rule References 624(Note & a).
Practical application of this rule suggests that the determining edge of the center red line for icing purposes would be the edge closest to the defending zone of the team shooting the puck.
Situation 10
Immediately after icing has been called on Team A by the Linesman, a Team A player cross-checks an opponent and receives a minor penalty. Where shall the ensuing face-off occur?
At a face-off spot in Team A’s Defending Zone. Rule Reference 624(a) and Note.
Conversely, had Team B committed a penalty infraction, the face-off would take place at a Neutral Zone face-off spot nearest to Team A’s Defending Zone.
Situation 11
The puck is shot from behind the center red line and enters the goal of the opposing team. Should icing be called?
No. Rule Reference 624(a).
A goal must be awarded in this instance.
Situation 12
The puck is shot from behind the center red line, continues down the ice and comes to a stop on the goal line. Shall icing be called?
No. Rule Reference 624(a).
The width of the goal line is considered to be a part of the line. In order for icing to be called, the entire puck must completely cross the edge closer to the end boards.
Situation 13
On an icing the puck situation, the puck, after being shot from behind the center red line, hits the cross bar of the goal and deflects in front of the goal. Is this considered to be icing?
No. Rule Reference 624(a).
The entire puck must completely cross the goal line in order for icing to be called.
Situation 14
The puck is shot by an attacking player and rebounds off a defending player in his defending half of the ice. The puck travels down the ice and crosses the goal line of the attacking player who shot the puck. Should icing be called?
No. Rule Reference 624(a).
Any time the puck is shot by an attacking player and rebounds from the body or stick of an opponent in his own half of the ice, so as to cross the goal line of the player shooting it, icing shall not be called.
Situation 15
The puck is dropped on a face-off and both sticks make initial contact with the puck, but the puck remains near the face-off spot. The center, in whose defending half of the ice the face-off occurred, gains possession an instant later and shoots the puck the length of the ice. Is this an icing infraction?
Yes. Rule References 624(a & b.3).
In order for the icing to be nullified because the puck was shot by a player directly from a face-off, the puck must receive its impetus from the initial stick contact on the face-off.
Situation 16
A player shoots the puck in the air from behind the center red line. An opposing player attempts to play the puck in the air but is unable to because of the speed of the puck. Should icing still be in effect?
Yes. Rule References 624(a & b.5).
A player who is making an attempt to play the puck cannot be expected to play it in the air. The determining factors as to whether or not icing will be called are the proximity of the puck to the player, the speed at which it is traveling, and whether or not the defending player had a reasonable opportunity to play the puck.
Situation 17
The puck, shot from behind the center red line, bounces over the stick of an opposing player who attempts to play the puck or rebounds off the boards and over his stick. Is icing still in effect?
Yes. Rule References 624(a & b.5).
The Official must make his decision based upon the proximity of the puck to the player, the speed of the puck, and whether or not the defending player had a reasonable opportunity to play the puck.
Situation 18
With one second remaining in a penalty to Team A, a Team A player ices the puck. By the time the puck crosses the goal line, Team A is back at full strength. Is this an icing situation (for Adults [male and female] and High School classifications only)?
No. Rule Reference 624(b.1).
In those classifications that allow for a shorthanded team to legally ice the puck, icing is determined the instant the puck is shot and leaves the stick blade of the shooter and not at the instant the puck completely crosses the goal line.
Situation 19
The puck is shot from behind the center red line and continues toward the opposing team’s goal line. An opposing player starts moving toward the puck but then turns away before the puck crosses the goal line. Is icing still in effect?
No. Rule Reference 624(b.5).
The opposing team must make every effort to play the puck before it crosses the goal line. Should the Official feel as though the opposing team, other than the goalkeeper, was able to play the puck, icing shall be nullified.
Situation 20
The puck is shot from behind the center red line. An opposing player has a reasonable opportunity to play the puck, but instead turns to physically engage with the attacking player. Is icing still in effect?
No. Rule Reference 624(b.5).
The icing must be nullified the moment the player chooses to not attempt to play the puck.
Situation 21
The puck is shot from behind the center red line and continues toward the goal line. The goalkeeper moves out a few feet to play the puck, but refrains from doing so, and the puck crosses the goal line. Is icing still in effect?
Yes. Rule Reference 624(b.5).
The goalkeeper is not required to play the puck during an icing situation.
Situation 22
The puck is shot from the defending half of the ice, thereby creating a potential icing situation. An opposing player has a reasonable chance to play the puck. They choose, however, to coast toward the puck as it nears the goal line. Is icing still in effect?
No. Rule Reference 624(b.5).
The defending player must make a reasonable effort to play the puck.
Situation 23
An icing situation is created as the puck is shot past the defending team’s players’ bench. The defending team, in the process of making a line change, elects to let the puck continue down the ice in fear of being called for “too many players on the ice” if it is played. Is icing still in effect?
No. Rule Reference 624(b.5).
Icing must be nullified if one player of that team had a reasonable chance to play the puck, but chose not to.
Situation 24
Play is stopped in error for an icing infraction. Where is the face-off?
At the nearest end zone face-off spot with respect to the location of the puck when it crossed the goal line. Rule Reference 624(c).
The puck should have been “live” behind the goal line, thus the face-off now takes place in that zone.
