Icing rules in hockey prevent a player from taking possession on his side of the center ice red line and passing the puck past the opposing end line. When a player ices the puck, one of the two linesmen working the game -- not the referees -- blows his whistle and play is stopped. A faceoff in the opposing team's defensive zone to the right or left of goaltender is held to resume play.
Standard Icing
A player with possession of the puck shoots or passes the puck from behind center ice. The puck does not go on net and the goalie does not touch it, but it ends up crossing the end line and a member of the opposing team touches the puck before a member of the team that has just shot the puck. Additionally, the defensive player skating after the puck is skating after it with 100 percent effort in the view of the linesman. At the moment that player touches the puck, icing is called.
No-Touch Icing
In college hockey, the defensive player is not required to touch the puck after the player has shot the puck into the offensive zone from across center ice. Instead, as soon as the linesman sees that the puck has made it all the way across the end line, he blows the whistle and the puck goes all the way to the opposite end of the ice for a faceoff.
Purpose of No-Touch Icing Rule
College hockey instituted the no-touch icing rule to prevent collisions and injuries. When the team shoots the puck into the offensive zone from behind its blue line, the offensive team can neutralize the icing call if one of its players beats the defensive player to the puck. This often results in a race to the puck and a hard collision with one or both players against the boards. This type of play is viewed as unnecessary in college hockey and the no-touch icing call is used to keep the game safer.
International Hockey
Hockey played outside of North America uses the no-touch icing rule. The linesman will blow his whistle as soon as the puck crosses the goal line. This also is the case for Olympic hockey. NHL players competing in Olympic hockey must adjust to the no-touch icing rule.
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