Hockey players learn to love and honor the game from an early age, with that reverence carrying all the way to the NHL. As part of its code, hockey contains unwritten rules that aren't enforced by referees, but are by players and fans. Violating these unwritten rules results in scorn and swift punishment, usually in the form of a fight.
Shooting After Whistle
Hockey players compete until the whistle and beyond, often engaging in physical scrums and shoving matches after play stops. But shooting the puck on net after the whistle is frowned upon and never fails to draw the ire of the opposition.
Pre-Game Skate
Before the game, hockey teams take the ice for a brief warm-up, skating around their respective sides of the rink and taking shots on goal. If a player dares cross the center red line into the opposition's ice, it usually leads to a physical confrontation.
No Snow
When coming to a sudden stop, players dig their skate blades into the ice, causing ice to spray into the air. While a common occurrence in other areas of the rink, spraying snow -- ice -- on the opposing team's goalie will ignite tempers.
Don't Celebrate Empty-Net Goals
If trailing late, a hockey team will pull its goalie for an extra attacker in an attempt to score the tying goal, providing the opposition with a chance for a cheap tally. Celebrating an empty-net goal can aggravate many, who consider it rubbing salt in the wound.
Choosing Opponents
Most of hockey's unwritten rules apply to fighting. When choosing an opponent, a proven heavyweight fighter can't select a scorer or the other team's best player. Heavyweights should always fight heavyweights, unless it's to exact revenge for a specific act.
Don't Pretend
Fighting shouldn't be taken lightly. If a player engages an opponent and acts as though he wants to fight, he must drop the glove. Pretending to drop the gloves in an attempt to draw the opposing player into a penalty breaks fighting's honor code.
Show Respect
Fighting takes courage, so everyone who does it should be respected. Even the most heated rivals must respect one another and not take advantage of a situation. If one fighter gets in trouble or falls to the ice, his opponent should stop punching and protect the other man's safety.
No Taunting
Along the same lines, victorious fighters should never openly celebrate a knockout or a clear win. While it's OK to play to the home crowd and get the fans fired up, taunting a downed opponent is unforgivable.
Visors
Wearing a helmet with a visor provides extra protection from high-sticks, but it's not meant to serve as protection from punches. If a player wearing a visor wants to fight, he must remove his helmet before throwing any punches.
Stanley Cup
Every hockey player's goal is winning the Stanley Cup playoffs. Yet NHL players typically won't touch the Cup until they've earned it. Many teams will even avoid touching the respective conference championship trophies in fear it will jinx them from winning the Cup.
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