Ice hockey is a fast paced sport that is exciting and never a bore for both players and fans. The puck can move down the 85 ft by 200 ft ice surface in the matter of seconds. Five players per team (three forwards and two defensemen) plus a goalie are on the rink at a time. A player's job is to work with their teammates to score as many goals as possible, while also protecting their own defensive zone. What's so unique about ice hockey compared to other sports such as soccer, basketball, and football is that a competitor wears skates and glides around the ice, rather than running around a court or field in a typical pair of footwear. It takes time and proper training to become a skilled player.
Offside is an infraction that is called on any player whose team has possession of the puck and is in the attacking zone prior to the puck entering that zone. There are many intricate rules for how offsides is called based on deflections, delayed offsides, and the positioning of a player's skates on the ice.
There are several different kinds of shots in ice hockey. The shot types are one-timers, wrist shots, backhand shots, slap shots, and snap shots.
Yes, fighting is allowed in hockey and is often encouraged. However, there are strict rules for fighting and players can not take off their helmets, and when one player falls down onto the ice the fight is over.
