Hockey Offsides Rule For Kids

ice hockey offsides

Offside is one of the basic violations in ice hockey. An offside violation happens when both of an offensive player’s hockey skates cross the other team’s blue line, moving into the attacking zone before the puck does. The position of the player’s skates determine if the player is offside or not. After an offside call is made by the referee, the game stops, and a face-off takes place in the neutral zone closest to where the violation occurred.

Delayed Offside

If an attacking player does cross the other team’s blue line before the puck, there is a way to avoid what is known as a “delayed offside” violation. To avoid being called offside, the player can skate back across the blue line into the neutral zone and “tag up.” This must be done before any of the offensive players touch the puck in the attacking zone, or else the team will be called offside.

FAQ

Is there an offside penalty in hockey?

Yes, there is an offside violation in hockey. To be called offside, both an attacking player’s skates must cross the opposing team’s blue line before the puck does. If the puck is touched by the offensive team while that player is still in the attacking zone, an offside violation is called. There are three types of offside calls in hockey, including delayed offside, intentional offside, and unintentional offside.

What is icing in hockey?

Icing is when an offensive player, who is behind the center red line, shoots the puck towards the other end of the ice and the puck crosses the other team’s goal line without being touched. If the puck is retrieved by a player on the other team, icing is called by the referee. After the whistle is blown, the game stops, and a face-off occurs in the defensive zone of the team that was called for icing.

What happens when offside is called?

To make an offside call, the referee blows the whistle and stops the game. The referee will hold their non-whistle arm straight in the air and point towards the spot of the violation. After the referee calls an offside violation, a face-off is held in the neutral zone on the face-off dot closest to where the penalty took place.

Can you score on a delayed offside in hockey?

It is possible to score on a delayed offside in hockey. During a delayed offside, if the attacking team shoots and scores on the opposing team, the goal will not count. However, if the defensive team happens to shoot and score on their own goal accidentally, the attacking team will be awarded a goal.