What is Icing?

When a player shoots the puck from behind the center line all the way down the ice past the opponent's goal line without anyone touching it.

What this tells us

When icing is called, play stops and a faceoff happens in the offending team's defensive zone — a penalty that wastes time and gives up ice position. It's designed to prevent teams from just launching the puck down the ice to kill time or avoid pressure. You'll see it called most often when a team is shorthanded (down a player on a power play) or desperately trying to clear the zone under pressure.

Limitations

Icing is waived if the defending team could have reached the puck first — so a defenseman can sometimes get to it before it crosses the line and it won't be called. Also, it's not icing if the puck is shot from the player's own side of the center line. The rule exists to keep the game flowing and prevent endless punt-it-away strategies.

Example

A fourth-line forward is on the ice during a 5-on-4 power play against them. Instead of trying to break out of the zone, he shoots the puck the length of the ice past the opponent's goal line. Icing is called, play stops, and his team gets a faceoff in their own defensive zone — the worst spot to start the next play.