A Beginner's Guide to Playing Ice Hockey

Ice hockey is one of the fastest and most exciting team sports in the world. It is played by two teams of six players on a playing surface made of ice. The teams move up and down the ice wearing ice skates and a variety of safety equipment and carrying hockey sticks. The object of the game is to put the hockey puck, made of vulcanized rubber, into the opposing team's net and keep the other team from doing the same. Ice hockey is played and enjoyed by millions of people throughout the world. Players can range in age from as young as 5 years old to senior citizens, and boys and girls can equally enjoy this great team sport.

Glossary of Hockey Terms

If you turn on an ice hockey game on television, on the radio, or online, you may hear words like: "The home team has a power play, and the leading scorer already has a hat trick in this game. The visiting team would desperately like to get the kill and will try to ice the puck every chance they get." For a non-hockey fan, this may sound like a foreign language, but to the hockey fan, this is music to their ears. Here's what some of these terms mean:

• Power play: When a hockey team has an extra player on the ice because the other team has a penalty
• Shorthanded: When one hockey team has one of their players in the penalty box
• Penalty kill: When the team playing shorthanded manages to keep the other team from scoring until the penalty is over
• Hat trick: When a player scores three goals in one game
• Icing: Shooting the puck from one end of the ice to the other side

Ice Hockey Safety Tips

Ice hockey is a game that is played at a fast pace on a hard surface while wearing sharp blades. Because the game happens so quickly and on ice, there is a risk of injury. The risks range from twisting your ankle while trying to stop or turn to getting hit with a puck to even, in rare cases, getting cut with a skate blade.

To lessen the risk of injury, all players need to be equipped with the proper safety gear. This should include a helmet with a face cage, shoulder and chest pads, padded hockey pants, hockey skates, gloves, and shin guards. All these pieces of equipment should be properly fitted to prevent injury from a fall, collision, or hit from a puck. With all of this equipment, hockey players of any age will safely be able to play ice hockey.

• Properly fitted hockey equipment is a must for the safety of all players.
• To prevent injury, players must wear all of their equipment for practices and games.

How to Get Started

Ice hockey is a great game to see in person and an even greater game to play. To get started learning how to play hockey, you'll need to learn how to ice skate. A great way to start is through a learn-to-skate program. These programs can teach you the basics of using the edges of the skates to push off and turn. You will also learn the basics of starting and stopping and even how to properly get up after you fall, which is a much-needed skill!

Once you have properly learned how to skate, you can then transition into learning how to play hockey. With ice hockey, you not only have to be a steady skater, but you also need to learn the basics of skating with the hockey puck, passing the puck, shooting the puck, and avoiding penalties. One of the best ways to practice these skills is off the ice, using a tennis ball on a driveway or any flat surface. Add some obstacles, like cones to go around, and you have a great off-ice practice drill!

Resources

• Origins of Ice Hockey: Read information from the Canadian Encyclopedia about the roots of the game.
• A Brief History of Hockey: Pure Hockey provides a brief look at the history of hockey.
• History of Ice Hockey: This page explains that ice hockey can be traced back to the Dutch game of kolven.
• History of Women in Sports: Isobel Stanley was one of the first women to play hockey.
• Hockey 101: The Basics of the Game: Know what to expect before you go to your first game by reading this guide.
• How to Become a Hockey Fan: This page has an overview of the sport for complete hockey newbies.
• Beginner Guide to Playing Ice Hockey: Learn the basics of the positions and flow of a hockey game.
• Hockey Terminology: Several hockey terms are listed on this page.
• Hockey Terms: Get a better grasp on hockey lingo with this article.
• Do You Speak Hockey? Many commonly used hockey terms are identified and defined here.
• Hockey Slang Words: Hockey players also have their own slang, some of which is listed on this page from the NCAA.
• Hockey 101: Read about the basic rules of the game of hockey.
• Ice Hockey Rules Explained: Learn more about the basic rules of the game from the Chicago Wolves professional hockey team.
• Hockey Safety Tips: Hockey can be a dangerous sport if you don't wear the proper gear.
• Ice Hockey Equipment List: You'll need quite a bit of equipment to play hockey.
• Suiting Up for the Ice: The right gear can keep you safe on the ice.
• Beginner Hockey Player Checklist: This page for parents and new players can help you get a better idea of what you need to start playing hockey.
• Come Play Youth Hockey: USA Hockey is the governing body for ice hockey in the United States.
• How to Ice Skate for Beginners: Find some tips and recommendations on how to learn to skate on this page.
• How to Skate: Before you can take the ice, you'll need to know how to skate.
• Hockey Skating Tips: Try these useful tips to improve your skating.
• Off-Ice Hockey Drills: You don't need ice to practice some of the basic skills of playing hockey.
• New to Hockey? Read this useful page to find information on how to enjoy being new to playing hockey.

Edited by: Ben Thompson