What is icing in hockey?
Icing is when a team at equal or greater strength shoots, bats or deflects the puck from its own side of the center red line all the way past the opponent's goal line; play is stopped.1 The NHL uses a race to the end-zone faceoff dots: once the linesperson judges the puck will cross the goal line, icing depends on which player would touch the puck first, decided by the time the first player's skate reaches the dots. If the race is too close, icing is called.1 (NHL Rule 81)
The details
Where the puck was last touched decides icing, so the puck must be on a player's stick when it touches the center red line to avoid icing. (Rule 81)1
A team that is shorthanded because of a penalty may ice the puck; icing is not called. Whether the penalty has just expired is judged at the moment the puck is shot. (Rule 81)1
If the goalie plays the puck, tries to, fakes it, or skates toward it, icing is waved off. A goalie heading to the bench for an extra attacker does not wave it off. (Rule 81)1
Icing is waved off if the linesperson thinks a defending player (other than the goalie) could have played the puck before it crossed the goal line but did not, or if the puck touches any opposing player, including the goalie. (Rule 81)1
After an icing, the faceoff is in the defending zone of the team that iced it, and the attacking team picks which end-zone dot it is on. (Rule 81)1
The team that iced the puck may not change players before the next faceoff, except to replace a pulled goalie, an injured player, or when a penalty changes on-ice strength. (Rule 81)1
The defending team cannot call a time-out right after an icing. (Rule 87)1
A team still short because it failed to put a player in the box when a major ended may not ice the puck; icing is called. (Rule 81)1
NCAA uses hybrid icing, and in NCAA play icing is waved off if the goalie leaves the crease or fakes playing the puck.2
USA Hockey and NFHS stop play for icing as soon as the puck crosses the goal line, with no race.2,3
In USA Hockey, a shorthanded team may ice the puck only in older classifications (15-Only and up, girls 16U and up, high school and adult); 14U and younger may not.2,3
The IIHF uses the same race-to-the-dots icing judgment as the NHL.4
More hockey rules
What is offside in hockey? · What is a power play in hockey? · Hockey penalties list · All hockey rules
Sources
- NHL Official Rules 2025-26 (league) · accessed 2026-10-23
- USA Hockey / NFHS Playing Rules Committees: USAH-NFHS-NCAA Rules Comparison 2026-27 (updated 9/30/2026) · accessed 2026-10-23
- USA Hockey Official Playing Rules 2025-29 (linked from usahockey.com/rulesandresources) · accessed 2026-10-23
- IIHF Official Rule Book 2026/27 · accessed 2026-10-23
Rules are paraphrased, not quoted; the rulebook wins wherever wording matters. NHL rules unless a league is named.