You have entered the thrilling realm of ice hockey. This beginner’s guide will provide you all the information you need to begin playing the sport, whether you’re just starting out or want to learn more about it.
First Things First: Ice hockey is a high-energy team game played on ice. Each player uses a stick to try to score a puck, which is a rubber puck, against the other team’s goal. The goal is to outscore the other team in the given time limit.
A rink, a big rectangular expanse of ice, is the usual playing surface for ice hockey. The ice is split into three sections: the offensive zone, the defensive zone, and the neutral zone. In the offensive zone, teams attempt to score goals, while in the defensive zone, they protect their own goal.
Thirdly, the gear: In order to play ice hockey safely, players need gear like:
- Ice hockey skates are a must-have for any skater looking to dominate the ice.
- A helmet prevents harm to the head.
- Protect yourself against harm with these pads: shin guards, elbows, and shoulders.
- Control and shoot the puck with the use of a stick.
- Hand protection and better control of the stick are achieved with gloves.
- Armor: For extra protection, there is a neck guard, groin guard, and mouthguard.
4. How to Play and the Rules:
The National Hockey League (NHL) and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) are two of the regulating organizations that have put forward a set of regulations that ice hockey must adhere to. Important guidelines and components of the game include:
- In the event of an offside, a player is not in the attacking zone until the puck has landed.
- During icing, a player is unable to shoot the puck across the goal line of the other team’s center.
- Infractions like tripping, slashing, or holding can result in penalties for players.
- Roles & Responsibilities: In a typical game, players are divided into several positions, like forwards, defensemen, and goaltender
The complete rulebook is available at the link below; it would be a great nighttime read 😀 ; I, too, have been playing for ten years without ever having cracked it.
https://www.sihf.ch/media/23446/2022-07-26-iihf_rulebook_gesamt_v21_interaktiv-15-_en.pdf
5. Strategy and Scoring: When an ice hockey player hits the goal with a shot, they score. In order to outwit their opponents and generate scoring chances, teams utilize a variety of techniques, such as passing, shooting, and defensive strategies.
Whether you want to play the game or just watch it, there are plenty of ways to get involved with ice hockey: Become a hockey player by signing up with a team or league in your area.
If you want to show your support for your favorite ice hockey teams, you should go to their games.
To keep up with the newest happenings in the ice hockey world, follow the news and updates online or in sports media.
Finally, ice hockey is a thrilling sport because it combines teamwork, skill, and excitement. You can now embark on your adventure as an ice hockey fan or player, armed with the knowledge you’ve gained from this beginner’s guide. Get ready for the exhilarating sport of ice hockey by lacing up your skates and grabbing your stick!
Stay back for the next blog post where I’ll give you the lowdown on the different Swiss league teams. Maybe after reading this detailed guide, you’ll even fall in love with this sport!
#HockeyForEverybody #KeepHockey #HockeyForTheWin
The gear is so interesting! Do you need to order the gear from other countries or is there a store in Switzerland for it?
Dear Chloé
You can either buy the equipment online or in special shops that offer this type of equipment, in Switzerland there are several shops, pretty much every ice rink has one and there are bigger shops in different cities. Leading brands are Ochsner Hockey and Interhockey! Hope you have a good week 😀