Regel 81: Icing

For the purpose of this rule, the center red line will divide the ice into halves. Should any Player of a Team, equal or superior in “numerical strength” (power-play) to the opposing Team, shoot, bat or deflect the puck from their own half of the ice beyond the Goal Line of the opposing Team, play shall be stopped.

For the purpose of deflected pucks, this only applies when the puck was originally propelled down the ice by the offending Team.

For the purpose of this rule, the point of last contact with the puck by the Team in possession shall be used to determine whether icing has occurred or not. As such, the Team in possession must “gain the line” in order for the icing to be nullified. “Gaining the line” shall mean that the puck, while on the Player’s stick (not the Player’s skate) must make contact with the center red line in order to nullify a potential icing. For the purpose of interpretation of the rule, there are two judgments required for "icing the puck".

The Linesperson must first determine that the puck will cross the Goal Line. Once the Linesperson determines that the puck will cross the Goal Line, “icing” is completed upon the determination as to which Player (attacking or defending) would first touch the puck.
This decision by the Linesperson will be made by no later than the instant the first Player reaches the End Zone “face-off” dots with the Player's skate being the determining factor. Should the puck be shot down the ice in such a manner that it travels around the Boards and/or back towards the End Zone “face-off” dots, the same procedure shall be in effect in that the Linesperson shall determine within a similar distance as to who will have touched the puck first. For clarification, the determining factor is which Player would first touch the puck, not which Player would first reach the End Zone “face-off” dots.

If the “race for the puck” is too close to determine by the time the first Player reaches the End Zone “face-off” dots, “icing” shall be called. The puck striking or deflecting off an Official does not automatically nullify a potential “icing”.

If there is no “race” for the puck, icing will be not called until a defending skater crosses its defending blue line and the puck crosses the goal line (not between the goal posts).

Following an “icing”, the attacking Team will have the choice of which End Zone dot the “face-off” will take place.
If, in the opinion of the Referee, the defending side intentionally abstains from playing the puck promptly when they are in a position to do so, they shall stop the play and order the resulting “face-off” on the adjacent corner Face-off Spot nearest the goal of the Team at fault. If the Linesperson shall have erred in calling an “icing the puck” infraction (regardless of whether either Team is “short-handed”), the puck shall be “faced-off” on the Center ice Face-off Spot.

If, in the opinion of the Linesperson, the Goalkeeper feigns playing the puck, attempts to play the puck, or skates in the direction of the puck on an icing at any time, the “potential icing” shall not be called, and play shall continue.

If, however, a Goalkeeper is legitimately out of the crease in an attempt to go to the Players’ Bench to be substituted for an extra attacker and in no way makes an attempt to play the puck, the “icing” should not be nullified under this section.

If the Goalkeeper is out of their crease prior to the shot being taken, and simply retreats to their crease making no attempt to play the puck or feign playing the puck, the “potential icing” shall remain in effect.

A Team that is in violation of this rule shall not be permitted to make any Player substitutions prior to the ensuing “face-off”.
However, a Team shall be permitted to make a Player substitution to replace a Goalkeeper who had been substituted for an extra attacker, to replace an injured Player, a Player with a broken skate, or when a penalty has been assessed which affects the on-ice strength of either Team. The determination of Players on ice will be made when the puck leaves the offending Player’s stick.

When the puck is shot and rebounds from the body or stick of an opponent in their own half of the ice so as to cross the Goal Line of the Player shooting, it shall not be considered “icing”.

When a puck is shot by a Team from their own half of the ice and is deflected several times before crossing the center red line, icing shall be nullified if at least one of these deflections was off an opposing Player. If the puck shall go beyond the Goal Line in the opposite half of the ice directly from either of the Players while facing-off, it shall not be considered a violation of this rule.

If, in the opinion of the Linesperson, any Player (other than the Goalkeeper) of the opposing Team is able to play the puck before it passes their Goal Line, but has not done so, play shall continue and the “icing” violation shall not be called.
This includes the situation whereby the opposing Team, while in the process of making Player substitutions during the play, are able to play the puck, but choose not to do so to avoid being called for “too many Players on the ice”. “Icing” should not be called.

If the puck touches any part of a Player of the opposing side, including their skates or their stick, or if it touches any part of the opposing Team’s Goalkeeper, including their skates or their stick, at any time before or after crossing the Goal Line, it shall not be considered “icing”.
If a Goalkeeper takes any action to dislodge the puck from the back of the net, “icing” shall not be called.

If the puck was shot by a Player of a side below the numerical strength of the opposing Team, play shall continue, and the “icing” violation shall not be called.
When a Team is “short-handed” as the result of a penalty and the penalty is about to expire, the decision as to whether there has been an “icing” shall be determined at the instant the penalty expires. Should the puck be released from the stick of the Player shooting the puck down the ice prior to the penalty expiring, the “icing” infraction shall not apply. The action of the penalized Player remaining in the Penalty Box will not alter the ruling.