ICE HOCKEY – “a theatre of skill, power, and pace – it’s fast and furious”

The idea of the game is to score more goals than your opponents by propelling the puck into their goal. It is played over 3 stop time periods of 20 minutes. If the score is level at 60 minutes we go to “Golden Goal” overtime, and then maybe to penalty shots. Between the periods we have 18-minute intervals where the ice is resurfaced to maintain a good playing surface. A game will typically last about 2½ hours.

Each team has up to 22 players on their bench of which a maximum of 6 are on the ice at any one time. Players are penalised for offences by sitting out part of the game in the Sin Bin. This can have the effect of reducing the maximum number of players on the ice. Players can be changed whilst the game is in motion, this is known as a “change on the fly”, or when there is a break in play.

Players skate at up to 35km/hour. The puck can be shot at anything up to 150km/hour.

The action is controlled by a referee and two lines of people. They are the ones in the striped shirts. The referee is denoted by the red armbands. The officials will make “calls on the play”. Don’t worry if you don’t recognise the signals, our matchday announcer will let you know about the important ones.

Your home team, the Oxford Rising Stars, will be wearing the silver shirts. Please make as much noise as you want to support the team. One proviso on that is we would ask you to note that ice hockey is a family sport and that foul or abusive language will not be tolerated. 

You can visit the Supporters Table pre-game and in the intervals. They will be selling merchandise, as well as tickets for 50/50 and Chuck A Puck. 50/50 is the cash draw (we do take cards!) where half of the ticket income is paid out as a single prize. The other half goes towards supporting Oxford Rising Stars, hence why it is called 50/50.

Chuck A Puck is your chance to “play” to win a prize. In the 2nd interval, we set up a target and you are invited to throw a puck, like those used in the match, to try and get as close as possible to the target. Sounds easy? Why not have a go? Pucks are available from the Supporters table and cost £1 each.

All of the proceeds from these fund-raising events go to supporting ice hockey development in Oxford.

We also have a Café:

 

Why not come and support the team, have some beverages and watch a great game of ice hockey… We hope you enjoy your evening’s entertainment!

---

Rules of the game:

The basic principle is to score more goals than your opponent, or put another way, concede less goals than your opponent. Games are played over 3 x 20 minute “stop time” periods. This means that when the whistle blows the match clock stops. If scores are level at the end of those 60 minutes, a maximum of 5 minutes of “overtime” is played. The first team to scores wins. Should the teams remain tied, then penalty shots will determine the winner.

The rules are enforced by the match officials. Known as “Team Stripes” they normally consist of a referee and two linesmen. Occasionally the game may be overseen by two referees. The officials wear the black and white striped shirts. Referees were red arm bands. 

Penalties are called by the referee and will result in players leaving the ice and sitting time in the penalty box, known as the sin bin. For serious penalties, players will be removed from the game and sent to the dressing room. When players are in the sin bin, teams will generally play with less players on the ice, known as being short-handed, while the other team, with the extra player, is on the power-play. If penalties are called at the same time, these may not be shown on the game clock, they are known as coincidental minor penalties and player numbers on the ice will not be reduced. 

Our game announcer will let you know about the goals and penalties. If there is something that you do not understand, then seek out one of our volunteer team, and they will help you. (They are the ones with the hoodies with “Volunteer” on the back)  

There are a couple of rules, peculiar to the sport, and we have explained these below. 

Offside 

A player is offside if a player on the attacking team does not control the puck and is in the offensive zone when a different attacking player causes the puck to enter the offensive zone, until either the puck or all attacking players leave the offensive zone. Simply put, the puck must not enter the attacking zone after attacking players. If a player on the attacking team is in the offensive zone before the puck, either an immediate offside occurs, or they must retreat to the neutral zone.

Icing

Icing is an infraction when a player shoots, bats with the hand or stick or deflects the puck over the centre red line and the opposing team’s red goal line, in that order, and the puck remains untouched without scoring a goal. The rule’s main purpose is preventing a defending team from delaying the game by, relatively easily, sending the puck to the other side of the rink. The offending team is not permitted to change its players before the game is restarted with a face off.