Ice Hockey news: Sports for Dummies - The National Hockey League (part two)
After covering the bare necessities in part one of our Sports for Dummies guide to the NHL, Sports News Blitz writer Katie Ransome is back - this time focusing on the bird’s eye view with a guide to the ice and gear.
The sheet
If Ice Hockey wasn't already confusing enough with all the rules and moves, National Hockey League rinks completely differ in layout and dimension to every other class across the world.
NHL grade rinks are around 61 metres in length, by 26 metres in width with rounded corners ensuring fast-paced play at all times, layered vertically with one-ish metre walls, known as boards.
Seeing plenty of action, these boards are partnered with glass panels designed from acrylic to be durable and pliable, often the victims of fully-grown men smashing into them during a fight for the puck.
Dividing up the sheet into ‘zones’, different coloured lines and shapes are painted on the ice.
The red line directly down the middle represents the centre and is where play-starting face-offs are made (covered more in part one).
READ MORE: Ice hockey news: Sports for Dummies - The National Hockey League
Beyond that there are two blue lines representing each team's zones, the space between these known as the neutral zone.
Teams each have an offensive and defensive zone, the latter identifiable by the side of the ice their goalie takes residence at the time, swapping over for every period.
Goalies are positioned (as the name suggests) in front of the goal, identifiable not only by big metal pipes and a net, but also the light blue shaded area on the ice’s surface.
A fairly new concept to game play, NHL rinks now also have a trapezoid shape behind this section, indicating an area where the goaltenders are allowed to handle the puck.
Identifiable as big red circles and/or little shaded in dots, nine face offs dots (two in the offensive and defensive zones, then five across the neutral zone) exist to host puck drops.
The board length outskirts play host to the player benches, time keepers den and penalty boxes, the former providing a break in glass allowing players to switch lines backwards and forwards at speed across the top.
Authority and the gear
Acting as authority, each NHL game is played with three on-ice officials - a main referee and two linesmen.
The linespeople come second in command to the referee, keeping their eyes to the ground for offences and infringements committed, stopping play for an impromptu meeting when it is deemed necessary.
Ultimately the top dog when it comes to calls, the referee is responsible for enforcing game rules, making calls, ensuring game flow and player safety.
Much like in football, however on a more low-key scale here, the officials have access to all footage during a game and can request such to help in making the most informed and fair decisions for calls to action.
They also use the sport’s own universal form of almost sign language to communicate with match and rinkside staff and announce penalty calls over the ruckus of the rink.
Much like players donning team jerseys with their chosen play number, these officials are hard to miss, shouldering their own numbers across the back of black and white striped jersey-style tops.
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Every player on the ice must at minimum wear/have the following:
A helmet - There are many types of helmet in Ice Hockey; Those with a cage, a visor, a bubble, or just the plain old bucket.
Top to bottom padding - This includes shoulder pads, elbow pads, shin pads and knee pads hidden under the outer gear.
Gloves
Hockey pants and a sports cup
Mouthguards - Are optional within the NHL but heavily advised to protect those photo worthy grins.
Skates of course!
And another no brainer - A stick
Gear for the goaltenders is different however:
Helmet - Only one style exists here and is most akin to a Motorbike helmet. (Often with some pretty cool customization too)
Neck shield
Chest and arm protector pads
A blocker - A rectangular leather pad strapped to the tenders dominant hand used to block shots
Catching glove - Another leather ensemble with an open webbed design at the hand used to snatch the puck
Pants and a jock
Extended knee pads - Slick in design to allow seamless sliding across the ice and a barricade to the onslaught of rubber coming their way
A stick - Responsible for some of the coolest saves in history.
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