How to play hockey

The basics

• Two teams of five skaters plus a goalie try to put the puck in the other net.
• Shooting the puck from your own half past the other goal line, untouched, is icing: play restarts in your end.
• Players may not enter the offensive zone before the puck (offside).
• In shinny and most adult drop-ins there is no body checking and no slapshots.
• Teams change lines every minute or two so everyone plays.

What you need

• Skates, a stick, a helmet and gloves are the minimum for shinny.
• Full equipment for indoor drop-in: helmet with cage, shoulder pads, elbow pads, pants, shin guards, gloves.
• A light and a dark jersey to split the teams.

How a pickup game works

At shinny, everyone throws their stick in a pile at centre ice and one person splits them into two piles: those are the teams. Often there are no goalies and you score into small nets or between boots. At indoor drop-ins, you sign up for an ice time and bring both jerseys.

Pickup etiquette

• No checking and no lifting the puck at shinny without goalies or gear.
• Keep shifts short so everyone gets ice.
• Pass to the slower players; shinny is about everyone playing.
• Leave the ice clean and help clear snow on outdoor rinks.

Your first games

• Learn to skate and stop first; public skating hours are perfect for it.
• Start at a "learn to play" or beginner drop-in ice time.
• Tape your stick blade: it helps you feel the puck.

Questions