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What is icing in ice hockey?

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ice hockey Goalie Marc-André Fleury of the Vegas Golden Knights blocking a shot by Jakub Vrána of the Washington Capitals in game five of the 2018 Stanley Cup finals. The Capitals won the game and the series.

In ice hockey, icing is an infraction that occurs when a player shoots the puck from their own side of the center-ice line across the opposing team's goal line without the puck entering the net or being touched by the defending goalie.12

The rule was established in 1937 to prevent teams from using the puck as a stalling tactic to preserve a lead. When icing is called, play is stopped and the puck is returned to the defensive zone of the team that committed the infraction for a face-off.21

Key exceptions and details include:
* Shorthanded teams: Icing is not called against a team that is currently shorthanded.12
* Hybrid Icing: To reduce high-speed collisions, the NHL currently uses "hybrid icing," where play is stopped if an opposing player chasing the puck reaches the face-off dot first.2
* Discretion: Officials may wave off the icing call under certain conditions, such as if the puck is touched by an opponent or if it was shot immediately following a face-off.2