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Why is icing not called against a shorthanded ice hockey team?
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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 occurs when a team shoots the puck from its own half of the ice past the opposing team's goal line. While this infraction typically results in a stoppage of play and a face-off in the offending team's defensive zone, the rule is not enforced when a team is shorthanded.
This exception exists because a team playing with fewer players due to a penalty is already at a significant disadvantage. Allowing them to ice the puck provides a necessary tactical release, enabling the shorthanded team to relieve pressure and clear the zone without the penalty of a whistle and a defensive-zone face-off.1