The objective of the game of hockey is simple. Each team strives to get more goals than the others. The goal would be to hit the puck to the net or with your stick or any part of their body. Each time, there are five skaters on the team. Two are for defense and three are for the forwards. Also, there is a goaltender.
The timings
The time frame is diving between twenty minutes that are held thrice in one game. The whole number of goals within this frame is taken into consideration. Post that the game moves on to the other steps. On top of that, there are four officials in NHL games, including two linesmen and two referees.
Offside
There is a set offensive zone in the game. This area is called offside. Icing is when a team shoots the puck to the opposing net.
Miscellaneous rules
It is allowed to only hit the ball with the flat side of its hockey stick. Anything else is an offense. Also, hockey player cannot use their hands or feet to score. It will be called a penalty stroke and will not be approved by the referee. Even if it does hit the net, it will not be counted as a goal. Also, hockey players are not allowed to trip or charge someone with the intention of hurting them. No one is allowed to injure others during the game at the expense of winning.
Offenses
The green card signifies that it is an official warning and rule breaks would not be allowed hereafter. Yellow signifies that the player should be off the pitch for 5 minutes and return to play only post that. The red card means that they should leave the game. It is the most serious offense and this is not taken lightly.
The different punishments
Free hit is given in the situation when there are any scoring offenses in the outsides of the circle. The location of the violation is taken into consideration and the same place is chosen. A penalty corner is awarded in case of a foul. If the player intentionally hurts the other player or hits out of bounds, without considering the end line, it leads to this penalty. A penalty stroke is given when the dense side ends up preventing a goal. There is a set area of 7 yards and the goalkeeper is allowed just this area. They can only use their body to prevent the goal from hitting.
Conclusion
All these will help you get a better understanding of the game of hockey in your next game. You can be the person in the bleachers who clears the doubts of the hockey novices and also enjoy the game better. When you have complete knowledge of the game, it helps you involve more and savor every moment of the game. You would also understand the shortcomings of your favorite team.