Some Dirty Moves In Ice Hockey

most violent games of all time. Some shun the game because of the trademark blood sport, while others primarily view ice hockey tournaments to experience the thrill of player-to-player or audience-to-audience brawls.

If you are mulling whether it's safe for you to watch ice hockey from the benches or from your television set, don't skip this page. Here you'll orient yourself to some of the usual dirty moves ice hockey is made of. Note that despite violation calls and penalties given by referees, these moves are hard to erase from the sport itself.

• FISTICUFFS. This is a jargon which simply refers to bare-fisted fights. This may happen within the ice hockey rink among players or in the benches among the spectators.

A fisticuff among players will merit a violation call from the referee. However, if the intention to injure is obvious, the players will be suspended from the game. Despite their prohibition, fisticuffs remain deeply entrenched in many ice hockey bouts.

• CHARGING. This dirty move involves players from either the offense or defense lunging at the opponent. Over speeding can also be considered charging if the player exceeds three strides to approach the opponent.

A more violent combination of charging involves over speeding on the ice, jumping at the opponent and then hitting him with a shove, a punch, a knee jerk or the ice hockey stick. When the attack occurs from the back, the referee calls a “checking from behind” violation instead of “charging.”

• TRIPPING. This dirty move can either be achieved through stick work or leg work. (Tripping using your leg is also known as slue footing). Overly aggressive players on both the offensive and defensive sides will use tripping to slow down the opponent and to prevent the puck from being passed and goals from being scored.

In a pure sense, players can trip on their own especially when they fail to regulate their skating speed and balance. However, tripping is considered a dirty move because most of the time, tripping is intentionally done.

• SHOVING. Shoving is basically pushing. The referee uses his judgment on whether shoving was called for. Pushing from behind is frowned upon, as well as shoving that accompanies punches.

Boarding is a type of shoving wherein one player pushes another towards the board. Again, this type of violent pushing is highly discouraged. However, shoving that unintentionally results from being abruptly blocked by a defending opponent may be tolerated. Another word for shoving is roughing up.

• HOLDING. Ice hockey allows players to use their hands to hold their sticks only. When they begin to use their hands to grab the sticks or bodies of their opponents, players guilty of holding will be cited for a violation. Unfortunately, even when the move is sanctioned, many players still resort to holding game after game.

As you can see, you need more than a good attitude to stomach the dirty moves played in ice hockey. The sport is truly a test of endurance and staying power for both the ice hockey players and the audience.