Ice hockey may have developed from stick and ball games played in Great Britain in the 1700s. When immigrants came to North America, they started playing their games on the ice during the winter. Eventually the rules changed enough to form a new game — ice hockey!
The first indoor ice hockey game was played in Montreal, Canada, in 1875.
The Seattle Vamps were one of the first organized women’s teams in the United States. They formed in 1916 and played against Canadian female teams.
Women’s ice hockey first became part of the Winter Olympic Games in 1998. (Men’s ice hockey became an Olympic sport in 1920.) That year, the United States won gold, Canada won silver, and Finland won bronze.
If players break the rules, the referee calls a penalty. A penalty often results in the player spending time in the penalty box. Some common penalties are:
Tripping — using the stick, arm, or leg to trip an opponent
Slashing — swinging the stick at an opponent
Roughing — shoving another player after the whistle has blown or away from the play
High-sticking — carrying the stick above the shoulders or the stick making contact above the shoulders of an opponent
Sometimes fans chant “sieve!” at the other team’s goaltender when a shot gets through to the net. A sieve is a type of strainer made of wire mesh that liquid can pour through. Hockey fans say “sieve” to intimidate and throw off the goalie’s concentration.
Men’s hockey and women’s hockey have similar rules. The main difference is that body checking is not allowed in women’s hockey and results in a penalty. Body checking is when a player uses their body to separate an opponent from the puck.