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An independent guide. Not the official website of Sapphire Ice & Leisure, Everyone Active, Havering Council or the former Romford Ice Arena. About this site

Your first ice hockey game: a beginner's guide

Ice hockey is fast, loud and easy to enjoy without knowing a single rule. If you are going to see the Romford Raiders for the first time, here is what you need to know.

How a game works

  • Two teams of six on the ice at once: a goaltender, two defence and three forwards. Players change "on the fly" every minute or so, which is why the bench is so busy.
  • Three periods of 20 minutes of playing time. The clock stops whenever play stops, so each period takes 30–40 minutes of real time.
  • Two intervals of around 15 minutes, while the ice is resurfaced. Food, drink and the toilets are busiest then.
  • Ties are settled by overtime and then, if needed, a penalty shootout, depending on the competition.

Allow about two and a half hours from the first face-off to the final buzzer.

The rules that matter most

  • Offside: an attacking player cannot cross the blue line into the opponents' zone before the puck. If the whistle goes and you are not sure why, it was probably this.
  • Icing: shooting the puck from your own half all the way past the opponents' goal line stops play, with a face-off back in your end.
  • Penalties: tripping, hooking, high sticks and the like send a player to the penalty box for two minutes (longer for serious offences). Their team plays a player short: the "power play" for the other side is often when goals come.

Where to sit

Higher seats give a better view of the patterns of play; seats near the glass give you the speed and the noise. Behind the goals is good for the drama. Most supporters stand by the same spot every week, so ask a regular.

What to wear

Rinks are cold, even in the stands. Bring a warm layer and maybe a hat, and wear sensible shoes: concourses can be wet. Pucks do occasionally leave the ice over the glass, so keep an eye on play.

Tickets

Raiders tickets are sold through the club, with season tickets and family tickets available; big games and derbies can sell out, as the first game at the Sapphire did. See the official Raiders website. This site does not sell tickets.

Want to play?

Learn to skate first, then try a hockey taster or academy session. See skating lessons and ice hockey in Romford.