This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Stony Brook chapter.

Are you not a sports fan but want to be in all the fun this fall? I suggest a quick 101 rundown of the sport you’re interested in, and this one is all things hockey.

Maybe your dad or boyfriend isn’t a football kind of guy, so instead he’s spending this weekend watching all the NHL home-opener games. If you still want to feel included in the fun, I’m going to be giving you the basic rundown of hockey so you don’t have to Google search during the game.

I grew up watching hockey with my family and played field hockey for a couple of years. Though I am not an expert in the game, let me tell you in the simplest terms so you can enjoy the hockey season.

The game is three periods long, usually being around two and a half hours. Six players are on the ice for each team at a time- center: left-wing, right-wing, left defense, right defense, and goalie.

Unlike football and basketball, there’s one way to get points for your team and it’s only worth one point. Just shoot the puck into the net and they can be assisted by up to two other players.

The game starts with a face-off at the center circle on the ice. This will happen at the beginning of every period or when the game stops. That’s why there are four other circles on the ice for a total of five.

However, in every sport, there are rules you have to follow. First, we have offsides, and this is when the puck is passed to an attacking player behind the defense line of the defense team.

You also have icing the puck. This is when a player on their team’s side behind the red-dashed center line shoots the puck across the solid red line at the other end.

A player can also receive a penalty and be sent to the penalty box for a specific time. I won’t list every possible minor or major penalty in the book, but some of the most common ones are cross-checking (both hands on the stick and pushing the other player) and high sticking (contact with another player with the stick raised).

When a player is serving a penalty, and the other team is considered to have a numerical advantage on the ice, these are power plays. Power plays won’t occur when both teams have the same number of players out on the ice.

Besides all the basic rules and knowledge of the game, you will definitely see some falls on the ice along with some hot-headed fights. It’s funny to watch and sometimes even better than the game itself.

If you’re going to a game, take note of the team chants and what the arena does throughout the game. You will definitely see a kiss cam and a celebrity lookalike, so look your best if the camera panes to you.

Whether you are going to the game in person or watching at home, the game will have you on the edge of your seat. I will say being a fan of hockey is all about the atmosphere and the adrenaline rush when your favorite team scores.

And with that, you’re ready to eat some snacks and watch hockey. But stay off your phone and eyes on the ice. The players skate fast and the game can change in the blink of an eye.

Now that I leave you with all my girl-coded hockey knowledge, I’m going to be in full New York Islanders’ fan mode for the time being. Happy hockey season to those who celebrate.

Hockey 101

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