Ice Cold Ice Hockey Gameplay

General Idea

Shoot the puck and score goals. Outside shots (O/S) are low-percentage shots, taken from “the points” just inside your opponent’s blue line. On the other hand, inside shots (I/S), normally taken from “the slot” close to your opponent’s goalie, are much more likely to score a goal. Throughout the game you’ll be trying to set up an I/S – passing, skating and dumping-and-chasing the puck.

As the Offensive player, choose one of these actions on your turn:

1. Play a Pass or Skate card If not the start of a new offensive sequence of play, the type/icon at the top of the card must match the pass or skate icon at right-center of the last card you played. Additionally, the puck must currently be located in one of the colored rink zones at the card’s upper left. Note that Pass/Skate cards which allow an Inside Shot have a circle-with-a-dot icon at their right-center.

2. Discard a card and dump the puck out to center ice from your defensive zone Your opponent gains possession and begins a new sequence.

3. Clear the puck the into your offensive zone from your defensive zone (no discard) There is a 50% chance you’ll be called for icing. (Waived if your opponent chooses to “touch up.”)

4. Discard a card and dump the puck into your offensive zone from center ice There is a 50% chance you’ll recover the loose puck.

5. Take an outside shot when the puck is in your offensive zone (no discard) You must have possession of the puck. This action is a free action; no card is played. The top card of the deck provides the result of the shot.

6. Play an Inside Shot card (or after you play card #56, Steal the Puck) You must have possession of the puck. Inside Shot cards have a circle-with-a-dot icon at the top-center. The top card of the deck provides the result of the shot. At right-center, Inside Shots have a red blocked-shot icon which allows the defensive player to play the I/S Shot Blocked card. Some I/S cards have a square-with-an-exclamation-point, which allows the defensive player to play a defensive card which may result in a penalty.

Pulling the Goalie

With 15 cards left in the third period, if you are behind in the score and have puck control at CI or in your OZ (or a face-off is about to take place in one of those zones) you can pull the goalie. You’ll then play with a 6-card hand until you put your goalie back in net; you can only do this during a play stoppage. You must put your goalie back in net if you tie the game or a face-off takes place in your DZ.

Defensive play

1. Play a Defensive card If the offensive player plays a card with a (rounded) red square at its right-center, their opponent may play a defensive card. The red squares and defensive cards come in two distinct types: a red square at their top-center or a red square-with-exclamation point.

• If the offensive card that was just played is a Skate card, then the defensive card’s rink-icon at upper left must have color in the section which matches the puck’s current zone.
• If the offensive card that was just played is a Pass card, then the defensive card’s rink-icon at upper left must have color in the section which matches the puck’s destination zone.
• The two defensive cards “Steal the Puck” function against Pass cards as if they were Skate cards. In other words, they gain possession of the puck in their own OZ.

2. Play a Shot Blocked card Played out of turn, one card blocks an Outside Shot attempt and the other an Inside Shot. Both result in a loose puck. These cards have a square-with-a-dot icon at the top.

3. Defensive Mode If you have scored more goals than your opponent, you may choose to dump the puck from center ice into your offensive zone and let your opponent gain possession. This procedure allows you a better chance of gaining defensive cards and to burn time off the clock.

Penalties

Defensive cards that have a red square-with-exclamation-point at top-center may result in a penalty when played. Other penalties may be called during H/V (Home/Visitor) checks. Penalties will result in a number of Outside and/or Inside power play shots. Play of card #44 (Cheap Shot) may result in a major penalty and six shots – with the potential to score multiple goals. Multiple penalties and penalty shots can occur.

Offsides and Icing

These infractions may be called during H/V (Home/Visitor) checks and result in a faceoff.

Loose Pucks

These can occur after the play of some defensive cards and other situations. An H/V check will determine which team gains possession of the puck. The icon at the lower left of the top card of the deck decides.

Momentum

Goals, superb goalie saves, big hits, cheap shots and fights can result in the draw of extra cards for a player’s hand. This increase in hand size is temporary.