| This article provides useful, detailed information about | | | | mouth guard is mandatory and must meet safety |
| Ice Hockey Equipment. | | | | standards to protect eyes, nose and teeth. |
| Ice hockey requires special equipment. The basics | | | | Professional players may be excused from wearing |
| being the stick and the puck. The ice hockey stick is | | | | mouth guards, but young players and collegiate-level |
| slightly less curved than the routine hockey stick and | | | | players are obliged by law to wear them. Ice hockey |
| may be made of wood or a high-tech composite | | | | players should wear shoulder pads, shin and elbow |
| material. The composite stick is sturdier, but also more | | | | guards and knee guards. Ice hockey gloves are more |
| expensive. Instead of a ball, there is a hard, vulcanized | | | | thickly padded than regular hockey gloves. And |
| rubber disc called as the puck, which is supposed to | | | | jockstraps are mandatory. Both men and women |
| be hit with the stick towards the goal net. Ice hockey | | | | must wear padded undergarments to protect the |
| players use special skates, which have blade grips to | | | | upper torso and calves. Goalies require much more |
| facilitate contact with the ice. The goal net, which is | | | | protection since they must physically stop the puck |
| made of steel frames and synthetic nylon net, can be | | | | from entering the goal-net. They are fortified with |
| dismantled for storage. When the hockey stick is | | | | chest protectors, back protectors, neck guards and leg |
| swung strong enough, he puck moves at about | | | | pads, as well as the standard equipment. Ice hockey is |
| 120-160 km/h, increasing chances of accidental injury. | | | | a very demanding contact sport and the gear is |
| Wearing safety gear is the law. A helmet with a | | | | designed with safety and comfort in mind. |