One player's use of one or a mixture of technical talents to gain an advantage or reduce an opponent's advantage. A strategy is either aggressive or defensive. Based on that designation, players use different techniques to win games. Hockey is a game that requires skill and stamina. You need to be able to handle a puck, move it around the ice, and shoot it if you want to score goals. It also helps if you're strong enough to fight off opponents who want to take your jersey off of you. Finally, you can't forget about luck - some games are won because of random events, such as who drops a ball in the penalty box at the right time. There are two types of plays in hockey: open-field tackles and body checks. An open-field tackle is when a player goes into the opposing team's end of the rink to stop them from moving the puck forward. A body check is when a player punches the ice to prevent another player from getting the better of him in a fight. These actions are all part of the game and cannot be avoided even if you use special equipment. However, if you choose to go for a legal hit, then you have to worry about being penalized with a minor penalty or a major penalty depending on how severe the hit was.