What is cross-checking in hockey?

Cross-checking in hockey is one of the more common penalties out there, and it involves a player hitting another with the shaft of their stick. When a player lands a body check, you’ll often see them leading with their shoulder or even their shoulder blade, which results in a clean hit. But when a player fails to lower their shoulder and instead leads with their stick with both hands clasped to it, this will almost always result in a cross-check. 

Just like with other penalties involving the use of a stick like slashing, cross-checking deems a player using their stick as a weapon against an opponent, and there’s a good chance doing so results in an injury. 

That said, you will almost always see cross-checking called if the officials deem the offending player committed the act forcefully. So it’s not uncommon to see some would-be cross-checks go uncalled, especially if contact appears to be harmless or incidental. 

Cross-checking in hockey is a common penalty with varying levels of severity

When you see a cross-check occur, if the player who was cross-checked stumbles forward, expect the officials to call a two-minute minor. Should they consider the act as a player intentionally trying to injure another, as was the case with Jeff Skinner in 2022-23, there’s a good chance the penalty will be more severe, and a suspension could also occur, just like with a boarding call.

This video sheds light on a couple of interesting concepts; for one, you can see that a cross-check doesn’t need to occur during play but, instead, during a stoppage. That said, it also accurately shows you what a cross-check is. And, finally, it depicts a good example of when it’s the worst time to cross-check an opponent. In the case of Jeff Skinner, he ended up serving a three-game suspension for the mishap. 

Most penalties in hockey vary in levels of severity, with Skinner’s check being a rather extreme example. But still, you may find yourself raising your eyebrows at some calls. A notable example occurred during the 2023-24 season when game officials sent then-Sabres rookie Zach Benson to the box for his cross-check on Jacob Trouba of the New York Rangers. 

Now that you know what a cross-check is, keep an eye out for players raising the shafts of their stick and watch to see if the official deems it severe enough to call at least a two-minute minor penalty. You’ll also, as the video depicting Skinner shows, want to keep an eye out for a cross-check when a scrum develops after play momentarily stops.