My main hockey page is here. However, since you are here, you might enjoy this interesting tidbit I ran across in a book called:

The Handy Physics Answer Book by P. Erik Gundersen
(New York: Visible Ink Press, 1999)

(I know, I know but "Physics for Dummies" is about my speed. "Don't hate me" for being a science dunce...)

How do ice skates work?

When standing on ice skates, a large amount of pressure is present
between the metal blade and the ice, because the weight of the skater
is concentrated over a very small area. If the person were wearing
shoes, the weight would be spread out over a larger area, resulting
in a lower pressure. The high pressure causes the melting point of
the ice to decrease, in turn causing a small amount of ice directly
under the skate to melt. When the skate is put into motion, it does
not scratch or rub against the solid ice, but instead glides or
slips across the water that the increased pressure created. When
the skate leaves the melted area, the water freezes again due to
the freezing temperature of the surrounding ice.