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Ice Hockey Terms
Attacking Zone
The zone where the opponent’s goal is located.
Back Check
Checking an opponent while skating backwards towards one’s own goal.
Back Pass
A pass back to a teammate trailing the play.
Blue Line
The blue line dividing center ice (neutral zone) from the end zones.
Blind Pass
A pass to a teammate who is blocked, or partially blocked, from the player’s view.
Boarding
A minor penalty called when a player intentionally slams another player into the boards.
Boards
The wooden wall surrounding the rink that keeps the puck in play.
Body Check
To hit an opponent with your body, to block him or take him out of the play
Breakaway
When a player is clear of the defense and can go towards goal unimpeded (also called a fast break)
Butt Ending
A major penalty called when a player hits his opponent with the butt end of the shaft of his hockey stick
Center
The center or middle player on the forward line of a hockey team
Center Ice
The neutral area between the two blue lines
Center Line
The red stripe that extends across the ice, midway between the two goals
Charging
A minor penalty called when a player takes more than two steps before checking an opponent
Checking
Using body contact to prevent an opposing player from gaining an advantageous position on the ice
Clearing the puck
Getting the puck away from the area near your own goal; on a power play, sending the puck out of your own defensive zone
Crease
A 4 foot by 8 foot area in front of each goal in which opposing players may not stand unless they have the puck
Cross Checking
A minor penalty called when a player drives the shaft of his stick into an opponent while holding on to the stick with both hands
Defensemen
The two players who play in front of the goaltender and attempt to keep opposing players from getting close-in shots on the goal
Deke
A deceptive move or fake used to get around an opponent
Delay Of Game
A minor penalty called when a player deliberately delays the game, either by shooting the puck out of the rink in his defensive zone or by covering up the puck with his closed hand. Also called when a player is found to be using an illegal stick.
Delayed Penalty
A penalty that has not yet resulted in a stoppage of play because the team that will have the man advantage is in possession of the puck. Play continues until the team being penalized touches the puck. If a goal is scored before play stops, the penalty is waived off.
Drop Pass
A pass where the player carrying the puck at top speed towards an opponent’s goal suddenly leaves it motionless for a trailing teammate to either shoot on goal or continue the attack
Elbowing
A minor penalty called when a player strikes an opponent with his elbow
Face Off
When the referee drops the puck between two opposing players to start or resume the game after a stoppage in play
Fighting
A major penalty called when players drop their gloves and engage in a fist fight
Flip Pass
A pass to a teammate where the puck is lifted slightly off the ice
Forechecking
When a offensive player checks an opponent in his own end in order to take the puck away to continue the attack and prevent them from moving up ice towards their goal
Forwards
The three players on the offensive line (center and two wings) who are expected to score most of a team’s goals
Freezing the puck
To pin the puck against the boards with either your skate, stick or body to cause a stoppage in play resulting in a face off.
Goal cage
Another name for the net or goal
Goalkeeper
The player who guards the goal, also called the goalie or netminder
Game Misconduct
A penalty resulting in the player being suspended for the remainder of the game
Goal Line
The red stripe at each end of the rink extending from each of the side boards.
Hat Trick
Three goals scored by a player in one game
Head manning the puck
Passing to a teammate moving up the ice ahead of the player making the pass
High Sticking
A minor penalty called when a player carries his or her stick above their shoulder, or hits an opponent with it, whether unintentionally or intentionally
Hip Check
A legal check where a player sticks out his hip to check an opposing player
Holding
A minor penalty called when a player uses his or her hands to hold an opponent or their stick
Hooking
A minor penalty called when a player uses the blade of his stick to grab or impede an opponent’s progress from behind
Hoisting the puck
Lifting the puck off the ice by flipping it with the blade of the stick
Icing
A non-penalty infraction called when a player shoots or passes the puck from his team’s side of the center line across the opponent’s goal line without the puck being touched by a player from his team or the opponent’s
Interference
A minor penalty called when a player checks an opponent who is not in possession of the puck
Kick Shot
An illegal shot where the player kicks the blade of his stick as it carries the puck
Killing A Penalty
When a team survives a penalty without giving up a goal
Line
The three forwards on the ice (center and two wings)
Major Penalty
A five minute penalty
Match Penalty
A penalty resulting in a player’s suspension for the remainder of the game
Matching Penalties
Penalties given to players from each team at the same time
Minor Penalty
A two minute penalty
Misconduct Penalty
A ten-minute penalty against a player, not the team ( unlike a minor penalty, the team does not play a man down or “shorthanded”)
Neutral Zone
The area between the two blue lines in the center of the ice (also called center ice)
Odd Man Rush
When the number of offensive players heading into the attacking zone is greater than the number of defenders (such as a “3 on 2” or “2 on 1”)
Offsides
A non-penalty infraction called when a player enters the attacking zone ahead of the puck the linesman whistles the play offside and stops play for a face-off outside of the guilty team’s attacking zone. It is the position of the player’s skates that determines whether he is offside: only if both skates have completely crossed the blue line is that player judged to be in the zone.
Pass Out
A pass from a player behind the opponent’s goal to a teammate in front of the goal
Penalty Box
The bench outside the playing area where penalized players go to serve their penalty time. Colloquially referred to sometimes as the “sin bin.”
Penalty Shot
A rare, but exciting play, in which a player is given a free shot at goal, with only the goalie defending. Usually called when a player is hit or tripped from behind when she has a clear breakaway.
Poke check
A legal check where a player pokes or jabs with her stick at the puck in possession of an opponent in order to dislodge it and take it away
Power play
When a team has a one or two man advantage due to penalties, giving them a good chance to score
Puck
The hard vulcanized rubber disc that players try to shoot past the goalie for a goal.
Puck shy
When a player flinches away from the puck
Ragging The Puck
When a player kills of penalty time against his time by circling back towards his own goal while in possession of the puck
Red Light
The light behind each goal that a goal judge activates to signify a goal (in other words that the entire puck has crossed the goal line inside the goal posts).
Rink
The playing surface of ice
Roughing
A minor penalty called for unnecessary rough play
Save
A blocked shot by the goalie, preventing what would otherwise be a goal
Shorthanded Goal
A goal scored by a team while it is playing shorthanded due to a penalty
Shift
The period of time a particular forward or defensive line is on the ice
Slap Shot
A hard shot in which player takes a big swing before hitting the puck with the blade of his stick
Slashing
A minor penalty called when a player swings his stick at an opponent
Spearing
A major penalty called when a player jabs the blade of his stick at an opponent
Stickhandling
Controlling and moving the puck along the ice
Sweep check
A legal check where a player goes down on one knee and sweeps his stick along the ice in order to take the puck away from an attacking player
Tripping
A minor penalty called when a player pulls down an opponent with his stick or hand or by sticking out his leg.
Wing
A forward who lines up near the middle of the rink, and to either side of the center
Wrist Shot
A quick, accurate shot made by snapping the wrists as the puck hits the blade of the stick
Zamboni
The machine that is used to prepare a new “sheet” of ice before a game or between periods
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