Basic Hockey Terms
Attacking zone
The opposing team's end of the ice, as determined by the blue line.
Backhander or Backhand shot
A shot that is taken from the backside of the blade.
Backchecking
Rushing back to the defensive zone in response to an opposing team's attack.
Backdoor
The unprotected side of the goal when the goaltender is protecting one side.
Backstop
A goaltender.
Bird cage
The cage on the helmet, seen on college hockey players and a few goalies (like Chris Osgood).
Biscuit
The puck.
Biscuit in the basket
Scoring a goal.
Blocker
The rectangular pad that a goaltender wears on the stick-holding hand. (See waffle pad.)
Blue line
The lines separating the attack/defense zones from the neutral zone.
Blueliner
A defenseman.
Boarding
Checking a player from behind (i.e. into the numbers) into the boards.
Boobirds
Obnoxious fans who boo the home team or a player when they are playing poorly, or they boo an ex-player who returns to the rink.
Bottle Rocket
The event in which a goal is scored and the goaltender's water bottle, which is placed on top of the net during play, is propelled into the air by the puck striking it from underneath. When this happens, the shot is almost always from a very steep angle, close to the net.
Breakaway
When a player has possession of the puck and there are no defenders other than the goalie between him and the opposing goal.
Butterfly
A style of goaltending wherein the goalie tends to cover the lower half of the net with his or her leg pads.
Catcher
The webbed glove that the goaltender wears on the hand opposite the stick. (Also known as the trapper.)
Center
A forward position whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice.
Change on the fly
Substituting a player from the bench while the puck is in play.
Cherry picking
When a player stays near their opponent's zone waiting for an outlet pass in order to receive a breakaway.
Chippy
Using, or characterized by, aggressive, rough play or commission of fouls (e.g., "a chippy player," "a chippy second period").
Coast to coast
A solo scoring chance or goal originating in the player's own defensive zone.
Coincidental penalties
When both teams are assessed an equal amount of penalties at the same time, usually on the same play or incident.
Contract year
The last year of a multi-year contract. Usually used in conjunction when a player in a contract year is having a career year.
Cookie jar
Top section of the net (e.g., "Put that biscuit right in the cookie jar!"). Also see "top shelf".
Crashing the net
Players head with full steam to the front of the net, into the goalie's space and/or straight into the goalie.
Crease
The blue ice in front of each net where the goalie usually players.
Cross-checking
The act of checking an opponent with the shaft of the stick held in both hands. This is illegal and earns a minor or major penalty depending on the severity of the infraction.
D to D
A pass from one defenseman to another defenseman.
Dangler
A player who has exceptionally good stick handling abilities and can fool opposing players easily.
Defensive zone
The defending team's zone as determined by the blue line.
Deke
When a player handles the puck or himself in such a manner to fool the opponent into moving out of position, allowing the player to get past. Originated from the word decoy.
Delay of game
A penalty resulting in two minutes in the box, when a player closes their hand around the puck or when they directly shoot the puck out of the defensive zone into the crowd.
Delayed offside
If a player enters the attack zone ahead of the puck but does not touch it, the play is offside but no whistle is blown immediately, thus creating a delayed offside.
Delayed penalty
When a penalty is called, the referee will raise his or her arm to indicate that one is being called, but if the team who committed the infraction is not in control of the puck, no whistle will be blown until a player from the offending team controls the puck.
Delayed whistle
An official waits to blow his whistle, usually due to a delayed offside or delayed penalty call.
Dirty
Physical play in hockey, typically consisting of disallowed techniques such as elbowing, high-sticking, cross-checking, and/or fighting.
Dirty player
There are some players, both current and historical, whose style of play and history of penalties characterizes them within hockey circles as "dirty players." Usually, this entails a history of illegal hits that appear to attempt injury to the opposition, multiple suspensions, and a reputation around the league as a player who cannot control his outbursts on occasion.
Dive
When a player embellishes contact made against him in order to draw a penalty, however sometimes this ends up in a penalty being called against the diving player.
Drop pass
When a player passes the puck directly behind him to a teammate. If executed properly, the puck stops moving and the pass's receiver catches up to it.
Dropping the gloves
See fisticuffs.
Dump and chase
An offensive strategy used to get the puck over the opposing team's blue line and into the corners where players can race to get it, thereby moving the play into the attacking zone. Usually used against the trap.
Empty net goal
A goal scored when the opposing goalie is not on the ice.
Enforcer
A player quick to fight who defends his teammates against violent members of the other team. Generally, enforcers play around 5 minutes a game and aren't expect to contribute much offensively or defensively.
Extra attacker
A player who has been substituted for the team's goaltender on the ice, either during a delayed penalty or at the end of the game where a team pulls their goalie in hopes of getting the tying goal.
Faceoff
A faceoff is the method used to begin play. The two teams line up in opposition to each other, and the opposing centers attempt to gain control of the puck after it is dropped between their sticks by an official.
Face wash
When a player rubs his hockey glove over the face of an opponent.
Fan
When a player misses the puck when attempting to play or shoot it.
Five on three
Five on three (also called two-man advantage) is when one team has had two players sent to the penalty box. This leaves the opponent with five skaters (i.e., not including the goaltender) to penalized team's three. The team with the advantage has a very good chance of scoring during this period of play.
Five-hole
The gap between a goaltender's legs.
Forechecking
Checking in the offensive zone in order to gain control of the puck and set up a scoring opportunity.
Freezing the puck
The act of trapping the puck by the goalie so it cannot be played.
Full strength
Full strength (also called 5-on-5) refers to when both teams have five skaters and one goaltender on the ice.
Garbage goal
A goal that takes little talent to score. Most such goals are scored from right in front of the net, often when the goaltender is out of position.
Goal
A goal is scored when a puck completely crosses the goal line within the goal frame.
Goal line
The line that the puck must completely cross in order to be considered a goal.
Gordie Howe hat trick
A Gordie Howe hat trick is when one player scores a goal, notches an assist and gets into a fight all in the same game.
Good hands
A player with a deft touch and excellent stickhandling skills to pass, move the puck and/or score.
Gretzky's office
The area behind the net, made known by Wayne Gretzky for his ability to set up and score goals from there.
Grinder
A player who plays in the corners, physically trying to get the puck away from the other team, the act of which is called grinding.
Hand pass
The act of passing the puck using one's hand. This is legal inside a team's defensive zone, but illegal in the neutral zone and attacking zone, even if the pass originates from another zone.
Hash marks
The straight lines from the faceoff circles in front of both nets. Used to line up faceoffs.
Haymaker
A fighting fist swing coined from hockey fights, where you swing your fist in a wide arc starting behind you and coming wide around with a straight arm to catch the opponent from the side.
Hat-trick
When one player scores three goals in one game
High stick
The act of hitting a player in the head or shoulders with a stick. Also the act of hitting the puck in the air above the height of the top goal pipe (4').
Hip checking
Using the hip to knock an opponent against the boards or to the ice.
Home-ice advantage
The ability to make the last line change.
Hooking
Using a stick to hold or slow down a player (illegal).
Hoser
In pre-Zamboni days, the losing team had to hose the ice down with water. It is considered an insult.
Icing
Icing occurs when a player shoots the puck across both the center red line and the opposing team's goal line without the puck going into the net or being able to be touched by an opposing player in their neutral or defensive zones. If an offensive player touches the puck first after it crosses both the red line and the goal line, icing is negated. When icing occurs, a linesman stops play. Play is resumed with a faceoff in the defending zone of the team that committed the infraction (with the team that committed the infraction being unable to make a line change during the stoppage).
Kneeing
A minor penalty which occurs when a player uses a knee to hit his opponent in the leg, thigh or lower body.
Light the lamp
Scoring a goal.
Line brawl
A series of fights involving most, or all, players on the ice at the same time.
Man advantage
When one team is penalized, and one of its players sent to the penalty box, the second team maintains a man advantage for the duration of the penalty (Major penalty) or until a goal is scored (Minor penalty). If two penalties are called on one team there will be a two man advantage. If more than two penalties are called on one team the man advantage is limited to two men.
Mario Lemieux Hattrick
Scoring all five of the different kinds of goals in a single game - even strength, power play, shorthanded, penalty shot, and empty net. Named as such because Mario Lemieux is the only player to have been known to accomplish it in an NHL game.
Murphy dump
The technique of clearing the puck out of the defensive zone by lifting it high above the oppositions heads, with it dropping before reaching the opposing goal line. (popularized by Larry Murphy while with the Pittsburgh Penguins.)
Natural hat-trick
A natural hat-trick is when one player scores three goals in a row without any player from either team scoring in between them, also when three goals are scored by one player in one period.
Neutral zone trap
The neutral zone trap, also known as simply the Trap, is a defensive ice hockey strategy used by a team to prevent an opposing team from proceeding through the neutral zone (the area between both blue lines) by forcing turnovers in that area.
Odd man rush
When a team enters the attacking zone and outnumbers the opposing players in the zone.
One timer
The act of shooting the puck directly off a pass without playing the puck in any way.
Paddle
The wide portion above the blade of a goalie's stick.
Penalty box
The area where a player sits to serve the time of a given penalty, for an offense not severe enough to merit outright expulsion from the contest(sometimes called the sin bin or bin).
Playmaker
A fast player who usually scores more assists than goals. A Playmaker has the speed and balance to make plays, and frequently relies on a sniper to finish them. (e.g. Joe Thornton)
Playoff beard
The superstitious practice of a hockey player not shaving his beard during the playoffs. Fans also take part in this practice to support their team.
Plus-minus
A hockey statistic that can apply to a player or an offensive or defensive line indicating whether they were on the ice when the opposing team scored (a minus) or on the ice when their team scored (a plus).
The point
A player in the opponent's end zone at the junction of the blue line with the boards is said to be at the point.
Poke checking
Using the stick to poke the puck away from an opponent.
Power forward
A power forward is a large, muscular offensive player (6'0 - 6'5, 210-240 pounds), with the mobility to track a puck to the corners of the rink, the physical toughness required to dig it out, and the puckhandling skills to get it back to anyone in front of the net. They are not afraid to fight, and can usually handle their own against enforcers.
Powerplay
A powerplay occurs when one team has more players on the ice than the other team as a result of penalties assessed to the shorthanded team.
Puck bunny
A puck bunny is a female ice hockey fan, often one whose interest in the sport is primarily motivated by sexual attraction to the players rather than enjoyment of the game itself.
Pull the goalie
Removing the goalie from the ice in order to momentarily trade him for an extra attacker. This usually occurs in the dying moments of the game when a team is down by 1 or 2 goals and can be surprisingly effective for a last ditch effort.
Quick whistle
A stoppage in play that occasionally occurs when an on-ice official view of the puck is obstructed while the puck is still moving or playable but the official stops the play with a whistle. The most common example of this is a goaltender appearing to have trapped the puck underneath his catcher, yet the puck is still freely moving and within legal striking distance of the opposing players. The official will whistle the play "dead" with the puck still visible to others. This often draws an unfavorable reaction from hometown crowds when the whistle negates a perceived scoring chance for the home team.
Rebound
A rebound occurs when the puck bounces off a goalie, a player, or the net (or occasionally, the back boards) after a shot on goal.
Ringing the pipe
A hard shot that squarely hits the goal post or crossbar and makes a ringing sounds. Note; this is not scored as a shot on goal.
Roughing
Penalty for aggressively interfering with another player (punch, unnecessary hits etc). It is generally the act of dropping the gloves that differentiates a roughing minor from a fighting major, but occassionally that isn't the case.
Saucer pass
An airborne pass from one player to another. It is called a saucer pass because the puck resembles a flying saucer in mid air.
Screened shot
A shot that the goaltender cannot see due to other players obscuring it.
Shadow
When a player is assigned to 'shadow' or follow a player (usually of exceptional skill) to hamper their impact upon the game.
Shaft
The long part of the stick that is straight and is held by the player.
Shootout
During the regular season, after a 5 minute 4-on-4 overtime period, teams participate in a shootout to determine the winner. It is a series of penalty shots that begins as a best of three rounds (one player from each team shoots per round), and if it is tied after that then it goes round by round to determine the winner.
Shorthanded
A team is said to be shorthanded when they have fewer players on the ice than the opposing team as a result of penalties.
Shortside
The side of the goal closest to the shooter.
Shot on goal
A shot that will enter the goal if it is not stopped by the goaltender. A shot on goal must result in either a goal or a save (shots that hit the main pipes of the goal are not counted as shots).
Shutdown
A defensive play that stops an offensive play.
Shutdown player
A player skilled at defensive play.
Shutdown pair
Two forwards or defensemen working together, fundamentally to stop the opposing teams offense players.
Sin bin
The penalty box.
Sieve
A goalie in hockey who lets in a lot of goals.
Slapshot
A slapshot is a hard shot, usually with a big wind up, wherein the player bends his stick on the ice and allows the energy stored in bending the stick to launch the puck forward.
Slashing
Striking an opponent's arms or lower body with the hockey stick. Usually a penalty is incurred.
Slew foot
Sweeping or kicking out a player's skate or tripping them from behind, causing them to fall backwards.
Slot
Slot is the area on the hockey rink directly in front of the goaltender between the face-off circles on each side.
Slow whistle
When an official is slow to blow his whistle compared to when the whistle would be blown under similar circumstances.
Snap shot
A snap shot is a like an abbreviated slap shot. The purpose of the snap shot is to combine the main advantages of the wrist shot (shot accuracy and quick delivery) and the slap shot (puck speed). The stick should start at your hip when shooting.
Sniper
A player with a powerful, accurate shot skilled at finishing plays. Snipers frequently score more goals than assists. Snipers can be either forwards or defensemen.
Spin-o-rama
A phrase coined by sportscaster Danny Gallivan to describe a player completing several tight circles with the puck fully under control of his stick, eluding pursuing opponents who cannot keep up or intercept the player.
Split the D
When an offensive player confuses or out maneuvers two defensemen in order to get between them.
Stack the pads
A save wherein the goaltender drops to one side and makes the save with his leg pads. This move is rarely used by butterfly goaltenders.
Stands on his head
When the goaltender makes many spectacular saves, usually resulting in a win for his team.
Stay-at-home defenseman
A defenseman who plays very defensively. He doesn't skate with the puck toward the offensive zone very often but will look to pass first. Usually the last player to leave his defensive zone.
Stick checking
Using the stick to interfere with an opponent's stick.
Stickhandling
The act of controlling the puck with one's stick, especially while maneuvering through opponents.
Stoned
A goalkeeper makes a great save and the shooter is "stoned".
Toe drag
Dragging the puck along the ice with the end (toe) of the stick blade on the ice as opposed to pushing with the bottom edge.
Top shelf
The top section of the net.
Trapezoid
In the NHL, the trapezoidal area behind the goal line and net where the goaltender may touch the puck. A minor penalty (delay of game) is assessed if the goaltender plays the puck behind the goal line outside of the trapezoid. Believed to have been enacted because of goaltender Martin Brodeur's exceptional puckhandling skills.
Two-way forward
A forward who handles the defensive aspects of the game as well as the offensive aspects..
Undressing
The act of the puck carrier displaying exceptional skill in out-maneuvering the defender, usually in a 1 on 1 situation with the last defender. "He undresses the defenseman and walks in on goal!"
Video goal judge
An off-ice official who reviews a goal by video instant replay.
Waffle
The goalie's blocker. This term stemmed from the visual appearance of the blocker in the pre-modern ice hockey equipment era (also refer to waffle-boarding).
Waffle-boarding
A quick save with the goalie's blocker, usually a sideways-sweeping motion. Color analyst Chico Resch often uses the term in his broadcasts.
Wheels
A player's skates, usually used when the player is skating quickly.
Winger
A winger is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. A right winger is responsible for the right-hand side of the ice and a left winger is responsible for the left-hand side.
Wrap around
Scoring from behind the net, wrapping the puck around the post.
Wrist shot
A type of shot that involves using arm muscles (especially those in the wrist and forearm) to propel a puck forward from the open-faced, concave part of the blade of a hockey stick.
Zamboni
The ice resurfacer used at most NHL arenas.
Zone
One of three zones on the ice, the offensive zone, the neutral zone and the defensive zone.
Zebra
The referee or linesman.