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Glossary Of Hockey Terms

All Things Hockey

Watching ice hockey for the first time can be exciting, but it might also be a little confusing. The game moves fast, and the players, announcers, and fans often use terms that you may not understand if you're new to the sport. If you've ever wondered what "offside" is or why someone shouted "put the biscuit in the basket," you're not alone. But once you take a little time to review the terminology, you'll be able to better enjoy the on-ice action and appreciate the skill of the players.

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AHL (American Hockey League): The primary minor league in North America, serving as the top development league for the NHL

Assist: A pass that directly leads to a goal. Up to two players can earn an assist on a single goal.

Backcheck: When players skate back toward their defensive zone to disrupt an opponent's attack

Barn: Slang for a hockey arena

Biscuit: Slang term for the puck

Biscuit in the Basket: Slang for scoring a goal

Blue Line: One of two lines that divide the rink into three zones. The blue lines are used to determine when a player is offside.

Body Check: Using the body to separate an opponent from the puck

Breakaway: When a player has possession of the puck and no defenders between them and the goalie

Breakout: A team's attempt to move the puck out of their defensive zone toward the offensive zone

Calder Cup: The league championship trophy for the AHL

Calder Memorial Trophy: An annual award given to the NHL's most outstanding rookie player

Celly: The players' celebration after they score a goal

Center: A forward position responsible for taking faceoffs and covering the middle of the ice

Cherry-Picking: When a player stays near the opponent's goal waiting for a pass, avoiding defensive responsibilities

Chicklets: Slang for teeth, often referencing a player's missing teeth

Chirp: To verbally taunt an opposing player

Clapper: Slang for a powerful slap shot

Clarence S. Campbell Bowl: A trophy given to the Western Conference playoff champions in the NHL

Coast to Coast: When a player carries the puck from their defensive zone all the way to the offensive zone

Conn Smythe Trophy: A trophy awarded to the most valuable player during the NHL playoffs

Crease: The blue-painted area in front of the goal. Only the goalie is allowed to occupy this space freely.

Defensemen: Players positioned closer to their own goal to help prevent the opposing team from scoring

Deke: A move to fake out an opponent, often used to get past defenders or the goalie

Dump and Chase: A strategy where a team shoots the puck into the offensive zone and then pursues it

ECHL: A mid-level professional ice hockey league based in the United States, formerly called the East Coast Hockey League. The ECHL is a tier below the AHL. It serves as a developmental league for the AHL and NHL and has teams across the U.S. and Canada.

Empty-Net Goal: A goal scored against a team that has pulled its goalie to gain an extra attacker

Enforcer: A player known for physical play and protecting teammates

Faceoff: The method of starting play, in which the puck is dropped between two opposing players

Five-Hole: The space between a goalie's legs

Forecheck: Applying pressure to the opposing team in their defensive zone to regain puck possession

Freezing the Puck: When a player holds the puck against the boards or ice to stop play

Game Misconduct: The most severe type of penalty, which ejects the player from the game entirely

Goal: When the puck completely crosses the goal line between the posts and under the crossbar

Goalie (Goaltender): The player responsible for preventing the puck from entering the net

Gordie Howe Hat Trick: When a player records a goal, an assist, and a fight in a single game

Hart Memorial Trophy: A trophy awarded to the NHL player judged most valuable to their team during the regular season

Hat Trick: When a player scores three goals in a single game

Icing: When a player shoots the puck across both the center red line and the opposing goal line without it being touched

Jailbreak Rule: A rule unique to the PWHL that ends a minor penalty early in the event that the shorthanded team scores a goal

Jersey: The uniform top worn by players, displaying their team colors and player numbers

Kelly Cup: The league championship trophy for the ECHL

Kick Save: A save made by the goalie using their skate or leg pad

KHL (Kontinental Hockey League): The major professional league based in Russia

Liiga: The top professional hockey league in Finland

Linesmen: Officials responsible for calling offside and icing penalties and handling faceoffs

Major Penalty: A serious infraction resulting in a five-minute penalty

Michigan: A maneuver where a player lifts the puck with their stick and shoots it into the goal, lacrosse-style

Minor Penalty: A less severe infraction resulting in a two-minute penalty

Neutral Zone: The area between the two blue lines at center ice

NHL (National Hockey League): The world's most prestigious professional ice hockey league, based in North America

Offside: A violation occurring when an attacking player enters the offensive zone before the puck

One-Timer: When a player receives a pass by immediately shooting it at the goal, without pausing to set up the shot

Penalty Box: The area where players serve time for infractions

Penalty Kill: When a team is short-handed due to a penalty and works to prevent the opposing team from scoring

Period: A 20-minute segment of a hockey game. Each game has three periods.

Pipe: Another term for the goalpost

Plus/Minus (+/-): A statistic that measures a player's impact on the game by calculating the difference between goals scored for and against their team while they're on the ice

Poke Check: A defensive move where a player uses their stick to poke the puck away from an opponent

Power Play: When a team has more players on the ice due to an opponent's penalty

Presidents' Trophy: An award given to the team with the best regular-season record in the NHL

Prince of Wales Trophy: The trophy given to the Eastern Conference playoff champions in the NHL

Puck: The rubber disc used in hockey games

PWHL (Professional Women's Hockey League): The top women's professional hockey league in North America

Red Line: The center line that divides the rink and is used to judge icing violations

Rink: The ice surface where the game is played

Rookie: A player in their first professional season

Saucer Pass: A pass that lifts the puck over obstacles and lands it smoothly on the ice

Scrum: A group of players jostling for the puck, often leading to minor altercations

Shift: The time a player spends on the ice before being replaced

Shorthanded: When a team has fewer players on the ice due to a penalty

SHL (Swedish Hockey League): The top professional hockey league in Sweden

Sin Bin: Slang name for the penalty box

Slap Shot: A powerful shot where the player raises their stick, brings it down forcefully to strike the ice just behind the puck, and uses the flex of the stick to launch the puck at high speed

Slot: The rectangular area in front of the goal

Sniper: A player known for precise and accurate shooting

Stanley Cup: The trophy awarded annually to the NHL playoff champions. It's the oldest professional sports trophy in North America.

Stickhandling: Controlling the puck with the stick while skating

Top Shelf: The upper part of the net, just under the crossbar

Vezina Trophy: The award given annually to the NHL's top goaltender

Walter Cup: The trophy given to the PWHL champions at the end of each season's playoffs

Winger: A forward player to the left or right of the center who helps to set up scoring chances

Wrist Shot: A quick shot made by snapping the wrist that's often more accurate than a slap shot

Zebra: Slang for a referee, referencing their black-and-white striped jerseys

Zamboni: A machine used to resurface the ice between periods of play

Resources to learn more......


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