HOCKEY 101: Hockey Basics

Hockey Lingo

Assist
Players are awarded assists for helping set up goals. The last two players to handle the puck prior to the scoring of the goal usually are credited for assisting the goal scorer.

Boarding
A penalty given to a player for flagrantly knocking another player into the boards.

Boards
The wooden and glass walls that surround the rink.

Body check
Using the hip or shoulder to impede the progress of a player or knock into a player.

Breakaway
A one-on-one scoring opportunity between the puck carrier and the opposing goaltender.

Butterfly pad save
A save the goalie makes by dropping to his/her knees and pointing his/her toes out, creating a "V" shape with the goal pads. This style of goaltending is effective because of the ability to cover a larger area of the crease.

Changing on the fly
Substitution of players without a stoppage in play.

Charging
An infraction in which a player deliberately checks another player after taking more than two strides or steps.

Crease
A semicircle in front of the goal known as the goaltender's privileged area. No players are allowed inside the goalie's crease. Goals usually are disallowed if a member of the offensive team is in the crease.

Faceoff
The puck is dropped between two opposing players who face each other. Faceoffs occur at the beginning of each period and after any stoppage of play.

Five hole
The space in between the goalie's legs. Many goals are scored in the five hole because of the way the goalie must shuffle to cover the entire net.

Forechecking
Pressuring the opposition when it controls the puck in the neutral zone or its defensive zone.

Hat trick
Three goals scored by one player in a single game.

Interference
A penalty in which a player impedes another player who does not have the puck.

Neutral zone
One of the three areas of the ice surface, the neutral zone is located between the two blue lines.

One-timer
An immediate shot off a teammate's pass. One-timers are very effective in surprising opposing goaltenders.

Poke check
A check in which a defender or goalie uses the blade of the stick to push the puck off the stick of an opponent.

Power play
A situation in which a team has more players on the ice because of a penalty (or penalties) called against the opposing team.

Pulling the goalie
In an attempt to tie the score, a team trailing by one or two goals may take its goalie off the ice and send out an extra skater. This usually occurs in the closing minutes of a game.

Short-handed
A situation in which a team is forced to play with fewer than six players because one or more have been sent to the penalty box.

Slap shot
The slap shot is the fastest of all hockey shots. Players make a sweeping motion with an accentuated backswing to shoot the puck.

Wrist shot
More of a finesse shot, players shoot when the puck is directly against the blade of the stick with a flick motion of the wrist.

Zamboni
A machine that cleans and resurfaces the ice. The zamboni is run before and after the game, as well as in between periods.

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