Hockey Glossary



Contents: 
A - "A", Assist, 
B - Backcheck, Blocker, Boarding, Bodycheck, Breakaway, Breakout, 
C - "C", Center, Changing on the fly, Charging, Cross Checking,
    Clearing the puck, Crease, 
D - Defensemen, Deke, Delay of Game, Dive, Drop pass, 
E - ElbowingEnd to end rush, 
F - Face-off, Five-hole, Forecheck, Freezing the puck, 
G - "G", GP Garbage Goal, Goon, Goal Judges, Goaltender, 
H - Hat trick, Headmanning, High Sticking, Holding, Hooking, 
I - "I", Icing, Interference, Instigator, 
L - Lighting the lamp, Linesman 
N - Neutral Zone, 
O - Off-side, Off-side Pass, One Timer, 
P - Penalty Killing, PIM, Point, Pokecheck, Power Play, Pts,
    Pulling of the goalie, 
R - Referee, Roughing 
S - Save, Official Scorer, Shadow, Shorthanded, Slapshot, Slashing, Slot,
    Smothering the puck, Spearing, Splitting the defense, Stickhandling, 
    SweepCheck, 
T - Tripping, Two line pass, 
W - Wings, Wrist Shot, 
Z - Zamboni



"A" - Letter worn on the uniform of the assistant captain. - Used as an 
abreviation for Assists in scoring. 
Assist - An assist is awarded to a player for helping set up a goal. Assists are 
awarded to the last man or two men to handle the puck prior to the goal. 
Backcheck - Forwards in the enemy zone pick up their man and skate back quickly 
to their own end of the ice to protect their goal and keep the opponent from 
shooting. 
Blocker (goalie) - The blocker is worn on the stick side hand of the goalie, and 
is used to deflect and block shots to the stick side of the goalie. Underneath 
the hard blocker is a glove with which the goalie holds the stick. 
Boarding - Violently checking an opponent into the boards from behind. It is 
illegal and calls for a penalty. 
Bodycheck - A bodycheck is used to slow or stop an opponent who has the puck, or 
who has just passed it, by using the hip or shoulder. 
Breakaway - A puck carrier has a breakaway when the only opponent between him 
and the opposition's goal is the goalie. 
Breakout - The play used by the attacking team to move the puck up the ice out 
of its own zone. 
"C" - Letter worn on the uniform of the team captain. 
Center - The center operates mostly in the middle of the ice in at both ends, 
and usually leads his team's attack by carrying the puck. He sets up the play by 
exchanging passes with his two wings and tries to steer the play toward the 
opponent's goal. He takes the majority of his team's face-offs. Defensively, he 
tries to keep the play in the attacking zone by harassing the opponent's puck 
carrier (forechecking). 
Changing on the fly - When fresh players from the bench substitute for players 
on the ice, while play is ongoing. 
Charging - Taking more than three strides before checking an opponent. 
Clearing the puck - When the puck is passed or shot away from the front of the 
net or other congested area. 
Crease - The 4' x 8' area in front of each goal is called the crease. If any 
offensive player is in the goal crease when a goal is scored, the goal is not 
allowed. The crease is painted blue. 
Cross Checking - Hitting opponent with both hands on the stick and no part of 
the stick on the ice. 
Defensemen - Basically, the two defensemen try to stop the incoming play at 
their own blue line. They also block shots, clear the puck from in front of 
their goal and watch the opposing forwards. They can also be found battling for 
puck possession in the corners and behind the net at their own end. Offensively, 
they carry the puck up the ice or pass the puck ahead to the forwards, then 
follow the play into the attacking zone and help keep it there. They assume the 
"point" positions. 
Deke - A deke is a fake by the puck carrier to stickhandle his way around an 
opponent or to make a goalie move out of position. 
Delay of Game - Called when a player purposely delays the game in anyway. Most 
commonly imposed when a goaltender shoots the puck into the stands without the 
puck deflecting on a skater or the dasher boards/glass. It is also called when a 
player intentionally displaces the goalpost from its normal position usually to 
prevent a goal from being scored. 
Dive - When a player exaggerates being hooked or tripped in an attempt to draw a 
penalty. 
Drop pass - The puck carrier leaves the puck behind him to be picked up by a 
trailing teammate. The initial puck carrier then acts as a screen. This can be a 
dangerous play when executed improperly because it can open up the ice for an 
intercepting defender. 
Elbowing - Using elbow to impede the opponent. 
End to end rush - When a player skates with the puck from his own zone deep into 
the attacking zone. 
Face-off - To start the play at anytime, the puck is dropped between two 
opposing players facing each other. Time starts when the puck is dropped. 
Five-hole (Tweeners) - When taking a shot, it is the area in the opening between 
a goalie's leg pads. 
Forecheck - Forwards forecheck by hustling in the opponent's defensive zone to 
either keep the puck there or take it away. 
Freezing the puck - A player freezes the puck by holding it against the boards 
with the stick or skates. A goalie freezes the puck when the opposition is 
threatening to score, by either holding the puck in his glove or trapping it on 
the ice. A delay-of-game penalty can be called if the goalie freezes the puck 
when the opposition is not threatening. 
"G" - Used as an abreviation for Goals 
GP - Used as an abreviation for Games played 
Garbage Goal - An easy goal scored when a teammate has done much of the work or 
when the goalie is either caught out-of-position or misplays the puck. 
Goal Judges - One sits off-ice behind each goal and indicates when the puck has 
crossed the red goal line by turning on a red light above his station. The 
referee can ask his advice on disputed goals, but the referee has final 
authority and can overrule the goal judge. 
Goaltender - The goaltender's main responsibility is to keep the puck from 
entering the goal net, and there are no restrictions placed on the methods he 
can employ. 
Goon - A player whose role is to physically intimidate the opposition, often by 
fighting. This player often is limited in offensive and/or skating skills. Such 
a player is also referred to as a heavyweight, policeman or enforcer. 
Hat trick - A player records a hat trick when he scores three goals in one game. 
If he scores three consecutive goals, it is called a "natural hat trick." 
Headmanning - Passing the puck ahead to a rushing teammate. 
High Sticking - Carrying stick above the shoulder against the opponent. 
Holding - Using hands on opponent or his equipment. 
Hooking - Using a stick or blade to hook opponent. 
"I" - Sometimes used as an abreviation for IHL or International Hockey League. 
Icing - An infraction called when a player shoots the puck from his side of the 
red line across the opponent's goal line. Play is stopped when an opponent other 
than the goaltender touches the puck. The face-off is held in the offending 
team's end of the ice. A team that is shorthanded may legally ice the puck. 
Instigator - If a player is called for instigating a fight in the final five 
minutes of a game he will be automatically suspended for the next league game. 
Interference - Body contact with an opponent who does not have the puck. Also 
called when a player is standing in the crease or otherwise makes contact with 
the goaltender. It is illegal and calls for a penalty. 
Lighting the lamp - Scoring a goal. 
Linesman - Two are used to call offsides, offside passes, icing and handle all 
faceoffs not occurring at center ice. They do not call penalties, but can 
recommend to the referee that a penalty be called. 
Neutral Zone - The central ice area between the two blue lines (neither the 
defending nor the attacking zone). 
Official Scorer - Determines which player scores and credits assists if they are 
any. Has the ability to consult with the referee, but the scorer is the final 
authority in crediting points. 
Off-side - A team is off-side when a player crosses the attacking blue line 
before the puck does. A face-off will occur just outside that blue line. The 
determining factor in most off-side situations is the position of the skates; 
they both must be over the line ahead of the puck for the play to be off-side. 
When the puck is cleared outside the blue line, the attacking team must 
"touch-up" before they can re-enter the zone. In other words, they must skate 
back and exit the attacking zone before they can touch the puck in the attacking 
zone again. 
Off-side Pass - An off-side pass occurs when a member of the attacking team 
passes the puck from behind his own defending blue line to a teammate across the 
center red line. If the puck precedes the player across the red line, the pass 
is on-side and legal. Also, an attacking player may pass the puck over the 
center red line and the attacking blue line to a teammate if the puck precedes 
that teammate across the blue line. Otherwise, it is an off-side pass. The 
face-off after an off-side pass occurs at the spot where the pass originated. 
One Timer - Shooting the puck immediately upon receiving it, without stopping it 
first. It is used off a pass from a teammate to catch the goalie before he can 
slide from one side of the crease to another. 
Penalty Killing - When a team is shorthanded and attempting to prevent the 
opposition from scoring. Common defensive formations when killing a penalty are 
the box (two forwards covering the areas above the face-off circle dots, and two 
defensemen covering the area around the goal line, crease and behind the net) 
and the triangle (used when a team is two men short, the defensemen cover the 
same general area as in the box but the one forward is responsible for the 
entire area above the slot). Teams almost always have two defensemen on the ice 
when killing a penalty. 
PIM - The stat sheet abbreviation for penalty minutes accumulated 
Point - The point is a position just inside the opposition's blue line close to 
the boards on either side of the rink. A defenseman usually mans this position 
when his team is in control of the puck in the opposition's zone. 
Pokecheck - Players try to dislodge the puck from the carrier by stabbing at it 
with the blade of the stick. 
Power Play - When a team has more players on the ice than the opposition due to 
one or more penalties against the opposing team. 
Pts - Used as an abreviation for Total points 
Pulling of the goalie - A team that is losing will sometimes take the goaltender 
off the ice in favor of another forward. This occurs most frequently near the 
end of the game. Also, a team will pull its goalie in favor of an additional 
attacker when a delayed penalty has been called on the opposition. 
Referee - The referee supervises the game, calls the penalties, determines if 
goals are scored and handles faceoffs at center ice at the start of each period 
and after goals. 
Roughing - Engaging in fisticuffs or shoving. 
Save - A shot blocked by the goalie that otherwise would have gone into the net. 

Shadow - When a player covers an opposing player one-on-one everywhere on the 
ice. It is a defensive maneuver used in an attempt to limit the effectiveness of 
an opponent who is dangerous offensively. 
Shorthanded - A team is shorthanded when they have more men in the penalty box 
than the opposing team. The opposing team is, therefore, on the power play. 
Slapshot - A slapshot occurs when the player swings the stick back and then 
quickly forward, slapping the puck ahead with a forehand shot. The puck can 
reach velocities up to 120 mph. 
Slashing - When a player swings his stick at an opponent. It is illegal and 
calls for a penalty, whether or not actual contact is made. 
Slot - Prime scoring area up the middle of the ice, between the face-off 
circles. 
Smothering the puck - When a goalie or other players fall on the puck. This is 
only legal when done by the goaltender or accidentally by another player. 
Spearing - Using the stick like a spear. 
Splitting the defense - The puck carrier goes between two opposing defenders 
while attacking. 
Stickhandling - This is a generic term for carrying the puck along the ice with 
the stick. 
Sweepcheck - A player will use the entire length of the stick with a sweeping 
motion while laying it flat on the ice in order to dislodge the puck from the 
puck carrier. This is often used by the team that is shorthanded on a power 
play. 
Tripping - Using a stick, arm or leg to cause the opponent to trip or fall. 
Two line pass - An off-side pass. 
Wings - The left wing and the right wing move up and down the sides of the rink 
with the direction of play. Offensively, they skate abreast of the center, 
exchanging passes with him, while positioning themselves for a shot on goal 
and/or a rebound of a shot from the point. Defensively, they watch the 
opponent's wing and try to disrupt playmaking and shooting as the action moves 
back toward the defending zone (backchecking). 
Wrist shot - A wrist shot is used to propel the puck off the blade of the stick 
with a flicking motion of the wrist. 
Zamboni - The vehicle used to prepare the ice surface before the game and after 
each period. The Zamboni scrapes a thin layer off the ice, heats it and lays 
down a fresh layer of heated water. The water then freezes to form a new layer 
of ice. 



Provided by the Long Beach Ice Dogs Hockey Team 



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