Terminology

Backchecking: A forward skating deep into his own zone to check an opponent off the puck or prevent him from getting a scoring chance. 


Backhand: A shot or pass using the back part of the stick blade. 


Between the pipes: The goaltenders's position in net. 


Blocked shot: A shot prevented from reaching the net by a player other than the goaltender. 


Backliner/blueliner: A defenseman. 


Blocker: The padded glove in which the goaltender holds his stick. 


Bodycheck: The act of using one's body to impede an opponent. 


Breakaway: A play in which a puck carrier moves in alone on the opposing goalie. 


Breakout: Movement of the puck by a team out of its own end. 


Butterfly: A goaltending style in which the goalie keeps his knees together and feet slightly apart. 


Caught up ice: A situation in which a player is in his team's offensive zone while the play has moved into his defensive zone. 


Center: One of three forward positions and the player who usually takes face-offs. 


Center the puck: The act of passing the puck toward the front of the net. 


Change on the fly: Substitution of players while play continues. 


Check: To move the skater off the puck or away from the play. 


Checker (noun): A forward whose prominent skill is defensive play. 


Checking line: A forward line whose primary role is defensive play. 


Clear the puck: Moving the puck out of one's defensive zone. 


Clutch and grab: Defensive style of play often used by slower teams to prevent faster teams from using their speed. 


Coincidental penalties: Penalties assessed simultaneously to players on opposite teams during which neither team plays shorthanded. 


Cutting down the angle: Goaltending technique in which the goalie skates slightly out of his crease to reduce the amount of net the shooter can see. 


Cycling the puck: The movement of the puck along the boards by at least two players in the offensive zone. 


Deflection/tip in: An intentional or accidental re-direction of the puck after a shot or pass has been made. 


Deke: A quick fake by a puck carrier intended to trick an opponent out of position. 


Delayed offside: A situation in which an attacker is offside, but play continues because the defending team has possession of the puck with a chance to move it out of their zone.

Delayed penalty: A penalty that is not called against a player until his team gains possession of the puck. 


Drop pass: An offensive player who leaves the puck behind him to be picked up by a trailing teammate. 


Drop the gloves: Slang for fighting. 


Dump and chase: Strategy by which a team shoots the puck into the attacking zone, then aggressively tries to retrieve it. 


Enforcer: A player who fights frequently to protect other players on his team. 


Finish a check: To follow through on any type of forechecking with a body check.

Five hole: The area between a goalie's legs. 


Forechecking: Pursuing the opposing team when they have possession of the puck. 


Freeze the puck: To pin the puck against the boards, forcing the referee to stop play. 


Give and go: A play in which a skater passes to a teammate, moves into open space and receives a return pass. 


Grinder: A hard-working player better known for checking rather than scoring. 


Hand pass: Propelling the puck to a teammate using the glove. 


Hat Trick: Three goals scored by one player in a game. 


Headmanning the puck: Passing the puck forward during an offensive rush.

Hip check: Using the hip to check an opponent. 


Intentional off-sides: The act of intentionally creating an off-side for a stoppage in play. 


Line: The group of three forwards made up of the center, right wing and left wing. 


Neutral-zone trap: Checking system used in the neutral zone designed to prevent an attacking team from entering the offensive zone at top speed. 


Off wing: A left wing skating down the right side of the ice and vice versa.

One-on-one: A puck carrier who skates in on goal with only one defender between him and the goalie. 


One-timer: A shot taken immediately upon receiving a pass without stopping the puck. 


Penalty killing: Attempt by a shorthanded team to prevent the opposition from scoring. 


Poke check/stick check: Use of the stick to knock the puck off an opponent's stick. 


Power forward: A big strong forward, who is equally capable of scoring or playing physical. 


Power play: Situation where one team has more men on the ice than its opponent due to a penalty or penalties. 


Pulling the goalie: Removal of the goalie for an extra skater. 


Scratch: A player on the roster who is not dressed due to injury or a coach's decision. 


Screen: Blocking the goalie's view of the play. 


Shadow: A player who closely checks a skilled opponent. 


Sin bin: The penalty box. 


Sixth attacker: The extra skater who comes onto the ice after the goalie has been pulled. 


Slap shot: The hardest shot a player can generate, requiring full windup with the stick. 


Slot: The area directly in front of the net, from the crease to the top of the face-off circles. 


Snap shot: A variation of the wrist shot, where the release is quick but with a subtle snap, like a compacted slap shot. 


Stickhandling: Controlling the puck by shifting it from one side of the stick blade to the other. 


Take the body: To check aggressively with the body rather than with the stick. 


Top shelf/upstairs: Top part of the net. 


Trailer: A attacking player who skates into the offensive zone behind the puck carrier. 

Two-on-one: Situation in which two offensive players enter the attacking zone with only one player between them and the goalie. 


Two-way player: A player who is equally adept at scoring and defensive play. 


Wing: Skater who plays one of the two outside forward positions on either the right or left side. 


Wraparound: A play in which the puck carrier goes behind the net, then moves the puck quickly in front in an attempt to stuff the puck into the goal. 


Wrist shot: A shot that propels the puck at the goal using a fluid snapping of the wrists. 


Zamboni: The ice re-surfacing machine.