General Hockey Information

Assist - Point awarded to a player for helping set up a goal, usually awarded to the last two men to handle the puck prior to the goal.

Back Check -To hinder an opponent heading toward and into the defending zone.

Biscuit - A slang term for the puck.

Box - A penalty-killing setup in the defensive zone where the defensive team forms a "box" in front of their goalie and keeps the opponents on the outskirts.

Breakaway - An offensive rush when there is no opponent between the puck carrier and the opposition's goalie.

Breakout - When the attacking team comes out of its defensive zone with the puck and starts up ice.

Butt-Ending - To hit an opponent with the end of the stick farthest from the blade. It is illegal and calls for a penalty.

Changing on the fly - When players on the ice switch with fresh players on the bench while the game is going on.

Checker - A player who is known for his ability to strip an opponent of the puck or break up plays made by the opposition. Checkers are most valuable while killing penalties.

Cherry-picking - When a player, generally a forward, hangs out near his own goal waiting for a loose puck so that he can have a breakaway.

Clearing the puck - When the puck is passed or shot away from the front of the net or other congested area.

Coast to coast - When a player carries the puck from his own end into the offensive end.

Crease - The shaded blue area directly in front of the goal where only the goalie is allowed. It is four feet wide and eight feet long and marked off by red lines.

Deke - To fake an opponent out of position.

Down Low - The area around the net or behind it.

Draw Man - A player who takes face-offs.

Drop pass - A sometimes dangerous play in which a puck carrier leaves the puck behind him to be picked up by a trailing teammate. When employed successfully, the puck carrier acts as a screen to give the teammate a clear path with the puck.

Dump and Chase - A style of hockey where a team shoots the puck into one of the corners of the offensive zone and then pursues it. This is opposed to carrying the puck into the zone.

End-to-end rush - When a player skates the puck from his own zone deep into the attacking zone.

Face-off - The dropping of the puck between one player from each team to start or resume play.

Face-off Dot - Any of the solid red or blue circles on the ice which designate the location of various face-off areas.

Five-hole - The area between the goalie's leg pads.

Forecheck - To check an opponent in his end of the rink, preventing an offensive rush.

Freezing the Puck - To hold the puck against the boards with either the stick or skate to get a stoppage of play.

Glove hand - The hand that the goalie catches the puck with, in contrast to his stick hand, which is the hand that the goalie holds his stick in.

Goal Line - The red line which runs between the goal posts and extends in both directions to the side boards.

Good saucer - A pass that floats in the air like a Frisbee, then lands level on the ice to a teammate's stick.

Grinder - A type of player known for his checking ability and work ethic; often associated with a player who is strong defensively, but who doesn't score many points.

Hash Marks - The straight lines emerging from the two big circles in front of both nets. These lines direct players where to line up for face-offs.

Hat Trick - The scoring of three or more goals by a player in one game. A natural hat trick is when the same player scores three consecutive goals.

Mucker - Similar to a grinder, but one who adds a more physical temperament to his game. This player tends to stir up trouble.

One-Timer - The act of shooting the puck directly off a pass. The offensive player takes his backswing while the puck is on its way to him and tries to time his swing with the arrival of the puck.

Penalty Box - The area opposite the team benches where penalized players serve time.

Point - The area where shots or passes are made. There is a left point and a right point.

Poke check - To dislodge the puck from the puck carrier by stabbing at it with the blade of the stick.

Power Play - A power play occurs when a team has a one-man or two-man advantage because of an opponent's penalties.

Pulling the Goalie - Replacing the goalie with an extra skater. This occurs when a team trails, usually by one goal in the last minute of the game. It is a high-risk attempt to tie the game.

Save - A shot blocked by the goaltender, which would have been a goal if not stopped.

Screened Shot - Goaltender's view is blocked by players between he and the shooter.

Slap Shot - Hitting the puck with the blade of the stick after taking a full backswing.

Slot - The area immediately in front of the net between the two face-off circles, extending from the bottom of the circles up to the top of them. It is from this zone that most goals are scored and where most furious activity takes place.

Splitting the Defense - The player with the puck attempts to squeeze between the opponent's defensemen.

Stick Handling - To control the puck along the ice.

Top Shelf - Term used to describe when an offensive player shoots high in an attempt to beat the goalie by putting the puck in the top part of the net.

Wraparound - When a player skates around behind the opposing goal and attempts to wrap the puck around the goal post under the goalie.

Wrist Shot - Hitting the puck with the blade of the stick using a quick snap of the wrist rather than a full back swing.

The Players

GOALKEEPER: The goalie's chief job is to keep the opposition from putting the puck into his goal. Offensively, he may start his team down the ice with a pass but seldom leaves his net he guards.

DEFENSEMEN: They try to stop the incoming play. They attempt to break up passes, block shots, cover opposing forwards and clear the puck from in front of their own goal. On offense they get the puck to their center and wings and follow the play into the attacking zone.

WINGS: The wings work with each other on the attack to set up shots at the goal. Defensively, they try to disrupt plays by the opposing wings and upset their shot attempts.

The Officials

REFEREE: He supervises the game, calls penalties, determines goals and handles face-offs at center ice to start each period.

Game Penalties

A team plays shorthanded when one or more of its players is charged with a penalty. No team is forced to play more than two men below full (six man) strength at any time. Whenever a third penalty is called, it is suspended until the first expires. On penalties called on the goalkeeper, a teammate serves his time in the penalty box.

MINOR PENALTY: (Two minutes) Called for tripping, hooking, spearing, slashing, charging, roughing, holding, elbowing or boarding.

MISCONDUCT: (Ten minutes) Called for various forms of unsportsmanlike behavior or when a player incurs a  major penalty in a game. This is a penalty against an individual and not a team, so a substitute is permitted.

DELAYED PENALTY: Whistle delayed until penalized team regains possession of puck

PENALTY SHOT: A free shot, unopposed except by the goalkeeper, given to a player who is illegally impeded from behind when in possession of the puck and with no opponent between him and the goal except the goalie. The team which commits the offense is not penalized beyond the penalty shot, whether it succeeds or not.