Hockey glossary Flashcards
1-man advantage
(Also called a one-man advantage) When a team is short one player due to a penalty being incurred.
2 and ten
When an offending player gets a minor penalty and a ten-minute misconduct
2-man advantage
(Also called a two-man advantage) is when one team has had two players sent to the penalty box. This leaves the opponent with five skaters (i.e., not including the goaltender) to penalized team’s three.
2-on-1
When a team enters the attacking zone and outnumbers the opposing players in the zone.
3-on-2
When a team enters the attacking zone and outnumbers the opposing players in the zone.
5 and a game
a five-minute penalty that includes automatic expulsion from the game and, depending on the league, possibly subsequent games. Often called for attempts to deliberately injure an opponent, official or fan.
5-on-3
(Also called a two-man advantage) is when one team has had two players sent to the penalty box. This leaves the opponent with five skaters (i.e., not including the goaltender) to penalized team’s three.
5-on-4
(Also called a one-man advantage) When a team is short one player due to a penalty being incurred.
5-on-5
When both teams have five skaters and one goaltender on the ice.
angling
Pushing an opposing team’s player to the side in your defensive zone, keeping them out the middle of the defensive zone.
Apple
an assist
assist
Attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate.
attacking zone
The opposing team’s end of the ice; extends from the blue line to the end boards.
Babysitter
A babysitter is a term used for a star player that is put on a line with two players of less skill, almost as if he is babysitting their line. Example: Hey man how’s babysitting those two benders out there? They’re wrecking your plus/minus.
Backchecking
The act of skating back to your defensive zone and applying pressure to opposing players when they have possession of the puck and are on the rush. We often joke “what is backchecking”, because adult league players are notorious for not being very motivated backcheckers. It should be noted that backchecking is NOT the act of checking someone in the back with your stick. That is known as cross checking, and is a penalty.
backhand
A pass or shot that is taken from the backside of the blade of the stick.
Bar Down
A shot that hits the bottom of the crossbar and goes right down into the net. Such a shot is normally responsible for an enormous grin by the shooter and for oohs and aahs from everyone else (except maybe the goalie).
Barn
A rink or arena. As in “They have to come play in our barn tonight.”
Barnburner
a high-scoring game
Beauty/Beautician
A player that is talented, both on and off the ice, and loved by his teammates.
Bender
A bender is widely-used term for players who are terrible at skating and look as if their skates aren’t tied tight enough because their ankles bend when they stand on them. No offense to Holmstrom as he is great at doing what he does and has been for the better part of a decade, but he is a terrible skater and looks like he needs his mom to tie his skates tighter for him. Example: That bender looks like his ankles are going to snap under his own weight, he needs to get off the ice before I dangle him.
best-on-best
A competition featuring the most elite level of players possible. Most commonly used in the context of men’s international tournaments that allow professional players and are held at a time that does not conflict with league schedules.
Biscuit
The puck
black ace
A minor professional league or junior amateur league player recalled to their parent NHL club for the Stanley Cup playoffs.
blocker
The rectangular pad that a goaltender wears on the stick-holding hand.
blue line
The lines separating the attacking and defending zones from the neutral zone.
blueliner
A defenseman.
boarding
Checking a defenseless player and causing them to violently impact the boards. A penalty.
boards
Glass walls that surround the playing surface.
body check
Using the hip or body to knock an opponent, sometimes against the boards or to the ice. Illegal in the women’s game.
Bottle rocket
when a goal breaks the goalie’s water bottle that sits on top of the net
box
penalty box
Break out
When a team gains control of the puck in their defensive end they will “break out” with the puck to go on the attack. Most teams have established break out plays to accomplish this important part of the game.
breakaway
When a player has possession of the puck and there are no defenders other than the goalie between the player and the opposing goal.
Breezers
Simply put, hockey pants. Example: HA! You got deked outta your breezers back there eh?!
Bucket
A hockey helmet. Example: He clocked him so hard he knocked his bucket off his dome!
butt-ending
The act of jabbing an opponent with the knob of their stick. A major plus a game misconduct penalty.
butterfly
A style of goaltending wherein the goalie tends to drop to their knees to cover the lower half of the net with their leg pads.
C
Indicates captain
cage
Metal grid that attaches to the front of a helmet to protect the face; occasionally also refers to the goal.
captain
A designated player that is allowed to talk with the referees about rule interpretations. Consists of one captain and 2 or 3 alternate captains.
catcher or catching glove
The webbed glove that the goaltender wears on the hand opposite the stick. (Also known as a trapper.)
Celly
A celebration after a goal that is more than just raising your arms. Fist pumps, jumping against the boards, riding the stick and down-on-one-knee are popular cellys. When overdone, a celly can become a target for trash talk. Example: Did you see that bender’s celly, you’d think that was his first goal ever.
Centre (or center)
A forward position whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice.
Change on the fly
A team may change its players even as play continues. This is known as “changing on the fly.” A player coming on the rink cannot play the puck until the player they are replacing is off the rink.
charging
The act of taking more than three strides while delivering a body check or leaving their feet to deliver a hit. A penalty.
check to the head
A hit where the primary contact is made to an opponent’s head. A major or match penalty in the NHL if such a hit is made from a lateral or blind side position. In other leagues and organizations, any check to the head can be a minor or major penalty, often including an automatic misconduct or game misconduct penalty.
checking from behind
The act of hitting an opponent from the back when they are unaware the hit is coming. A penalty.
Cheese
the top shelf of the net
Cherry Picker
A player who stays at center ice and does not help their team on defense. They hope to pick up a break out pass with no defenders in their way.
Chiclets
teeth
Chip
We normally use the term “chip” in the context of “chip off the boards”. This is where the puck is shot off the boards, normally up off the ice. The purpose could be to merely clear the puck out of the zone. More often it is a passing maneuver, where you are chipping the puck off the boards to a space where you expect your teammate to be able to get it. However, you can even chip it off the boards to yourself, as a means of getting around an opponent.
Chirp
Another term for trash talk, often leads to fantastic sound and video clips for YouTube. Example: Are you gonna let that bender chirp you like that?
Clapper
A slapshot. Used when yelling from the bench as it feels faster to yell than slapshot. Speculated origin is from the noise the puck makes when hitting the stick at such a high velocity. Example: Fire a clapper! This tender is scared of them!
clipping
Hitting an opponent below the knees. A penalty.
coincidental penalties
When both teams are assessed an equal number of penalties at the same time, usually on the same play or incident.
cover 1
When a team has one defenseman stay back and play high to slow down breakaways, allowing the other defensemen to play a more offensive role.
crashing the net
Players head with full steam to the front of the net, usually with intentions of finding a rebound or loose puck. Also known as crashing the crease.
crease
An area of the ice that extends from the goal line in front of the net, often shaped like a semicircle and painted in a different colour.
cross-checking
The act of checking an opponent with the shaft of the stick held in both hands. A penalty.
Cycling
Cycling is an offensive strategy used to keep control of the puck by keeping it close the boards. Offensive players make short passes to each other along the boards until they see an opening to pass to a teammate who is moving into the slot for a shot.
Dangle
when a player is a deke (or decoy) by making moves to fake out the goalie or opposing player; also used to describe the act of stick-handling
dasher
The boards, referred to when a player caroms the puck off the boards to clear the puck of their defensive zone or to execute a pass.
defenceman
(alternately spelled “defenseman” in the U.S.) One of two players that are positioned further back on the ice than the forwards.
defensive zone
The defending team’s zone; extends from the blue line to the end boards.
Deke
A deke is used by an offensive player with the puck to confuse a defender or goalie. It is a fake or feint move. A common deke is to lower the shoulder in one direction but actually turn in the other.
Delayed Penalty
A penalty that has not yet resulted in a stoppage of play because the team that will have the man advantage is in possession of the puck. Play continues until the team being penalized gains control of the puck. The referee will raise his arm indicating that there is a delayed penalty situation. The team with possession will send their goalie off the ice in exchange for another attacker, as it would be nearly impossible for the penalized team to score, as play will stop when the penalized team gets the puck. This essentially extends the length of time the non-penalized team has the man advantage. If a goal is scored before the play is stopped, then the penalty is waived off.
Dirty
term to describe an outstanding deke
Dots
“The dots” is short for face-off dots, or the dots into which the referee drops the puck during a face off.
Dump and Chase
An offensive strategy used to get the puck over the opposing team’s blue line and into the corners where players can race to get it, thereby moving the play into the attacking zone.
Duster
The term ‘duster’ is referring to a player who sits on the bench and collects dust, only played when a team is up by a lot of goals just so he can get some playing time. Often, the duster is used to separate the offense from the defense when sitting on the bench. Example: Man they are down by so many goals they even let the duster have a shift.
Egg
when the game ends 0-0
elbowing
The act of using an extended elbow or forearm to make contact with an opponent. A penalty.
empty net goal
A goal scored when the opposing goalie is not on the ice.
enforcer
A player quick to fight who defends their teammates against violent members of the other team.
even strength
Teams have an equal number of players (not necessarily their full complement of five) on the ice.
extra attacker
A player who has been substituted for the team’s goaltender on the ice.
Face wash
when a player rubs the palm of their glove in an opponent’s face simply to annoy them
faceoff
The method used to begin play at the beginning of a period or after a stoppage of play. The two teams line up in opposition to each other. One player from each team attempts to gain control of the puck after it is dropped by an official between their sticks onto a face-off spot on the ice.
faceoff spot
One of nine painted circles on the ice where a faceoff may occur. Two in each attacking/defending zone, two each near the corners of the neutral zone, and one at centre ice.
fighting
When two or more players punch each other repeatedly. Fights are also called scraps, tussles, fisticuffs, and scuffles amongst other terms. Combatants are each assessed a major penalty, and results in a game misconduct in many leagues.
Filthy
another term for a great deke or pass, like “dirty”
five on five
When both teams have five skaters and one goaltender on the ice.
five on four
(Also called a one-man advantage) When a team is short one player due to a penalty being incurred.
five on three
(Also called a two-man advantage) is when one team has had two players sent to the penalty box. This leaves the opponent with five skaters (i.e., not including the goaltender) to penalized team’s three.
five-hole
The gap between a goaltender’s legs.
Flamingo
when a player lifts one leg, standing like a flamingo, to get out of the way of a shot
Flow
Great hockey hair. Typically longer hair that “flows” out of the helmet. A young Jaromir Jagr sported some great flow.
Forecheck
Checking, battling or applying pressure to the opponent in an attempt to retrieve the puck while in your offensive zone when the other team has possession. Forecheck is also a hockey slang term. In the slang term, the meaning is one of approaching a member of the opposite sex, typically while out at the bar, in an attempt to solicit a phone number or date. As in: “Where’s Joe?” “Oh, he’s up at the bar forechecking that entire bachelorette party.”
Free Agent
A term that hockey players use to describe a single hockey player. Free to utilize the status of hockey player to attract puck bunnies. Example: Man now that you left your girl and are a free agent you can bring all those puck bunnies back after the game!
freezing the puck
The act of trapping the puck so it cannot be played.
full strength
When both teams have five skaters and one goaltender on the ice.
Game misconduct
A player is suspended for the remainder of the game if they receive a game misconduct. Their team continues to play at full strength unless a minor penalty is also assessed.
Gino
a goal that is scored
goal
When the puck goes over the goal line in front of the net.
goal crease
An area of the ice that extends from the goal line in front of the net, often shaped like a semicircle and painted in a different colour.
goal judge
An off-ice official who signals when a goal has been scored, usually by turning a red light on above the net.
goal line
The line that extents from the post to the boards and if the puck crosses the line in front of the net it is a goal.
Goalie-holesFive hole
The potential scoring areas around a goal are numbered from one to four starting in the lower right corner and proceeding clockwise at each corner of the net. The “5 hole” is between the goalie’s legs.
goaltender
A player, aka “goalie,” who plays in and around the goal (net), whose job it is to make “saves,” i.e., prevent the other team from making goals, by stopping the puck from crossing the goal line.
golden goal
Another term for an overtime game-winning goal.
Gongshow
This is a word that has a couple of meanings to it and has been recently reestablished by gongshow gear, a line of hockey apparel. Gongshow Gear defines gongshow as: 1. A lifestyle defined and perfected by hockey players; 2. Passion for the game on the ice combined with a love for the party off the ice; 3. A unique code of ethics shared amongst hockey players that is widely unknown to others; 4. The biggest underground hockey fraternity in the world. Example: Lovin’ this gongshow, our game is going to be crazy Saturday but not nearly as crazy as the afterparty! Many others refer to gongshow in its original meaning which is a hockey game that has gotten out of control with ridiculous fights, goals or other crazy events. Example: Did you see that gongshow last night? There was a bench-clearing brawl and this puck bunny got thrown out for flashing a guy in the penalty box!
goon
A general term for either an enforcer or a pest, depending on the situation.
Gordie Howe hat trick
A Gordie Howe hat trick is when one player scores a goal, notches an assist and gets into a fight all in the same game (a natural Gordie Howe hat trick occurs when a player does all three in one period).
Grinder
An enforcer brought onto the team to protect the star players. In today’s NHL, enforcers must be talented as well—unlike the old NHL when all they had to do was fight. Example: Man Probert was such a Pipe-fitter, he could clean someones clock with one punch.
Grocery Stick
A player that sits on the bench the entire game between the forwards and the defensemen, acting like a separator you would use on the conveyor belt at the grocery store to separate your groceries from the next customer in line.
gross misconduct
A game misconduct penalty for gross unsportsmanlike conduct when a player or coach makes a travesty of the game.
Guts of the Ice
This is simply the area of the ice between the dots, over the entire length of the ice. We typically use this term in the context of “defending the guts of the ice”. What we mean by that is that we want to keep attacking players from attacking our zone up the middle, or guts of the ice. Rather, we try to keep them “outside the dots”, meaning between the faceoff dots and the boards.
half wall
Midway between the point and the corner along the board.
hand pass
The act of passing the puck using one’s hand.This is legal inside a team’s defensive zone, but illegal in the neutral zone and attacking zone, even if the pass originates from another zone.
