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Hockey terms and definitions Assist -- the pass or passes which immediately precede a successful goal-scoring attempt; a maximum of two assists are credited for one goal. Bluelines -- two blue, 12-inch wide lines running parallel across the ice; Each line is 60 feet from the goal and divides the rink into three zones, the attacking, defending and neutral (center) zones. Defending blueline is the line closest to a player's own net, attacking blueline is the one farther from his net. These are used in determining offsides. Body check -- when a hockey player bumps or slams into an opponent with either his hip or shoulder (the only legal moves) to block his progress or throw him off-balance. It is only allowed against an opponent in control of the puck or against the last player to control it. Breakaway -- a fast break in which an attacker with the puck skates in alone on the goalie, having gotten past the defenseman, trapping the opponents behind the play. Center face-off circle -- a 30-foot diameter circle at the center of the ice where the puck is dropped in a face-off to start the game to start the game and to restart the game after a goal has been scored. Center ice -- the area between the two bluelines; also called the neutral zone. Centering pass -- a pass from an attacking player towards the middle of the ice to a teammate with a better angle at the goal. Check -- any defensive or guarding tactic used by moving their bodies against an opponent to get the puck away. There are two main types of checks: stick check and body check; these are only allowed against a player in control of the puck or against the last player to control it. Checking with too many steps or strides becomes charging. Clearing the puck -- getting the puck out of one's defensive zone. Clearing the zone -- when a defending player sends the puck out of the attacking zone. All the attacking players must leave or clear the zone to avoid being called offsides when the puck reenters the zone. Crease lines -- the red lines that form the semi-circular area with a six-foot radius in front of the goal called the goal crease. Cross bar -- the horizontal bar that connects the top of the two goalposts. Defenseman -- two players who make up a team's defensive unit. They usually are stationed in or near their defensive zone to help the goalie guard against attack; sometimes they lead an attack. Deking -- a decoying or faking motion by the puck-carrier that makes a defensive player think he is passing or moving in a certain direction when he is not. There are shoulder dekes, stick dekes and head dekes. Empty-net goal -- a goal scored against a team that has pulled the goalie. Face-off -- the method of starting play when an official drops the puck between the sticks of two opposing players standing one stick length apart with stick blades flat on the ice. Also used to begin each period or to resume play when it has stopped for other reasons. Face-off circles and spots -- the various circular spots on the ice where an official and two players have a face-off to begin or to resume the action of the game. There is one blue and four red face-off circles located in the neutral zone, and two red face-off circles at each end of the ice. Forecheck -- to check or harass an opponent who has the puck in his defensive zone and keep the opponents in their end of the rink while trying to regain control of the puck. Forwards -- the center and right and left wings; who make up the attacking line or forward line of a team. Full strength -- when a team has six players on the ice. Goal -- one point scored when the puck goes between the goalposts from the stick of an attacking player and entirely crosses the red line between the goalposts. Also the informal term that refers to the area made of the goalposts and the net guarded by the goalie and into which a puck must enter to score a point. Goal crease -- a semi-circular area with a six-foot radius in front of the opening of the goal; denotes the playing area of the goalie into which no player without the puck may enter. Goalie -- the heavily-padded player who guards the goal and prevents opponents from scoring by stopping the puck by any means necessary. Hat trick -- three or more goals scored by a player in one game. Icing -- a violation which occurs when the team with the puck shoots it from behind the red center line across the opponent's goal line into the end of the rink (but not into the goal) and a member of the opposing team touches it first. This results in a face-off in the offender's defensive zone. A shorthanded team cannot be called for icing. Lead pass -- a pass sent ahead of a moving teammate designed to meet the player at the location he is headed. Line change -- the entire forward line and/or defensive line will be replaced at once, which puts players on the ice who work well together. Linesmen -- the two officials on the ice, one toward each end of the rink, responsible for rules infractions concerning off-side plays at the bluelines or center line and for any icing violations. They conduct most of the face-offs, sometimes advise the referee concerning penalties, and separate players who are fighting. Neutral zone -- the area between the bluelines. Offsides -- a violation when both skates of an attacking player cross the opponent's blueline preceding the puck into the attacking zone or when a pass crosses more than one line without being touched (two-line pass). Officials -- one referee and two linesmen on the ice calling infractions and handing out penalties. There are up to five off-ice officials including two goal judges, the game timekeeper, the penalty timekeeper and the official scorer. Penalty box -- an area with a bench just off the ice, behind the sideboards outside the playing area where penalized players serve their penalty time. Penalty killer -- a player expert at backchecking and keeping or gaining control of a loose puck under difficult circumstances who is trained to break up a power play when his team is shorthanded. Penalty shot -- a free shot awarded a player who was illegally interfered with, preventing him from a clear scoring opportunity; the shot is taken with only the goalie guarding against it. Periods -- three 20-minute playing intervals separated by two intermissions. Points -- the left and right positions taken by the defensemen of the attacking team, just inside the blueline of the attacking zone. Also the term used to describe the defensemen playing at this location. Points also is an individual statistic for players equal to their goals plus assists. Also a team statistic used to determine team standings (2 points for each win and 1 point for each tie during the regular season). Power play -- an attack by a team at full strength against a team playing one man (or two men) shorthanded because of a penalty (or penalties) which resulted in a player on the opposing team receiving penalty-box time. Pulling the goalie -- taking the goalkeeper off the ice and replacing him with a forward. This leaves the goal unguarded so is only used as a last minute attempt to score. Referee -- the chief official in a hockey game, distinguished from the other officials by a red armband. He starts the game, calls most of the penalties and makes the final decision in any dispute. He is responsible for making sure the ice, the nets and the clock are in good condition. Screen shot -- a shot on goal that the goalie cannot see because it was taken from behind one or more players from either team standing in front of the net. Shorthanded -- a team with one or more players off the ice in the penalty shot when the opponent has its full six players. Also a power play for the other team. Shot on goal -- a scoring attempt that is successfully blocked or otherwise prevented by the goalie (a save). Slap shot -- a shot in which the player raises his stick in a backswing, with his strong hand held low on the shaft and his other hand on the end as a pivot. As the stick comes down toward the puck, the player leans into the stick to put all his power behind the shot and add velocity to the puck. This achieves an extremely high speed but is less accurate than a wrist shot. Sudden-death overtime -- an overtime period that ends as soon as one team scores a goal, determining the winner and terminating the game. Two-line pass -- a team violation occurring when a puck is passed across two or more lines without being touched. Play is stopped for a face-off; a type of offsides. Wings -- two players who flank the center on his right and left sides and, with him, make up the attacking unit or forward line. Wrist shot -- a shot made using a strong flicking of the wrist and forearm muscles, with the stick blade kept on the ice; it is slower but more accurate than a slap shot. Zamboni -- the brand of machine used to clean the ice. Zones -- three areas made up by the two bluelines. The attacking zone is the area farthest from the goal a player is defending. The neutral zone is the central area, the defending zone is the area where a player's goal is (the goal where his team's goalie is stationed).
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