Altercation:
Any physical contact between two or more players that results in a
penalty (or penalties) being assessed.

Aggressive
Play: The action of an opposition player or teammates to apply high
pressure through either physical contact or stick action to force a
turnover of the puck or to draw a penalty.

Angling:
A skating pattern in which a checkingplayer moves towards either the puck carrier or opposing player
on an angle which forces the player to move in the direction that the
checking player intends.

Area
Pass: Passing the puck to an area where no receiver is presently
occupying but is in the process of skating to that area.

Assist:
An assist is credited to a player who sets up a goal. An assist is
awarded to the last man or the last two men to touch the puck before the
goal is scored. There is a maximum of two assists awarded per goal.

Attack
Triangle: Any offensive formation which creates a triangular formation,
therefore providing the puck carrier with two passing options; either
forward/backward or lateral thus enabling the offensive team to create
width and depth in their attack.

Attacking
Zone: When your team is on the attack, your attacking zone is between
your opponent’s blue-line and goal-line.

- B -

Back
Check: Forwards in their offensive zone skate back quickly to their own
defensive zone to protect their goal and keep their opponent from
scoring.

Back
Door: A pass or play that is made to the far side of the net relative to
puck position and to the back side of the goal-tender (off the back side
post).

Backman/Back
Side Pass: A pass back, in the direction of your own zone in order to
maintain puck control.

Balanced
Defense: Balance implies defensive alignments that maintain adequate
width and depth to counteract triangulation. It requires defensive
players to read the offensive pressure and adjust their positions
accordingly to provide coverage in the area of the puck as well as in
the areas where the puck may be moved.

Blocker:
Specific to the goal-tender. The glove that goes on the hand that holds
the stick.

Blocker
Side: The action of directing the puck to the same side as the
goal-tender’s blocker.

Blue
Line: Two lines running across the width of the rink, one on either side
of the center red line.

Boarding:
Violently checking an opponent into the boards from behind or from the
side using excess force. The action of boarding constitutes a minor
penalty.

Boards:
The wall around a hockey rink.

Body
Check:A body check is the
action of using your body against an opposition player in possession of
the puck. A legal body check must be performed above an opponent’s
knees and below the neck using either the hip or the shoulder. A player
initiating a body check cannot utilize more than 3 steps or strides to
execute the check. Unnecessary roughness will constitute a penalty.

Border-Line
Call: A questionable penalty call made by the official that could have
been interpreted as a legal action.

Bounce
Of The Puck: Slang. Denotes the action of the puck bouncing or careening
in an unpredictable manner.

Box:
A defensive alignment where two players occupy the top zone defensive
positions and two players occupy bottom defensive zone positions. Most
often used when penalty killing and is described most often as a 2 – 2
defensive system.

Breakaway:
A player in control of the puck has a breakaway when a clear lane to the
net exists and the only opponent between him/her and the opposition’s
goal is the opposition’s goal tender.

Breakout:
The play used by the attacking team to move the puck out of it’s own
end of the rink and up the ice towards the opposition’ s net.

Butt
Ending: Using the top end of the shaft to stab at an opponent player.

- C -

Carry
the Play: When a team is maintaining a greater percentage of puck
possession and scoring opportunities.

Catcher:
Specific to the goaltender. This is the glove used to catch to puck and
goes on the non-stick hand.

Center:
Traditionally, it is the player that plays between the left and right
wings. In modern day hockey it is the player that occupies the center
lane of the ice (seam) or takes the faceoffs on a stoppage of play.

Changing
on the fly: When players from the ice surface change or substitute with
players on the bench without a stoppage of the play (while the clock is
running).

Charging:
Taking more than three strides before deliberately body checking an
opponent. This action will be assessed a penalty by the official.

Clearing
the puck: The action of passing, knocking, kicking or shooting the puck
away from the front of the net or other area.

Clearing
the zone: The action of passing, knocking, kicking or shooting the puck
out of the defensive zone either out of the playing area (over the glass
or boards) or over the defensive blueline.

Close
Coverage: Defensive hockey term wherein the defensive player players
plays close or tight to an offensive player either with or without the
puck.

Closing
the Gap: The action of the a defensive player moving towards an
opposition player. For a defenseman, it is the action of adjusting the
speed and skating pattern so the distance between the defensemen and the
opposition players is lessened.

Clutch
and Grap: The use of gloves/hands to impede the movement of an
opposition player by “clutching/grabbing” the arm, jersey or stick.

Coach:
A coach is a person primarily responsible for directing and guiding team
play. Along with the team manager, he/she is responsible for the conduct
the team’s players before, during and after a game.

Commit:
The degree of puck control by the offensive player will determine
whether the defender pressures the player (commits) or stalls/hesitates
(contains). To “commit” is the final action of a defensive player on
a particular play. This includes the action of the goal tender who may
“commit” to a shot or deke by the puck carrier.

Contain/s:
The action of a defensive player/s to stall/hesitate before committing
completely to an offensive player/s so as to eliminate an attack lane
and “contain” the player/s within a particular zone or area.

Concentration
of Attack: Any action or movement in a confined area which creates an
offensive numerical attack.

Control
Skating: Varying your speed and route to the potential pass reception
area so that you arrive there with speed at the moment of the pass.

Crash
the Net: The act of one or more offensive players attacking the net
after shooting the puck into the crease or at the goal-tender.

Crease
(Goal-tender): The semi-circular area in front of each goal is called
the crease. The goal crease is designed to protect the goal tender from
interference by attacking players.

Crease
(Referee): The semi-circular area in front of the penalty
time-keeper’s box is for the use of the referee.

Creation
of Time and Space: Using technical skills such as skating, passing, puck
control skills and applying concepts like stretching, support,
overlapping, width and depth, etc.

Cross:
Two offensive players exchange positions to accomplish isolation and
force a decision by a defender.

Cross
and Drop: One player crosses in front of his teammate and leaves the
puck so that it lies still for his partner to retrieve.

Cross
Checking: Hitting an opponent with the shaft of this stick while both
hands are on the stick and no part of the stick is on the ice.

Cycling:
A balanced rotation of players in the offensive zone to maintain puck
control and create offensive options.

- D -

Defending
zone: When the other team is on the attack, the defending zone is in the
area between your goal line and your blue line.

Defensemen:
The term defensemen is assigned to two players who usually play on the
backside of the play who primary responsibility is to stop the offensive
forwards from scoring and act as a last line of defense between the
offensive players and the goal-tender.

Defensive
Side: Establishing a position between an opposition and the net.

Deflection:
The action of re-directing a shot headed towards the net or wide of the
net.

Deke:
The act of faking an opponent (player or goaltender)out of position through stick/puck movement.

Delay
and Pass: A situation where a forward with the puck in the process of
attacking the opposing goal delays his thrust towards the net by turning
towards the boards and looks to pass to a teammate who is coming into
the zone late as part of the second wave of attack.

Delay
of Game: The is called when a player purposely delays the game through
either; intentionally shooting the puck over the glass (goal-tender),
knocking the goal off its moorings in an effort to stop a goal from
being scored or by freezing the puck to get a stoppage of play without
any checking pressure.

Delayed
off-side: In this situation, an attacking player has preceded the puck
into the offensive zone (normally a case for off-side), but the
defending team has gained possession of the puck and can bring it out of
their defensive zone without any delay or contact with an opposing
player.

Depth:
Is a term used most often to describe offensive attack situations (can
be used to describe defensive player alignments/tactics) that deals
specifically with the vertical distance between the puck carriers and/or
receivers. The objective of this tactic is to open up horizontal lanes
of attack above or below the puck by forcing the defending players to
adjust their gap by adjusting body position opposite to the flow of
attack.

Diamond:
A defensive alignment most often used by a team defending against a
power play and is denoted as a 1-2-1 system.

Directing
the puck: Changing the course of the puck in a desired direction through
either the use of the stick, skate, body or stick.

Dive:
When a player embellishes a hook or trip in order to try and draw a
penalty.

Down
Low: The area around the net orbelow
the goal-line.

Driving
to the Net: Either the player with the puck or another player without
the puck skates as hard as possible toward the net during attacks. This
places great pressure on the opponent’s defenders.

Dump
and Chase: Describes an offensive strategy of dumping the puck into the
offensive zone and then pursing it by skating aggressively to take away
time and space that the opposing team has to make a passing or outlet
decision.

Empty
Net Goal: A goal scored against an opponent that has pulled their
goal-tender.

Even
Strength: Equal number of players on the ice from both teams. This can
either be a three on three, four on four or five on five (excluding
goaltenders).

- F -

Face-off:
the action of an official dropping the puck between the sticks of two
opposing players to start play. A face-off begins when the referee
indicates its location and the officials take their appropriate
positions and ends when the puck has been legally dropped.

Fisticuffs:
When a player throws a punch (closed fist) and makes contact.

Five-hole:
The area between the goal-tenders pads when standing in the net.

Flat
Line Skating: The skating action of either defensive or offensive
players moving laterally from wall to wall across the lanes of the ice
parallel to the bluelines.

Flat
pass: A pass that remains on the surface of the ice.

Flex:
Describes the bending action of the shaft upon impact with the ice.
There are varying degrees of flex from soft to very stiff. Generally,
the stronger the player the stiffer the flex.

Flip
Pass: A pass where the puck is lifted so that it goes over an opponent
or his stick.

Flushing:
A tactic used by the team forechecking to force the puck carrier and
passing options in a specific direction that they desire.

Force
Outside: Any action by the defender to force the play to the outside
away from the middle lane and prime scoring area.

Force
Play: A defending player skates aggressively at or applies high pressure
to an opposition player in control of the puck in order to force the
puck carrier to pass or get rid of the puck.

Forecheck:
Opposition players forecheck by hurrying into the opponent’s defensive
zone to either keep the puck there or to take it away or, to pressure an
opponent in order to prevent an offensive rush.

Forward:
The players designated as wings and center are considered to be
forwards.

Freezing
the Puck: A player “freezes” the puck by holding it against the
boards using either the stick or skates. The goal-tender freezes the
puck by either holding it on the ice with either pad or glove or by
holding it in the glove or by trapping it on his/her blocker or by
kneeling on it with the leg pads.

Full
Strength: A term used to describe when both teams are matched evenly
with five skaters and one goal-tender.

- G -

G:
An abbreviation for “goals” scored.

Game
Suspension: When a player, coach or team official receives a game
suspension, that person can not participate in the next scheduled game.

Gap:
The space between an offensive player and a defensive player in a one on
one situation.

Getting
Open: Describes the action of an offensive player getting away from a
defensive player so as to be a possible option for a pass.

Give
and Go: An offensive tacticwhere
apass is made and then the
offensive player aggressively skates to an open area to become an option
for the player just passed to.

Goal-keeper:
A goal-keeper is a person designated by a team who is permitted to wear
special equipment and privileges t prevent the puck from entering the
goal.

Good
Receiving Angle: The optimum receiving angle occurs when the receiver is
traveling parallel with the passer. Another good receiving angle occurs
when the receiver is coming towards the passer. A bad passing angle
would be where a receiver has to look over ones shoulder to receive the
pass.

Goal:
A goal is achieved when the puck passes completely over the goal line
and enters the net legally.

Goal
Judge: A goal judge sits behind each goal (off-ice) and signals when the
puck has crossed the red goal line by turning on a red light above his
station. The referee can ask the goal judge’s advice on disputed goals
but the referee has final authority and can overrule the goal judge.

Goaltender:
The goal-tender’s main job is to stop the puck from entering the net.
The goal-tender is also know as the goalie, goalkeeper or netminder.

GP:
An abbreviation for “games played”

Great
One: None other than Wayne Gretzky

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

- H -

Hack:
It is a slang term that is used to describe the action of a slashing a
player with the heel end of a stick.

Hat
Trick: A player who scores three goals in one game achieves a “hat
trick”. A natural hat trick is when the same player scores three
consecutive goals.

Head
butting: The act of using the head while delivering a body check (head
first) in the chest, head, neck or back area; or the act of using the
head to strike an opponent. This is an offenseable action.

Headman
Pass: Passing the puck quickly up ice to a player ahead of the puck in a
better offensive position.

HECC:
The Hockey Equipment Certification Council is an independent
organization responsible for the development, evaluation, and testing of
performance standards for protective ice hockey equipment.

High
Stick: Making contact with the puck when carrying the stick above the
shoulders.

High
Sticking: Carrying the stick above the shoulder to use against an
opponent. This action is a penalize able offense. Where accidental
contact is made above the shoulders, a minor penalty is assessed. If an
injury results, this offensive will result in the player being assessed
a major (5 minutes) as well as an accompanying misconduct penalty (10
minutes).

Holding:
Using your hands on an opponent in such as a way as to impede your
opponent’s progress.

Hold-up:
Describes the action of impeding the movement of an opposition player
through use of body position or stick from getting to a particular area
or zone. This action can be penalized as “obstruction” or
“interference”.

Hooking:
Applying the stick to any part of an opponent’s body or stick and
pulling or tugging with the stick to disrupt or impede an opposition
player.

Hustle:
Describes the action of working very hard by a player or group of
players in pursuit of the puck or check.

- I -

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 goal-tender) touches the puck. The face-off is
held in the offending team’s end of the ice. A team that is short
handed can ice the puck without being penalized.

Indirect
pass: A pass off the boards, glass or around the boards or glass.

Individual
Skills: Denotes all hockey fundamentals necessary to play the game from
passing/receiving, shooting, pass/receiving, stick/puck handling,
checking/hitting, and skating so as to maintain effective puck control.

Injury
Potential Penalties: Injury potential injuries include butt ending,
checking from behind, spearing, head butting, boarding, charging,
cross-checking, elbowing, kneeing, high sticking, slashing, roughing and
holding the mask. A linesman is allowed to call these infractions
occurring behind the play to the referee (following the next stoppage of
play) if the referee did not see them.

In-line
Hockey: Hockey played on “in-line” skates.

Interference:
Making body contact with an opponent who does not have possession of the
puck. Interference can be called on a player who is standing in the
crease and/or interfering with the goal-tender’s ability to stop the
puck.

Illegal
Equipment: Any equipment that is deemed inappropriate for game play by
the country’s, leagues governing body. In Canada it is the CSA and in
the U.S.A it is the HECC.

Illegal
Goal: When the puck enters the net either; after a whistled stoppage of
play, after the legal limit of the gamehas expired (sound of the buzzer), by directing the puck into the
net intentionally with a skate or glove, directing the puck into the net
with a high stick or, off an official.

Illegal
Stick: Any stick that is deemed inappropriate for game play specific to
the guidelines set out by the leagues governing body. This may or may
not include: Blade curvature, blade length, blade width, shaft length
and stick composition.

Inside
Out: The movement of a puck or player relative to the seam (center lane
of the ice surface running vertically down the length of the rink).
Inside out is moving outwards away from the seam.

- J -

Jump:
The action of a offensive player to aggressively attack up ice to join
the offensive attack.

Jab:
The moderate action of “stabbing” at an opponent with the end or tip
of the blade.

- K -

Kneeing:
Using the knee in an effort to impede or foul an opponent.

Knuckler:
A slang term to describe the action of a puck flipping over end to end,
either the result of bad shot execution or deflection off of a stick or
player, on net.

- L -

Lane:
A passing lane is an open route between the passer and receiver. A
specific section of the ice can be designated as a lane of attack or an
open lane.

Last
Play Face-Off: The location at which the puck was last legally played by
a player or goalkeeper immediately prior to a stoppage of play.

Last
Man: Used to describe the last defensive player closed to the goaltender
that is carrying the puck and in the event of a turnover,gives theopposition
player a “break-a-way”.

Lateral
Feed: An offensive tactic whereby the puck carrier maintains possession
after a cross to make a lateral pass.

Lazy
Play: A term used to described a lack of effort by either an offensive
player or defensive player when making a play.

Lead
Pass: Moving the puckto a
player ahead of the puck in a better offensive position.

Left
wing: A term used to describe a forward playing on the left side of the
ice relative to the defensive goal-tender.

Left-wing-lock:
Is a tactic where the left winger rarely forechecks inside the defensive
zone but stays back in a high left side lane position to help out
defensively.

Linesman:
Two linesmen are used to call offside, offside passes, icing, and handle
al face0ffs not occurring at center ice. They can call potential injury
infractions behind the play that the referee does not see. Another
primary responsibility is to break up fighting altercations that break
out betweenplayers.

Locking
On: Identifying a person to cover and staying with that player tightly
in a one-on-one fashion.

Losing
Control: A player in an altercation that is becoming overly aggressive
to the point that further physical action will happen.

Manage
Ice:Using the space within
a player’s territorial responsibilities effectively.

Man
Advantage: Having a one, two or three (goal-tender pulled) player
advantage (on the power play) because the opposing team has been
assessed one or two penalties.

Man
Down (1): A slang term that describes an injured player on the ice where
the play is called and the player needs bench assistance from the team
trainer.

Man
Down (2): Having a one or two player disadvantage (short-handed) because
your team has been assessed one or more penalties.

Man-to-Man
Coverage: Each defensive player is responsible for an identified
offensive player.

Marked
Man: A slang term used to describe a player on the opposite team that
who is “marked” for retribution from a previous altercation.

- N -

Near
Side: The hockey ice is divided into 3 lanes that run up and down the
length of the ice from one end to the other. The lane closest to the
puck is called the near side.

Neutral
Zone: Is the area or zone designated between the two bluelines.

Numerical
Advantage: Good support can contribute to the pressure applied on the
defense by creating numerical advantage and outnumbering the defenders
in a confined area.

- O -

Off-Ice(Minor) Official: officials appointed to assist in the conduct of
the game including the official scorer, game time keeper, penalty time
keeper and goal-judges. The referee has supervision of the game and full
control over all game officials and in the case of a dispute the
referee’s decision shall be final.

Offside:
A team is offside when a player crosses the attacking blueline before
the puck does. A face-off then takes place just outside that blue line
(in the offending player’s defensive zone). The determining factor in
most offside situations is the position of the skates; both skates must
be completely over the blueline ahead of the blueline ahead of the puck
for the play to be offside.

Offside
Pass: An offside pass (also known as a “two-line” pass) occurs when
a member os 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 legal. Also,
an attacking player may pass thpuck
over the center red line and the attacking blue line if the puck
precedes that teammate across the blue line. The face-off after an
offside pass takes place at the spot where the pass originated.

One-Timer:
The act of shooting the puck immediately upon receiving it without
stopping it first.

One
Touch Pass: The act to shoot or pass the puck off the pass without
stopping it first.

Option
More Than Once: Continually offer offensive support to the puck carrier.
Thus, if you don’t receive the pass in the first potential pass
reception area, visualize another reception area and work to arrive on
time.

Outside
In: The movement of a puck or player relative to the seam (center lane
of the ice surface running vertically down the length of the rink).
Outside In is the movement inwards towards the seam.

Overlap:
An overlap occurs when either a defensive player or an offensive player
unnecessarily occupies the same ice as a team mate. This is evident when
two players check the same puck carrier without knowing that the other
is there.

Overlapping:
Having one player skate through an area, hopefully clearing out the
opposing checking players and then having a second player into the
recently vacated area. The most common example of this is cycling in the
corner of the offensive zone.

Overplay
(1): A defensive player intentionally plays tighter on a player than
normally in order to take away time and space. Similarly, an offensive
player can also overplay a situation or an area in order to take a
calculated risk to heighten the pressure on a defensive team.

Overplay
(2): The action of passing the puck laterally across the seam to the
wide side of ice.

- P -

Pass
and Follow: A tactical application of passing whereby the player who
passes the puck skates behind the receiver of the pass.

Penalty:
A penalty is the result of an infraction of the rules by a player or
team official.A penalty
usually results in the removal of the offending player (or team
official) for a specified period of time. In some cases, the penalty may
be the awarding of a penalty shot on goal or the actual awarding of a
goal.

Penalty
Killing: when a team is short handed and attempts to prevent the
opposition from scoring, this activity is known

Penalty-killing
unit: The group ofplayers
brought onto the ice surface to defend against a power play unit.

Penalty
Shot: A penalty shot is awarded to an offensive player who – on a
breakaway – is illegally checked or impeded. The puck is placed at the
center face-off spot, and the player has a free opportunity to try and
score on the opposing goal-tender with no other defenders to impede
him/her except the goal-tender. A penalty shot is awarded when a puck
carrier is pulled down or tripped from behind and denied a breakaway
scoring opportunity, the goaltender displaces the goal post during the
course of a breakaway or when a defensive player falls on and holds the
puck in his/her own crease.

Picking:
To interfere with an opposing defender in an effort to create space for
a teammate.

PIM:
An abbreviation for accumulated “penalties in minutes”.

Pinning
Technique: The defensive technique utilized to pin or secure an opponent
against the boards.

Pipe:
The pipe is the goal post and if you put the puck between the
“pipes” you score a goal.

Player:
Member of a team physically participating in a game.

Plus/Minus:A statistic used to analyze the differential between the
goals/points scored for and the goals allowed against. Designated as (+)
or (-).For example; a
player may be on the ice for 2 goals for but has been on the ice for 3
goals against. He/she would then have a “plus/minus” of -1.

Pocket:
A slang term used to denote the slot. Getting open for a pass in the
“sweet” spot in the slot – between the hash marks.

Point:
The is the area just inside the opposition blueline close to the boards
on either side of the rink.

Poke
Check: Trying to knock the puck away from an opponent by stabbing at it
with the blade of the stick.

Possession
and Control of the Puck: The last player or goalkeeper to make contact
with the puck and who also propels the puck in the desired direction.

Possession
of the Puck: The last player or goal tender to make contact with the
puck is the one who possession. This definition includes a puck that is
deflected off a player or any part of his equipment.

Potential
Pass Reception Area: An area on the ice which a passer and receiver
visualize as a possible location for a pass completion.

Power
Forward: A player that utilizes skating skill, size and/or strength to
aggressively check opposition players and/or consistently drives to the
net.

Power
Play: When a team has more players on the ice than the opposition due to
one or more penalties against the opposing team.

Pressure
(Defense): Defensive speed creates pressure on the offensive players.
This results in reducing the time and space available to the attackers.

Pressure
(Offense): Quick player and/or puck movement which causes the defense to
react more quickly than they may be capable of doing.

Progression
Practices: When teaching a skill or concept in progression, begin by
demonstrating the entire drill. Then slowly have the players execute one
component of the drill (allowing them to gain confidence and use proper
technique). Gradually, accelerate the players to a higher tempo, more
complex components. Once the skills have been mastered, encourage
execution of the complete drill at top speed. The final stage of the
drill is to design game situations (with resistance) where players need
to execute the new drill.

Protective
Equipment: Equipment worn by players for the sole purpose of protecting
them from injury according to governing body guidelines and
specifications.

Pulling
the Goalie: Removing the goal-tender from the ice in order to gain an
extra attacker. This is usually done when a delayed penalty is being
called or when a team is losing late in a game.

Pts:
An abbreviation for “total points”.

Pulling
of the Goalie: A team that is losing will sometimes take their own
goaltender off the ice for an extra attacker. See “pulling the
goalie”.

- Q -

Quick
Up:Moving the puck quickly
up ice to an available receiver. Usually describes the action ofa defenseman moving the puck quickly up ice to an available
forward off a breakout play.

Quiet
Zone/Dead Zone:Space in
the corners and behind the net in the offensive zone which is generally
uncovered. These can be used when under pressure to maintain puck
control.

- R -

Rapid
Counterattack: Starting an attack immediately after the opponent turns
the puck over. The opponent is in a vulnerable position for a second or
tow after the turnover because its team members are caught in an
offensive puck side position leaving lanes to their net open.

Red
Line: The line that divides the rink into two equal parts. This area is
denoted as center ice.

Referee:
the referee supervises the game, calls the penalties, determines if
goals are scored, and handles face-offs a center ice at the start of
each period and after goals. The referee has the final decision over all
other officials.

Regrouping:
The usually occurs in the neutral zone. It means that players who are
back checking from the offensive zone suddenly find that their team has
the puck.Due to game
circumstance they are unable or do not wish to counter attack suddenly
but instead retreat passing back to their defenseman to create open ice
inside the neutral zone. The concept of regrouping is to give your team
time to reorganize their offense.

Removal
of Time and Space: When a team is without the puck, they attempt to
limit the time and space the opponent has with which to advance the puck
or create a scoring chance. This is done by skating, angling, checking,
and the use of concepts like defensive support and proper positioning.

Reverse
the Flow: A player carries the puck in one direction then throwing the
puck back towards the area he has just skated from.

Riding
Your Check: The defensive player stays with an offensive player in order
to prevent an offensive play; for example, the defensive player rides or
sustains the check on a player who passes the puck, so that this
individual cannot get open for a return or give and go pass.

Roofing
the Puck: Getting the puck into the top part of the net quickly. A
technique used when a goaltender is either down on the ice or when
performing a deke on the goaltender when attack speed has the goaltender
backing into the net to far.

Roughing:
Engaging in fighting or shoving.Can
be a penalized offense.

Rushing
the Puck: The act of an offensive player carrying the puck up the ice
with speed. Most often describes the action of a defenseman carrying the
puck up ice off the breakout.

- S -

Sagging:
Defenders away from the puck, adjusting their position to support
defenders playing the puck carrier.

Save:
A shot blocked by the goal-tender. A shot that otherwise would have gone
into the net.

Saving
Ice: When a player reduces his speed, to conserve the ice between
himself and the potential pass reception area. By “saving ice” the
player keeps some ice in front of him/her so that he/she can accelerate
into the passing area.

Screening:
The act of standing in front of the opposition goal-tender so as to take
away his/her clear view of the puck.

Screened
Shot: When a goal-tender’s view is blocked by players between himself
and the shooter.

Shadow:
When a player covers an opponent one-on-one everywhere on the ice in
order to limit the effectiveness of this opponent.

Shoot-out:
Some minor and international leagues define the overtime situation by
having their teams play a five minute (or greater) sudden death period,
and if no one scores, the game is decided by a shoot-out. Each team
picks five shooters and each one of them takes a penalty shot on the
other team’s goalie. Which ever team scores more goals out of the five
shooters wins.

Shorthanded:
Shorthanded means that a team is below the numerical strength of its
opponents on the ice. A short handed situation results from a team being
penalized. If the opposition scores on the short handed team, the
penalized player may return to the playing surface unless a major
penalty (5 minutes) or consecutive penalties have been assessed to which
the penalty clock must expire.

Slap
Shot: Describes the action of a player taking a back swing then swings
the stick quickly forward slapping the puck with the blade of the stick
propelling it forward.

Slashing:
When a player swings the stick at an opponent. Slashing merits a
penalty, whether contact is made or not. Tapping an opponent’s stick
is not slashing.

Slot:
The prime scoring area up the middle of the ice between the faceoff
circles in front of the net.

Small
Games: The playing of small, compact games at one end of the rink. This
helps players to develop their skills, game strategies and creativity.

Smothering
the Puck: When a goal-tender or other player falls on the puck.
Smothering the puck is legal when done by the goal-tender or
accidentally by another player.

Sniper:
Slang term for a player who is a gifted goal-scorer.

Spearing:
Poking or attempting to poke an opponent with the tip of the blade of
the stick while holding the stick with one or both hands.

Speed:
The quickness to attack that will limit the reaction time of the
defender (stress the defense) and force defensive error.

Speed
Training: Working on skill development at high speeds, exceeding the
comfort level of players.

Spinnerama:
An evasive skill where a player skating backwards with the puck executes
a reverse pivot. Player pivots from backward to forward skating and
executes a quick turn to lose checker.

Splitting
the Defense: When a player in possession of the puck goes between two
opposing defenders while attacking.

Stall/Contain:
The defensive team will attempt to force an opponent t stop or slow down
the speed of an attack to provide time to set up better defensive
coverage. This can be accomplished by pressuring the puck carrier or
deflecting the attack to outside lanes.

Stepping-Up:
Describes the action of a defenseman pivoting from a backward skating
position to a forward skating position so as to close the gap on an
offensive player.

Straddling
the Line: Stretching one leg across the blueline in an attempt to stay
on side until your teammate carriers the puck into the offensive zone.

Stretching:
Sending a player up ice to drive the opposing defenders back in an
effort to create open ice for teammates to use underneath.

Substitute
Goal-tender: A designated goalkeeper on the official score sheet who is
not then participating in the game.

Support:
Players away from the puck make themselves available as a passing option
in the attack. Players away from the puck are active by positioning
themselves in a manner which provides options.

Sweep
Check: Using the entire length of the stick with a sweeping motion along
the surface of the ice in order to dislodge the puck from an opponent.

Swinging:
The forward crossover skating action of an offensive player getting into
open ice.

Switching:
Exchange of defensive responsibilities between two defensive players.

- T -

Taking
Back Ice: When a player lengthens the route to the potential pass
reception area. By taking a less direct route a player delay from
arriving too early and maintains skating speed.

Team
Official: A person responsible for the operation of a team, such as a
coach, manager or trainer.

Temporary
Goalkeeper: A player not designated as a goalkeeper on the official
score sheet who assumes that position when no designated goal-tender is
able to participate in the game. He is governed by goal-tender
privileges and limitations and must return as a “player” when a
designated goal-tender becomes available to participate in the game.

Tight
Gap: When players, especially defensemen, play very close to the
opposing team’s attackers on the rush. It means that the space between
the offensive and the defensive players is as small as possible.

Timing:
The ability to arrive at the right place at the right time.

Touching
Up: A term used to describe a player who, on a delayed offside call, has
to get both feet “on-side” before entering back into the
opposition’s defensive zone.

Top
Shelf: Term used to describe when a player shoots high in an attempt to
beat a goal-tender. To put the puck into the top part of the net.

Traffic:
A condensed area on the ice that has a high concentration of players
both offensive and defensive.

Trailer:
A teammate supporting the puck carrier from behind.

Transition:
The ability of a team to quickly move from offense to defense or from
defense to offense.

Trap:
Traps are defensive formations designed to minimize the opposition’s
scoring opportunities and keep its offense from functioning. The idea is
to trap the puck in the neutral zone by angling the offensive players
towards the wall and forcing a turnover.

Triangulation:
Any offensive formation which creates offensive triangles, thus
providing the puck carrier tow passing options and enabling the
offensive team to create width and depth in their attack.

Tripping:
using a stick, arm or leg to cause an opponent to trip or fall.

Turn
Back: A puck protection tactic where the puck carrier suddenly stops,
turns and skates back in the direction he came from, always keeping the
body between thechecker
and the puck.

Vary
Tactics: This term applies to either an offensive player or players
tactical offensive strategies where predictability becomes defendable.
Change type and manner of attack to keep opposition of guard.

- W -

Weakside:
The side of the ice opposite to where the puck is being controlled.

Wideman
Pass/Widewing Pass: To use width of the ice to change the point of
attack.

Width:
Is an offensive term used to describe the distance laterally between the
puck carrier and/or receivers. The greater the distance between the
players, the greater the adjustment necessary for the defensive players
to play one on one. This objective of this tactic is to open up the seam
(center lane running down the length of the ice) in the offensive zone
which is the highest percentage scoring area in the game.

Wingers:
This term describes the left and right wing players which move up an
down the length of the ice. In modern dayhockey the term “winger” most often describes those forwards
in the defensive zone that play wall positions in their own zone and
outside faceoff positions in the neutral and offensive zones.

- X – Y – Z -

Zamboni:
The “Zamboni” is a very popular brand of ice resurfacer. The Zamboni
resurfaces the ice by shaving off a fine layer of ice and snow and then
laying down a film of water (hot, warm or cold) over the ice grooves
which will freeze creating a new layer of ice. The original Zamboni was
invented by Frank Zamboni in 1940.

Zero
Tolerance: A USA and CANADIAN Hockey policy that sets standards for
officials in dealing with verbal abuse direct to them, and in their
conduct towards all team personnel. No one element (player, coaches, and
officials) is exempted from the policy. The policy is based on the fact
that without understanding, respect and cooperation from each other we
will have a difficult if not impossible task of creating an environment
for hockey which is safe and fun.