48 ice hockey terms with short definitions, from snipe and light the lamp to celly, chirp and Zamboni, in one A to Z glossary.
Half of ice hockey terminology comes from the rulebook and the other half from the dressing room, which is why the same goal can be a goal, a snipe or a bar down depending on who is describing it. The words related to ice hockey below cover penalties, positions and equipment, and the words associated with rink life, from the Zamboni to the sin bin, are in there too. The ice hockey glossary further down puts every term on this page in alphabetical order.
Must-Know Ice Hockey Terms, Phrases and Slang:
- Assist
- Body check
- Breakaway
- Face-off
- Hat trick
- Icing
- Power play
- Penalty box
- Slapshot
- Stick handling
- Winger
- Zamboni
- Blue line
- Boarding
- Cross-check
- Deke
- Empty net
- Forecheck
- Goalie pull
- Line change
- Offside
- Poke check
- Puck handler
- Shorthanded
- Snap shot
- Sudden death
- Top shelf
- Wrist shot
- Checking from behind
- Crease
Ice Hockey Glossary: Every Term A to Z
| Term | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Apple | Slang for an assist. Two apples means two assists on the night. |
| Assist | Credit for the pass or passes that set up a goal. Up to two are awarded per goal. |
| Backcheck | Skating back toward your own zone to pick up an opponent after losing the puck. |
| Bar down | A shot that hits the underside of the crossbar and drops in. The most admired way to score. |
| Beauty | A well-liked teammate, praised for personality as much as for skill. |
| Biscuit | Slang for the puck. "Biscuit in the basket" means the puck is in the net. |
| Blue line | The two lines dividing the ice into defensive, neutral and offensive zones. They decide offside. |
| Boarding | A penalty for checking an opponent violently into the boards. |
| Body check | Using the body to hit a puck carrier and separate them from the puck. |
| Breakaway | A puck carrier skating in alone with no defender between them and the goalie. |
| Celly | A goal celebration, from the way players shorten the word. |
| Checking from behind | Hitting an opponent from behind into the boards. Dangerous and heavily penalized. |
| Chirp | Trash talk aimed at an opponent, usually more mocking than aggressive. |
| Crease | The marked area in front of each net where the goalie is protected from interference. |
| Cross-check | A penalty for hitting an opponent with the shaft of the stick held in both hands. |
| Dangle | Beating a defender with stickhandling rather than speed. |
| Deke | A fake that moves a defender or goalie the wrong way. |
| Empty net | The net after a team pulls its goalie for an extra skater, usually late in a game they are losing. |
| Enforcer | A player known for physical play, historically the one who answered rough treatment of teammates. |
| Face-off | The puck drop between two players that starts play at the beginning of a period and after every stoppage. |
| Forecheck | Pressuring the opponent inside their own zone to force a turnover. |
| Goalie pull | Taking the goaltender off the ice for an extra attacker. |
| Hat trick | Three goals by one player in one game. Fans throw hats onto the ice for it. |
| Icing | Shooting the puck from behind the center line across the opponent's goal line untouched. Play stops and the face-off comes back. |
| Light the lamp | To score, from the red light behind the net that goes on with every goal. |
| Line change | Swapping a whole forward line or defensive pair for fresh players, often while play continues. |
| Mitts | Gloves, and by extension a player's hands. "Silky mitts" means fine stickhandling. |
| Neutral zone | The middle third of the ice between the two blue lines. |
| Offside | An attacker crossing the blue line into the offensive zone ahead of the puck. |
| One-timer | Shooting a pass straight out of the air or off the ice without settling it first. |
| Penalty box | The bench off the ice where a penalized player serves their time. Also called the sin bin. |
| Plus-minus | A statistic that counts the even-strength goals scored for and against while a player is on the ice. |
| Poke check | Reaching in with the stick to knock the puck off an opponent without body contact. |
| Power play | Playing with a one or two player advantage while an opponent serves a penalty. |
| Puck drop | The opening face-off, and the usual way of saying when a game starts. |
| Puck handler | Whoever currently has the puck on their stick. |
| Shorthanded | Playing with fewer skaters because of a penalty. |
| Sin bin | Slang for the penalty box. |
| Slapshot | The hardest shot in the game, with a full windup and the blade striking the ice just behind the puck. |
| Snap shot | A quick release that trades some power for surprise, halfway between a slapshot and a wrist shot. |
| Snipe | A precise shot placed into a small opening, usually high in the net. |
| Stickhandling | Controlling and moving the puck with the stick while skating. |
| Sudden death | Overtime in which the first goal ends the game. |
| Top shelf | The upper part of the net just under the crossbar, the hardest area for a goalie to cover. |
| Twig | Slang for a hockey stick, left over from the days when sticks were wooden. |
| Winger | A forward playing the left or right side, alongside the center. |
| Wrist shot | A shot swept off the blade with the wrists. Less power than a slapshot, far more accuracy. |
| Zamboni | The machine that resurfaces the ice between periods, named after its inventor Frank Zamboni. |
#1 Assist
An assist is awarded to a player who passes the puck directly to a teammate in a way that leads to a goal. It highlights the importance of teamwork and the ability to set up scoring opportunities.
#2 Body check
A body check is a defensive play where a player uses their body to hit an opponent in possession of the puck to disrupt their play. It’s a physical aspect of hockey designed to regain control of the puck.
#3 Breakaway
A breakaway occurs when a player gains possession of the puck with no defenders between them and the opposing goalie. It’s a prime scoring opportunity that often leads to an exciting one-on-one showdown.
#4 Face-off
A face-off is used to start play at the beginning of periods and after stoppages, where two opposing players compete to gain control of the puck dropped by a referee. It’s a crucial part of the game for possession.
#5 Hat trick
A hat trick happens when a player scores three goals in a single game. It’s a significant achievement that showcases a player’s scoring ability and is often celebrated by fans throwing hats onto the ice.
#6 Icing
Icing is called when a player shoots the puck across both the red line and the opposing team’s goal line without it being touched. It leads to a stoppage of play and a face-off in the offending team’s zone.
#7 Power play
A situation in ice hockey where one team has a numerical advantage due to a penalty against the opposing team. During a power play, the team with more players on the ice has a higher chance of scoring due to less defensive pressure.
#8 Penalty Box
A designated area off the ice where players must sit to serve time for penalties. Players in the penalty box are temporarily excluded from play, creating a manpower disadvantage for their team.
#9 Slapshot
A powerful, wind-up shot where the player slams the stick against the ice just before hitting the puck to generate maximum force. It’s a crowd-pleaser known for its speed and potential to surprise goalies.
#10 Stickhandling
The skill of manipulating and controlling the puck on the ice with one’s stick, showcasing a player’s agility and finesse. Good stickhandling can evade opponents and create scoring opportunities.
#11 Winger
A forward position player located on the left or right side of the ice, responsible for scoring goals, assisting plays, and providing defense on the sides. Wingers work with center players to create offensive pressure.
#12 Zamboni
The iconic machine used to resurface ice between periods, named after its inventor Frank Zamboni. It ensures a smooth, even playing surface crucial for fair and safe play.
#13 Blue Line
The two lines that divide the ice into three zones: defensive, neutral, and offensive. The position of the puck relative to these lines determines offside plays and influences teams’ strategies.
#14 Boarding
A penalty called when a player pushes, trips, or checks an opponent violently into the boards. It’s considered a dangerous play and can lead to serious injury, resulting in a penalty.
#15 Cross-check
A penalty in ice hockey where a player uses the shaft of the stick held with both hands to hit an opponent. This action is illegal and often results in a penalty, leading to a power play for the other team.
#16 Deke
A maneuver by a puck handler to trick a defender or goalie with a fake move. Dekes can involve quick directional changes, stick handling, or body movements to evade opponents and create scoring opportunities.
#17 Empty Net
An ’empty net’ situation occurs when a team removes its goalie for an extra attacker, usually to try to score during a trail late in the game. It’s a high-risk strategy that can leave the net vulnerable to opponent scoring.
#18 Forecheck
Forechecking is an aggressive strategy where players apply pressure to the opposition in their defensive zone to regain puck control. It’s a way to create turnovers and keep the offense going by hindering the opposing team’s breakout.
#19 Goalie Pull
A goalie pull is a tactical move by a team to remove their goaltender for an extra skater, typically done during a game’s final moments when trailing. It’s a desperate measure to increase offensive manpower at the risk of leaving the net unguarded.
#20 Line Change
A line change is when a group (or line) of players on the ice is substituted for fresh players during play. It’s a crucial element of hockey strategy to maintain energy and optimize player matchups.
#21 Offside
An offside in hockey occurs when a player enters the offensive zone before the puck crosses the blue line. It’s a rule to ensure fair play and to prevent the offensive team from gaining an undue advantage by positioning players too early.
#22 Poke Check
A defensive technique where a player uses the reach of their stick to knock the puck away from an opponent. This move is used to disrupt an opponent’s control of the puck without significant physical contact.
#23 Puck Handler
A player who is currently in control of the puck, managing its movement across the ice. Effective puck handlers are skilled at maneuvering through defenders and setting up plays or shots.
#24 Shorthanded
A situation where a team has fewer players on the ice than their opponents, usually due to one or more players serving time for penalties. A critical test of defensive skill and teamwork until full strength is restored.
#25 Snap Shot
A quick and deceptive release shot where the player uses a snapping motion to combine the speed of a slapshot with the accuracy of a wrist shot. Effective in surprising goalies and scoring from mid-range.
#26 Sudden Death
An overtime format where the first team to score a goal wins the game immediately. Also known as “golden goal,” it heightens the intensity as every shot could potentially end the match.
#27 Top Shelf
Refers to scoring a goal in the upper part of the net, just below the crossbar, often deemed hard for goalies to defend. A skilled shooter’s delight to lift the puck “where mama hides the cookies.”
#28 Wrist Shot
A type of shot that is executed using a strong, sweeping motion with the wrists, emphasizing precision and control. It’s a common and effective shooting technique to outmaneuver the goaltender.
#29 Checking from Behind
A dangerous and illegal play where a player hits an opponent from behind, into the boards. This action carries a high risk of injury and is often met with significant penalties.
#30 Crease
The marked area in front of each goal, primarily to protect the goaltender. Offensive players are not allowed to enter the crease with the puck unless it has already entered that area, helping to prevent undue interference with the goalie.
FAQ
What is the term for scoring a goal in ice hockey?
The play itself is simply called a goal, and the player who scores is credited with it while up to two teammates get assists. In everyday hockey talk the same thing gets called a snipe, lighting the lamp, or putting the biscuit in the basket, and a shot in off the underside of the crossbar is bar down. Three goals by one player in a game is a hat trick.
What does the term hit mean in ice hockey?
A hit is a body check: a player uses their shoulder or hip to knock the puck carrier off the puck. It is legal only against the player who has the puck, and hits are counted as a statistic in most leagues. Hitting an opponent into the boards or from behind is penalized as boarding or checking from behind.
What does the term strike mean in ice hockey?
Strike is not an official hockey term. What people usually mean is either a shot on goal or a body check, depending on the situation. The rulebook words are shot, hit, slash and check, and a stick swung at an opponent is a slashing penalty rather than a strike.
What is it called when a hockey game starts?
The puck drop, or the opening face-off. A referee drops the puck between two opposing players at the center ice dot, and the same procedure restarts play after every whistle.
What is it called when a hockey player scores three goals in one game?
A hat trick. Fans traditionally throw their hats onto the ice to mark it, which stops play until the ice crew clears them.
What are some words associated with hockey?
They fall into groups: scoring and skills (snipe, deke, dangle, one-timer, hat trick), penalties (boarding, cross-check, icing, offside), positions and people (winger, goalie, enforcer, referee) and the rink itself (crease, blue line, penalty box, Zamboni). The ice hockey glossary above lists all of them alphabetically.
What are some Ice Hockey terms for beginners?
“Assist,” “Face-off,” and “Icing” are some Ice Hockey terms beginners should start with. These terms describe player contribution, game initiation, and an infraction for shooting the puck across two red lines.
What are some funny Ice Hockey terms?
“Zamboni” and “Top shelf” are some funny Ice Hockey terms, with the former denoting the iconic ice resurfacing machine and the latter a playful term for scoring in the upper part of the net.
What is a famous Ice Hockey phrase?
“A hat trick,” is a famous Ice Hockey phrase referring to a single player scoring three goals in a game, which is a notable achievement and often prompts fans to throw hats onto the rink.
