Hockey Glossary

Assist: Point awarded to a player for helping set up a goal, usually given to the last two men to handle the puck prior to the goal.
Backhand: An effective shot which employs a sweeping motion. The puck is brought behind the midline of the body and shot from the opposite side of the normal delivery. It is used when there is no time to shift the puck to the natural shooting side.
Blue Lines: The pair of one-foot-wide blue lines which extend across the rink at a distance of 60 feet from each goal. These lines break the ice up into attacking, neutral, and defending zones.
Bodycheck: Slowing or stopping an opponent with the puck by using the hip or shoulder (legal).
Breakout: When the attacking team comes out of its defending zone with the puck and starts up the ice.
Center Red Line: The line that divides the ice in half and is the center of the rink.
Crease: The area in front of the goal is marked off by a thin red line in the shape of a semi-circle. Players who do not have possession of the puck may not enter the crease.
Drop Pass: Puck carrier leaves the puck behind to be picked up by a trailing teammate.
Faceoff: To start play at any time, the puck is dropped between two opposing players facing each other.
Forecheck: To keep opponents in their end of the rink while trying to gain control of the puck.
Hat Trick: When one player scores three or more goals in one game.
Major Penalty: A five-minute penalty.
Minor Penalty: A two-minute penalty.
Neutral Zone: Center Ice area between defending and attacking zones.
Penalty Box: Off-ice area near the center red line where penalized players serve their time.
Power Play: When a team has more players on the ice because of penalties to the other club.
Puck: The vulcanized rubber disc, three inches in diameter, one inch thick and weighing between five and six ounces. It is frozen for several hours before the game to eliminate bounces.
Slapshot: Bringing the stick back, then quickly forward, hitting the ice and the puck at the same time.
Stick Handling: Carrying the puck along the ice with the stick.
Wrist Shot: Propelling the puck off the blade of the stick with a flicking wrist motion.