IIHF - Ice Hockey Terminology

Ice Hockey Terminology


Term	Definition
Alternate Captain	A maximum of two skaters per team can be designated by their Head Coach as Alternate Captains. They are identified with an “A” on front top left of their jersey. When the Captain is not on the ice an Alternate Captain who is on the ice can act as Captain.
Assist	Awarded to the offensive player(s) who control the puck immediately preceding control by the goal scorer. A maximum of two assists can be credited for one goal. There is no minimum.
Assistant Coach	A member of the playing team’s staff that is positioned on the player’s bench and aides the Head Coach in managing the players and team tactics.
Attacking Zone	A member of the playing team’s staff that is positioned on the player’s bench and aides the Head Coach in managing the players and team tactics.
Backcheck	Attempt by a player, skating back to their defensive zone, to regain the puck from the opposition by checking or harassing an opponent who has the puck.
Backhand	Shot or pass made from the non-curved side of the stick.
Back Pass	Pass in the direction of a player's own goal while the team is moving forward, usually to maintain puck control.
Blind Pass	To pass the puck without looking at the intended recipient.
Blocker	Goalkeeper equipment worn on the hand holding the stick, used to block shots on that side.
Blue Lines	Two blue, 30cm wide lines running parallel across the ice. They divide the rink into three zones called the attacking, defending and neutral (or centre) zones. The defending blue line is the closer to a player's own net, while the attacking blue line is the one farther from a player's net and is used in determining offside.
Boards or Wall	Fibre glass or composite approximately 1.2m high, which encloses the playing surface; all rinks have shatterproof glass that rises above the boards to provide additional protection.
Body Check	A legal body check is one in which a skater checks an opponent who is in possession of the puck, by using their hip or body from the front, diagonally from the front or straight from the side. Legitimate body checking must be done for the purpose of separating the opponent from the puck, only with the trunk of the body (hips and shoulders) and must be above the opponent’s knees and at or below the shoulders.
Breakaway	Fast break in which an attacker with the puck skates in alone on the opposing goalkeeper, having skated past or clear of all other opponents.
Captain	Player representing the team who is responsible for discussions with the officials. They are identified with a “C” on the front top left of their jersey.
Catching Glove (Catcher)	Special goalkeeper's glove worn on the non-stick hand, which is intended to catch or stop shots.
Centre	The central player on the forward line who usually leads the team's attack when it is trying to score a goal. This player also takes part in most of the face-offs for their team.
Centre Ice Spot and Circle	Circle, measuring 9.1m in diameter, at the centre of the ice, where the puck is dropped in a face-off to start each period of play and to restart the game after a goal has been scored.
Centre Ice	Area between the two blue lines, also called the neutral zone.
Centre Line	Red, 30cm wide line across the ice, midway between the two goals, which is used primarily to determine icing calls.
Check or Checking	Legal contact initiated by a defending player against a puck-carrying opponent to prevent any advance towards the goal. There are two main types of checks: stick checks and body checks. These are allowed only against a player in control of the puck or against the last player to control it immediately after giving it up. Checking after too many steps or strides becomes charging.
Clearing the Puck	Getting the puck out of one's own defensive zone.
Clearing the Zone	When the puck comes outside the blue line, all the attacking players must also skate outside the blue line to avoid being called offside when the puck re-enters the zone.
Combined Ranking	After the completion of all the games of the preliminary round of the men's tournament, teams from the groups A, B and C will be merged into a new group D based on their preliminary round results (ranked 1D - 12D).
Crease	Semi-circular area on ice (painted blue) with a 1.82m radius in front of each goal. Players are allowed to pass through but not establish position in this area designated to protect goalkeepers and allow them a fair opportunity to stop the puck.
Cross Bar	Horizontal bar connecting the tops of the two goal posts, 1.22m above the ice surface.
Dead Puck	Puck that flies out of the rink or that is no longer in play, forcing a stoppage in play.
Deke or Deking	When the puck carrier feigns a move to make an opponent shift in one direction while the puck carrier then quickly moves the opposite way.
Defenders	Two of the six players of one team on the ice whose priority in the defensive end is to stay close to the goalkeeper and help prevent goals.
Defensive Zone	The area inside a team's own blue line.
Deflection	A pass or shot that is redirected intentionally or otherwise.
Delayed Penalty	Penalty that cannot be immediately served due to prior penalties currently being served by the penalised team having reduce their playing strength to three skaters and a goalkeeper. The penalty starts when a penalty expires that would have otherwise resulted in a playing strength of four skaters and a goalkeeper.
Delayed Whistle or Delayed Call	When a referee indicates a penalty but does not blow the whistle because the non-offending team is still in possession of the puck. Only when the offending team gains control of the puck does the referee stop play to assess the penalty.
Delay of the Game	Minor penalty imposed on any player who purposely delays the game in any way, such as shooting or batting the puck outside the playing area or displacing a goalpost.
Directorate	The Directorate is an executive body of the IIHF composed of the tournament chairperson and a representative of each playing team. The Directorate is charged ensuring the integrity of the tournament or competition. Separate Directorates exist for the Men's and Women's tournaments.
Double Minor	Two concurrent minor penalties assessed to the same player.
Drop Pass	When the puck carrier leaves the puck for a crossing or trailing teammate to pick up, either for an immediate shot or to further advance the attack.
Empty-Net Goal	Goal scored against a team that has pulled the goalkeeper.
End Boards	Boards at each end of the rink.
Face Mask	Protective mask worn by the goalkeeper in Men's or Women's play or by players in the Women's competition.
Face-Off	Method of starting play when the official drops the puck between the sticks of two opposing players standing one stick-length apart with stick blades flat on the ice. It is used to begin each period and to resume play after a whistle during periods.
Face-Off Circles and Spots	Various circular spots on the ice where an official and two players hold a face-off to resume play. There is one blue face-off circle and four red face-off spots located in the neutral zone. Two red face-off circles are located at each end of the ice.
Field of Play	Includes the ice surface, players' benches, scorekeeper's bench, penalty benches, all boards and glass.
Five Hole	Space in between the goalkeeper's legs. Derived from target practice sheets used to cover the mouth of the ice hockey goal, which have a hole in each of the four corners of the goal. A fifth hole is where the space between the goalkeeper's legs would be.
Forecheck	To check or harass an opponent who has the puck in the offensive zone, the purpose of which is to gain control and create an opportunity to score a goal.
Forehand	A shot or pass taken from the curved side of the stick.
Forward Line	Consists of two wings (right and left) and a centre. These three players play nearer the opponent's goal and are responsible for most of the scoring. Teams generally employ four forward lines during a game on a rotating basis, at the coach's discretion.
Forwards	The three players who make up the attacking line of a team: The centre, and the right and left wings.
Freeze the Puck	By a player: To hold the puck against the boards with the skate or stick in an effort to stop play. By a goalkeeper: To make a save and hold the puck long enough to stop play.
Full Strength	When a team has a full complement of six players on the ice.
Game	A game is a competition between two teams that comprises three twenty (20) minute stop time periods, with an overtime period and the Shootout procedure if required.
Goal	A shot attempt during play that completely crosses the goal line results in a score for the attacking team.
Goal Cage	A 1.82m wide by 1.22m high tubular steel frame consisting of a cross bar and two goalposts to which a net is attached.
Goal Crease	See "Crease".
Goal Line	A 5cm wide red line between the goalposts that stretches in both directions to the sideboards.
Goalkeeper	The heavily padded player who guards the goal and attempts to prevent opponents from scoring by stopping the puck any way possible. Sometimes referred to as a goaltender or goalie.
Goalposts	The vertical metal bars that frame the area to which the net is attached, which rests on the centre of the goal line, and between which a puck must completely pass to score a goal.
Group	In the preliminary round teams will be seeded into two groups for women and three groups for men. Each group will consist of four teams. Within a group each team plays one game against every other team in the group.
Hat Trick	Three goals scored by a player in one game.
High Stick	Batting the puck while the stick is above the height of the crossbar, resulting in a whistle if the offending team touches the puck or resulting in the nullification of a goal if the batted puck enters the net.
Ice Resurfacer	A large vehicle used to clean and smooth the surface of an ice rink. Also colloquially referred to as a 'Zamboni', although this is a brand name.
Icing	A violation that occurs when the team in possession of the puck shoots it from behind the red centre line across the opponent's goal line (but not into the goal) without a player from either side touching the puck. If a member of the opposing team touches it first, play will be halted and a face-off will occur in the offender's defensive zone. If the attacking team touches the puck first or the officials deem the defending team had reasonable opportunity to play the puck, no icing will be called. A shorthanded team cannot be called for icing.
Intermission	A fifteen (15) minute recess between each of the three periods of an Ice Hockey game.
Jersey	The top part of the uniform of the player worn over the protective equipment which indicates to which team the player belongs.
Lane	A specific section of ice in which no opponent can be found and to which players are encouraged to skate to receive a pass or skate unobstructed.
Line Change	The substitution of any or all players either as play continues or during a stoppage in play, usually involving the three forwards.
Linespersons	The on-ice game officials assisting the referees in their duties on the ice. There is one linesperson toward each end of the rink, responsible for monitoring infractions of the rules concerning offside plays at the blue lines and for any icing violations. They conduct most of the face-offs, sometimes advise the referee concerning penalties, and separate players who are fighting.
National Hockey League (NHL)	Professional league founded in, 1917, which currently includes 32 teams, 25 of which are based in the United States and seven in Canada.
Neutral Zone	Area between the two blue lines.
Off-Ice Officials	The officials who assist the on-ice officials in conducting a game. They comprise the game and referee supervisors, the goal judges, the scorekeeper, the scorekeeper assistants, the timekeeper, the announcer and the penalty box attendants.
On-Ice Officials	The assigned game officials responsible for the conduct of the game in accordance with the official rules and for maintaining discipline and order on the ice during the game. They are the Referee and Linespersons.
Offside	A violation that occurs when both skates of an attacking player cross the plane of the opponent's blue line before the puck is passed or carried into the attacking zone. Also called when a player passes the puck from his or her defending zone to a teammate across the far blue line.
Olympia	A brand name of an ice resurfacer.
One-timer	An immediate shot off a teammate's pass without first stopping or controlling the puck.
Overtime	If a game is tied at the conclusion time a period of overtime will take place. The length of an overtime period is: five (5) minutes for the preliminary round games, ten (10) minutes for play-off games except the Gold medal game, twenty (20) minutes for the Gold medal game. The overtime period will stop after the first goal is scored ("sudden death").
Penalty	An infraction against ice hockey rules that may result in the offending player (or a player from the offending team) being required to serve time in a penalty box off the ice, or the other team being allowed to attempt a penalty shot. The time served in the penalty box can range from two (2) minutes to the balance of the game. Penalties often result in inferior playing strength during the penalty. Penalties are divided into the following categories showing the time to be served: Minor penalty (two (2) minutes) Double minor penalty (four (4) minutes) Bench minor penalty (two (2) minutes) Major penalty (five (5) minutes) Misconduct penalty (ten (10) minutes) Game misconduct penalty (balance of the game, with substitution allowed immediately) A more detailed description of the different penalties can be found in the output "Game, Equipment, Penalty Description" (N02C).
Penalty Box	Boxes located near centre ice on the side opposite to the players' benches (one for each team) where penalised players must remain until their penalty time has expired or until a power-play goal is scored (excepting game misconduct penalties, for which a player is barred from the playing area immediately).
Penalty Killing	The team that is short of one or two players due to penalties is engaged in penalty killing. Strategies to wait out the penalty time safely include shooting the puck down the length of the ice or making a "box" formation (four players), or "triangle" formation (three players) inside its own blue line to try to defend against a superior number of opposing players.
Penalty Shot	An undefended shot awarded to a team if: (a) a player is fouled while on a clear break in on goal; (b) a defending player other than the goalkeeper covers the puck with a glove in the crease; (c) a defending player intentionally knocks the goal off its moorings with less than two (2) minutes left in a game.
Period	A sixty (60) minute game consists of three periods of twenty (20) minutes (regulation time) plus overtime period(s) if required.
PIM	Abbreviation used to indicate a player's total penalties in minutes.
Players	Skaters and goalkeepers
Plus/ Minus	Individual player statistic accounting for goals scored for and against a player's team while the player is on the ice and the teams are at equal playing strength. When a goal is scored for a player's team while a player is on the ice each player is credited with a plus, is counted as +1. If a goal is scored against a player's team while the player is on the ice each player is credited with a minus, and it is counted as -1. The total for the player is known as plus/minus. Team goals accrued during the power play does not count toward this statistic, and plus/minus is not calculated for goalkeepers.
Puck	Black, vulcanised rubber disc, 2.5cm thick and 7.6cm in diameter, weighing between 155g and 170g used to play Ice Hockey. Pucks are frozen to prevent excessive bouncing and improve handling, and are changed throughout the game.
Pulling the Goalkeeper	Tactic that may be employed by the trailing team that involves removing the goalkeeper from the ice in favour of an extra skater. This tactic leaves the goal unguarded so is only used as a attempt to score in the closing minutes of a game. Also used during a "Delayed Whistle" or "Delayed Call Penalty" by the non-offending team to increase the odds of scoring, safe in the knowledge that a referee will blow the whistle as soon as the offending team touches the puck.
Rebound	Shot that bounces off the goalkeeper's body or equipment, free to be claimed by the offensive team again.
Referee	The on-ice game official responsible for the conduct of the competition in accordance with the official IIHF rules and for maintaining discipline and order on the playing field during the game.
Regulation Time	Three periods of twenty (20) minutes. Regulation time does not include overtime or Shootout phases.
Roster	List of players on a team for a particular game or tournament.
Round	This is the progression system in competition. Ice Hockey consists of the following rounds: Preliminary round and Play-off round.
Save	The act of a goalkeeper blocking or stopping a shot that would otherwise have been a goal.
Screen Shot	Shot on goal that the goalkeeper cannot see because an attacking or defending player obscured their vision by standing directly in the line of sight between the goalkeeper and the shooter.
Shift	Time a player is on the ice between breaks on the bench. Most shifts last fifty (50) seconds or less.
Shootout	If a game remains tied at the conclusion of the overtime period, it will be decided by a Shootout.
Shorthanded	When a team is short of one or more players due to penalties and the opposing team has superior player advantage. (five-on-four, five-on-three, or four-on-three are the most common such situations). This situation is a power play for the other team.
Shot on Goal (SOG)	A shot that either goes into the net, or would have gone into the net had the goalkeeper not made a save. Hitting the post or crossbar does not count as a shot on goal.
Skaters	Forward(s) and/or defender(s)
Slap Shot	Shot in which the player raises the stick in a backswing to approximately waist height prior to striking the puck in a single motion, usually as an attempted Shot on Goal. A slap shot can reach speeds of up to 175 km/h but is less accurate than a wrist shot.
Speed	Player or team attacking quickness that limits the reaction time of the defence and may force defensive errors.
Stick	Held by skaters and used to pass or carry the puck. The stick has a straight shaft held by the players and a curved blade for carrying, passing, or shooting the puck. The blade is made up of a heel (area closest to the shaft) and a toe (area furthest from the shaft). A goalkeeper’s stick has a wider blade and shaft and is used primarily for defending the goal.
Substitution	A player on the bench entering the field of play to replace a player who is leaving the field of play. Substitutions can be made at any time and play does not need to stop.
Sudden Death	The time during overtime or during a Shootout after 10 shots have been taken when a decisive goal will immediately end the game.
Third Player-In Rule	Rule stating that at the discretion of the referee, the first player to intervene in an altercation (third player in) is assessed a game misconduct penalty. This penalty is typically only applied during fights.
Transition	When a team to quickly changes tactics from offence to defence and vice versa, usually preceding by a change in puck possession.
Waved off	A signal by a game official to indicate an attempted goal did not completely cross the goal line, or that a potential offside was in fact onside.
Wings	Two players who flank the centre on the right and left sides. The threesome makes up a forward line.
Wraparound Goal	When an offensive player carries the puck around the back of the net from one side and attempts to score by quickly pushing the puck into the net between the goalkeeper and the far post of the net.
Wrist Shot	Shot using a strong flicking of the wrist and forearm muscles, with the stick blade kept on the ice. The puck travels slower than a slapshot but is more accurately shot.
Zones	Three areas defined by the two blue lines. The attacking zone is the area inside the blue line farthest from the goal a player is defending. The neutral zone is the central area between the blue lines. The defending zone is the area inside the blue line where a player's goal is and where the team's goalkeeper is positioned.