Our Hockey 101 Page is here to help everyone have a better understanding of the game

Hockey Terms to know

Assist - A statistical point, credited to the player or players on the same team who passed the puck to a scoring player.

Blue Lines - The two lines that extend the width of the ice, dividing the playing area between goals into three equal sixty-foot zones. Inside the blue lines is where "offside" violations occur.

The Boards - Wood and fiberglass boards that surround the skating rink to keep the puck in play. The boards are an integral part of the playing surface as players frequently use them to body check opponents into, to pass the puck along, and to trap the puck against.

Board Check - A body check that knocks an opponent into the boards.

Break Away -When an attacking player with the puck beats all defenders leaving only the goalie to shoot against.

Carrying the Puck - Moving the puck along the ice with the hockey stick.

Checking - Players may use their bodies to push or shove opponents in an effort to break up attacking moves. Checking is a normal part of the game and is only considered a foul if the referee believes it is done in an overly aggressive manner.

Clearing -A defensive strategy in which a player fires the puck out of the defensive zone, sending it into the "neutral zone."

Crease - The semicircle area in front of each net. No player other than the goalie may occupy the crease at any time.

Cross-check - An illegal check by a player having both hands on the stick but no part of the stick on the ice when knocking into an opponent.

Dumping the Puck - An offensive player sends the puck deep into the opposing zone rather than try carrying it across the blue line through the defense.

Face-off - Done at the start or restart of play. The referee drops the puck into the center of a face-off spot as two opposing players, lined up on opposite sides, use their sticks to fight to gain possession.

Hat Trick - When an individual player scores three goals in one game.

High Sticking - Raising the stick blade above a certain height is illegal. High sticking subjects a player to a two-minute penalty and a referee may disallow a goal that was scored by a shot made with a high stick.

Holding - Players may not use their hands or the stick to hold an opponent.

Hooking - Illegally using the stick to hook an opponent, in the attempt to impede that skater's progress.

Icing - Called if a player shoots the puck from his zone across both the red (center) line and the opposing goal line, and an opposing defensive player other than the goalie, is the next player to touch the puck. When icing occurs, the referee stops play and returns the puck to the opposite zone for a face-off.

Lines - The dividing lines of the rink. There are two blue lines, two goal lines, and one center (red) line. This term also refers to the grouping of players as they skate together on the ice.

Neutral Zone - The area on the ice between the two blue lines.

Offside - Occurs when an attacking player crosses the blue line into the opposing team's defensive zone ahead of the puck. On this call, the referee stops play and conducts a face-off in the neutral zone.

Pass - The manner in which the puck is moved along the ice between teammates.

Penalty Box - The designated box, off the ice, in which penalized players must sit out their penalty time.

Penalty Killing - When a team skates short-handed on a power play, it tries to kill time by holding or clearing the puck.

Poke Check - Stealing the puck from an advancing player using the hockey stick.

Power Play - The period of time during which one team skates with a man advantage over the opposing team because that team has lost a player to a penalty.

Power Play Goal - Scored by the team which has more players on the ice during a power play. This terminates the penalty for the opposing team.

Save - When the goalie prevents a shot from going into the net.

Short-handed - The team that skates with fewer players on the ice when the opposing team is on a power play.

Short-handed Goal - A goal scored by the team that skates at a player disadvantage in a power play situation. A goal here will not end a penalty.

Stealing - When an opposing player intercepts the puck on a pass between teammates or poke checks the puck away.

Zamboni - The machine that resurfaces the ice between periods.

HOW LONG IS A GAME

A game is divided into three equal periods, separated by fifteen-minute  breaks. Depending on league rules, each  period ranges from twelve to twenty  minutes and begins with a "face-off" at the center circle. Teams switch playing sides after each period and are allowed one time-out per game. If a game ends in a tie, teams may play one five minute overtime of sudden death; the team to score first wins.

WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU NEED

Skates, hockey stick, puck, hockey gloves, shoulder, shin, and elbow pads, helmet with face mask and chin strap, mouthpiece, team jersey, hockey pants, garter belt, and athletic supporter with cup.

WHO WINS

Ice hockey teams move a puck along the ice using stick handling, passing, and shooting in an effort to score goals. A goal counts as one point and is scored when the puck completely crosses the opposing goal line between the posts and under the crossbar. The team scoring the greater number of goals in the allotted time wins the game.

WHAT ARE THE POSITIONS

Center - Plays on the front line of the offense between the two wings. On an offensive attack, the center attempts to gain a position in front of the opposing team's net for scoring opportunities.

Forwards  - Together with the center, they lead the offensive attack against the opposition. They usually play along the "boards" to contain the puck, pass to teammates or shoot on goal.

Defensemen - Play in front of the net in their team's defensive zone. They use stick and body "checks" to prevent opposing players from shooting the puck at their goal. They work to keep the puck out of their own territory by pushing it up toward their opponents' zone.

Goalie - Plays directly in front of the net to stop opponents' shots from going in the goal. The goalie is the only player on the ice allowed to catch and hold the puck.

Types of Shots

Shot on Goal - Describes a player's  shot that either scores a goal or is stopped by the goalie.

Slap Shot - The fastest and most forceful shot in the game. A player raises his stick, and then putting full body power behind it, slaps the puck hard toward the goal.

Backhand Shot - A player crosses the front of the body with the stick, and uses the back blade of the stick to shoot the puck toward the goal.

Wrist Shot - A type of shot in which a player uses his wrists in a quick snapping motion to shoot the puck.

Penalty Shot - A free shot by a player performed one-on-one against the goalie. It is taken either by the player who was fouled or a designated player. Penalty shots are awarded only under major and blatant rule infractions.

What happens when a penalty is called

If a player breaks the rules, the referee may blow a whistle, stop the game, call a penalty, and remove the offending player from the ice. The player then sits in the "penalty box." When a defensive penalty occurs, the referee allows play to continue until the non-offending team loses control of the puck. A penalty results in a "power play" situation for the opposing team. Infractions include: holding, hooking, cross-checking, roughing, elbowing, profanity, tripping, or unnecessary contact with the goalie, slashing, or hitting a player from behind. The severity and degree of intent of a foul are determined by the referee. There are no substitutions for penalty players during penalty time and the offending team must skate 1 short-handed." The goalie is the only player exempt from going to the penalty box. However, another player on the ice is designated to serve a goalie's penalty.

Types of Penalties

Minor Penalty - Called on the less severe infractions such as cross-checking, charging, and elbowing. When called, the offending player is sent off the ice and into the penalty box for two minutes. No substitution for that player is permitted and his team skates short-handed.

Bench Minor -Called against coaches or players on the bench who use profanity or interfere with the game. The result is the same as a minor penalty. In this case, the coach designates a player to leave the ice and serve the two-minute infraction.

Double Minor - Occurs when a player is called for two simultaneous minor offenses. This costs him four minutes in the penalty box and no substitution is allowed for the duration of the penalty.

Misconduct Penalty - Called on players for unacceptable conduct. In this situation, the penalty time is longer than for a minor penalty. A player is removed from the ice for ten minutes. However, substitutions are allowed immediately. Misconduct penalties are often called in combination with another penalty, and the player must serve the accumulated time.

Game Misconduct - When a severe foul is committed, the offending player leaves the ice for the rest of the game and goes to the locker room. A substitute skater may replace the penalized player.

Gross Misconduct - Similar to a game misconduct penalty except that the offending player may not skate in another game until a league official reviews the player's conduct. A substitute player may fill the leaving skater's position.

Referee Hockey Signals - More Referee Signals