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Hockey has a language all unto itself. Like most sports, die-hard fans will
speak this lingo in coffee shops or around the water cooler. It’s not a hard
language to master; we’re not talking Latin 300 here. The next time you here a
Bighorn hockey fan say “The guy down the pipe let a Howie go top shelf. He
water bottled the Swiss cheese like 99!” You would know that the player playing
center shot the puck over the goatender's glove and scored, similar to a goal
Wayne Gretzky scored. Simple, eh? Here are a few of the basics to get you
started:
5 Hole: The space between a goalie's pads.
Back-Checking: Forwards in the opponent’s zone skate back to their own
zone to protect their goal and prevent the opponents from shooting.
Blue Lines: The pair of 1-foot-wide lines that extend across the width
of the ice 60 feet from each goal. They separate the ice into attacking,
neutral and defending zones.
Breakaway: An offensive rush in which an attacking player breaks open
and has a clear shot on the goaltender.
Butt-Ending: To hit an opponent using the end of the stick farthest from
the blade. (This is illegal)
Charging: Taking three or more strides before checking an opponent.
(Illegal)
Crease: The box directly in front of the goaltender. It is 4 feet by 8
feet and marked off with red lines. Players who do not have the puck may not
enter.
Cross-Checking: Hitting an opponent with both hands on the stick and no
part of the stick on the ice. (Illegal)
Deke: A quick move intended to fake out an opponent.
Drop Pass: Puck carrier leaves the puck behind to be picked up by a
trailing teammate.
Face-Off: The dropping of the puck by the referee between one player
from each team to start play.
Fore-Checking: Hustling in the opponent's defensive zone by forwards to
force a turnover.
Head-Manning: Passing the puck forward to an attacking teammate.
Freezing the Puck: Pinning the puck against the boards.
Goal Line: The red line that runs between the goal post and extends in
both directions to the side boards.
Hat Trick: Three goals in a game by a single player.
High Stick: Raising the stick above the shoulder. If it is used near an
opponent, it is a penalty. Goals scored with a high stick are disallowed.
Interference: Body contact with an opponent who does not have the puck
and was not the last man to have had the puck. (Illegal)
One-Timer: Player accepts a pass and attempts a slap shot in the same
motion.
Penalty Box: The area where penalized players serve their penalty time.
Penalty Shot: One-on-one showdown between shooter and goaltender. Called
when a player on a breakaway is pulled down from behind.
Point: Position just inside the blue line usually manned by a defenseman
when his team is in control in their own offensive zone.
Poke Check: To dislodge the puck from an opponent by stabbing the blade
of the stick at the puck.
Power Play: When a team has a one-man or two-man advantage because the
other team is serving a penalty.
Red Line: The line that divides the ice in half.
Save: An accurate shot blocked by the goalie.
Screen Shot: A shot the goaltender has difficulty seeing due to
player(s) in front of him.
Slot: The area directly in front of the goal crease.
Sweep-Check: Using the entire length of the stick in a sweeping motion
to dislodge the puck from an opponent.
Top-Shelf: Aiming a shot above either shoulder of a goaltender.
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