Back Check
To hinder an opponent heading toward and into the defending zone.

Backhand Shot
Shooting the puck with the curved side of the blade. It is a difficult shot to make and can be tricky for a goaltender to stop.

Blue Lines
The pair of one foot wide blue lines, that extend across the ice at a distance of 60 feet from each goal area. These lines break up the ice into attacking, neutral and defending zones.

Breakaway
A situation where there is no opponent puck carrier and the opposition goal except for the goalie.

Butt-Ending
To hit an opponent with the end of a stick. It is an illegal tactic and will be called for a penalty.

Crease
Area directly in front of the goaltender. It is four feet wide and eight feet long and marked by red lines. Offensive players who do not have possession of the puck may not enter the area.

Deke
To fake an opponent out of position.

Face-Off
The dropping of the puck between one player from each team to start or resume play.

Forecheck
To check an opponent on his end of the rink to prevent an offensive rush.

Freezing The Puck
To hold the puck against the boards with either the stick or skate to get stopage of the play.

Goal Line
The red line which runs between the goal posts and extends in both directions to the side boards.

Goal Mouth
The area just in front of the goal and crease lines.

Major Penalty
A player is put in the penalty box for five minutes when he is involved in a fight, or when he deliberately tries to injure an opponent. This can also be called when the action isn't deliberate. The opposing player must serve the five minute no matter if a goal is scored or not. Some major penalties carry automatic match penalties.

Match Penalty
Player is ejected from the game, which is usually for a deliberate attempt to injure or for repeated, flagrant, unsportsmanlike behavior.

Minor
A player sits in the penalty box for two minutes. The team affected thus plays shorthanded for that amount of time, unless the opposing team scores, in which case the penalized player returns to the ice without having to serve the full time.

Misconduct
A 10 minute penalty. Team does not play shorthanded, but loses the penalized player no matter what happens. Most often, a misconduct is called for abusive language for an overly long argument with an official.

Neutral Zone
The center ice area between the defending and attacking zones, bounded by the two blue lines.

Penalty Shot
Very rare. If, in the opinion of the referee, a player who has a clean break on an opposing goaltender is tripped or pulled down from behind, a penalty shot is awarded. The player moves in on the goaltender from center ice. He is allowed one shot and cannot rebound. There is not an additional tripping penalty called.

One-Timer
Hitting the puck directly after receiving a pass. The offensive player takes his backswing while the puck is on it's way and tries to time his swing with the arrival of the puck.

Penalty Box
The area opposite of the team benches where penalized players serve time.

Power Play
A power play occurs when a team has a one-man or two-man advantage because of an opponent's penalty.

Pulling the Goalie
Replacing the goaltender with an extra player. This occurs when a team trails, usually by one goal in the last minute of the game. It is a high-risk attempt to tie the game.

Save
A shot blocked by the goaltender, which would have been a goal, if not stopped.

Slap Shot
Hitting the puck with the blade of the stick after taking a full backswing.

Slot
The area immediately in front of the goal. It is the zone that most goals are scored and where the most furious activity takes place.

Splitting the Defense
The player with the puck attempts to squeeze between the opponent's defensemen.

Stick Handling
To control the puck along the ice.

Top Shelf
Term used to describe when an offensive player shoots high in an attempt to beat the goalie by putting the puck in the top part of the net.

Wrap Around
When a player skates behind the net and makes a goal.

Wrist Shot
Propelling the puck off the blade of the stick with a flicking motion of the wrist.

THE PLAYERS

GOALTENDER
The goalie's primary task is simple. Keep the puck out of his own net. Offensively, he may start his team down the ice with a pass, but seldom does he leave the net he guards.

DEFENSEMAN
These players try to stop the incoming play at their own blue line. They try to breakup passes, block shots, cover opposing boards and clear the puck from in front of their own goal. Offensively, they get the puck to their forwards and follow the play to the attacking zone, positioning themselves just inside their opponents blue line at the "points."

CENTER
The quaterback on the ice, the center lead the attack by carrying the puck on offense. On defense, he tries to disrupt a play before it gets on his team's side of the ice.

WINGS
The wings team up with the center, on the attack, to set up shots on goal. Defensively, they attempt to breakup plays by their counterparts and upset the shot attempts.

THE OFFICIALS

REFEREE
He supervises the game, calls the penalties, determines goals and handles face offs at center ice to start each period.

LINESMAN
Two are used. They call offsides, offside passing, icing and handle all face-offs not occuring in center ice. They do not call penalties, but can recommend to the referee that a penalty be called.

GOAL JUDGES
One sits off ice behind each goal and indicates whether a goal has been scored by turning on a red light just above his station. The referee can ask his advice on disputed goals, but the referee has final authority and can overrule the goal judge.

OFFICIAL SCORER
He determines which player scores and credits assists, if there are any. He may consult the referee, but the scorer is the final authority in crediting points.

A team plays shorthanded when one or more of it's players is charged with a penalty. However, no team is forced to play more than two players below full strength (6), at any time. When a third penalty is assessed to the same team, the penalty is suspended until the first penalty expires. When the penalty is called on the goalie, a teammate serves his time in the penalty box.

Minor Penalty
(Two Minutes)Called for tripping, hooking, spearing, slashing, charging, roughing, holding, elbowing and boarding.

Major Penalty
(Five Minutes) Called for fighting or when minor penalties are committed with the deliberate attempt to injure. Major penalties for slashing, spearing, high sticking, elbowing, butt ending and cross checking carry automatic game misconducts.

Misconduct
(Ten Minutes) Called for various forms of unsportsmanlike behavior or when a player incurs a second major penalty in a game. This is a penalty against an individual and not a team, so a substitute is permitted.

Penalty Shot
A free shot, unopposed, except the goalie, given to a player who is illegally impeded from behind while he has possession of the puck with no opponent between him and the goal, except the goalie. A team which commits the offense is not penalized beyond a penalty shot, whether it succeeds or not.

Delayed Penalty
Whistle is delayed until the penalized team regains possession of the puck.

Q: What is the puck made of?
A: The puck is made of vulcanized rubber. It is three inches in diameter, one inch thick and wieghs six ounces. It is frozen before entering play to make it bounce resistant.

Q: How fast does the puck travel?
A: Some players have been known to unleash shots between 90 and 100 mph, while the game\'s hardest shooters average 110 mph.

Q: Can the puck be kicked into the net for a goal?
A: A puck can deflect off a state or a player's body for a goal, only if no blatant attempt is made to kick or throw it in.

Q: Frequently a goalie ventures far out in front of the net. Doesn't this leave a greater target for their opposition to shoot at?
A: Usually when a goalie comes out in front, it is to reduce the shooting area, cut down the angle of the shooter, or force the attacker to unleash a shot sooner or wider than he wants.

Q: How are the markings (lines, circles, goal crease, etc.) applied to the ice?
A: The ice is built up to one half inch thickness by spraying water over the concrete board, which has the freezing pipes embedded. The markings are then painted on, after which additional water is sprayed to "coat" the marking and build ice to the prescriced thickness.

Q: How thick is the ice?
A: Ice for professional hockey is approximately 3/4 of any inch thick and usually held at 16 degrees. The thicker the ice becomes, the softer and slower it is.