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 stoppage 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.

Hat Trick
The scoring of three or more goals by a player in one game.

Icing
When a player shoots the puck across the center red line and the opposing goal line at one end of the ice, icing is called.  Icing only occurs during even-strength play and not when a team is killing off a penalty. 

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

Offsides
When any member of the attacking team precedes the puck over the defending team's blue line.  When this occurs, the players must retreat outside of the blue line and re-enter the offensive zone before touching the puck, or offsides is called, stopping play. 

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.

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.

Boarding
Pounding the fist of one hand into the other. Called for driving an opponent into the boards.

Charging
Rotating clenched fists around one once another in front of chest.

Cross Checking
A forward and backward motion extending from the chest. Called for hitting an opponent with both hands on the stick, and no part of the stick on the ice.

Elbowing
Tapping the elbow with the opposite hand. Called when using elbow to impede the opponent.

High Sticking
Holding both fist clenched, with one above the other, at the side of the head. Called for carrying the stick above the waist against an opponent.

Holding
Clasping the wrist of the whistle hand well in front of chest.

Hooking
A tugging motion with both arms, as if pulling something toward the stomach.