AUTOGRAPHED JERSEYS - AUTOGRAPHED PHOTOS - AUTOGRAPHED PUCKS - AUTOGRAPHED STICKS - DISPLAY CASES
Definition:
Ice hockey, often referred to simply as hockey in Canada and the United States, is a team sport played on ice.
It is a speedy and physical sport. Ice hockey is most popular in areas that are sufficiently cold for natural, reliable seasonal ice cover, though with the advent of indoor artificial ice rinks it has become a year-round pastime at the amateur level in major metropolitan areas such as cities that host a National Hockey League (NHL) or other professional-league team.
It is one of the four major North American professional sports, and is represented by the National Hockey League (NHL) at the highest level, and the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL), the highest level of women's ice hockey in the world.
It is the official national winter sport of Canada, where the game enjoys immense popularity, and is also the most popular spectator sport in Finland.
Only six of the thirty NHL franchises are based in Canada, but Canadian players outnumber Americans in the league by a ratio of almost four to one.
About thirty percent of the league's players are non-North American.
While there are 64 total members of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden and the United States have finished in most of the coveted 1st, 2nd and 3rd places at IIHF World Championships.
Of the 63 medals awarded in men's competition at the Olympic level from 1920 on, only six did not go to the one of those countries, or a former entity thereof, such as Czechoslovakia or the Soviet Union.
Only one of those six medals was above bronze. Those seven nations have also captured 162 of 177 medals awarded at 59 non-Olympic IIHF World Championships, and all medals since 1954.
Likewise, all nine Olympic and 27 IIHF World Women Championships medals have gone to one of those seven countries.
Also deserving of mention is Switzerland, which has won two men's bronze medals at the Olympics and finished third at least seven times at the World Championships.
Switzerland also maintains one of the oldest and top-rated ice hockey leagues (the Swiss Nationalliga) outside of the NHL.
Interesting Hockey Facts:
1.The first player to wear protective headgear was George Owen of the Boston Bruins in 1928.
2.The last helmetless player, the St. Louis Blues’ Craig MacTavish, retired in 1997.
3.The speed of a puck hit by the best shooters travel at slightly more than 100 miles per hour.
4.On a relatively long-distance shot, 60 feet away from the goal, the goaltender will have 0.45 seconds to react.
5.In 1945, Californian Frank Zamboni designed a machine to quickly resurface ice. Today, the Zamboni machine is a fixture at rinks around the world. It scrapes off ice chips created by skaters’ blades, then lays down a coat of hot water that creates a new surface in about 10 minutes.
6.A hockey puck is 1 inch thick, 3 inches in diameter and weighs about 6 ounces.
7.The January 1968 death of the Minnesota North Stars’ Bill Masterson provided the act for widespread use of helmets. In 1970, plastic foam helmets became mandatory for players in college and junior leagues. In June 1979 a rule was passed requiring all new NHL players to wear helmets. Veterans accustomed to playing without a helmet could choose to continue to do so.
8.In May 2002 Slovakia's national ice hockey team won its first-ever gold medal at the world championship by beating Russia four to three in the final game.
9.The ice for pro hockey games is usually 3/4th of an inch thick, and kept at a temperature of 16 degrees Fahrenheit. (Thicker, warmer ice is typically a bit slower, and are used normally for ice skating).
10.Some hirtorians say that the first hockey game ws played in Montreal, Canada, in 1879 between two teams composed exclusively of McGill University students.
11.The first governing body of hockey was the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada, organized in 1887.
12.The first professional hockey league was the International Hockey League, which operated in northern Michigan in 1904-1906.
13.The National Hockey League was founded in 1917 and consists of 30 teams.
14.In the history of the National Hockey League, seven goalies have been credited with a total of 9 goals. Philadelphia's Ron Hextall (1987, 1989) and New Jersey's Martin Brodeur (1997, 2000) each scored twice. The first was New York Islander Billy Smith in 1979. The most recent was San Jose's Evgeni Nabokov in 2002.
Hockey History:
Early to mid-1800s:
Ice hockey as we know it is first played in either Windsor, Nova Scotia, Kingston, Ontario or Montreal, Quebec, depending on who you believe and how you read the evidence.
1877:
The first known rules are published by the Montreal Gazette.
1888:
The Amateur Hockey Association of Canada is formed, with four teams in Montreal, one in Ottawa and one in Quebec City.
1889 or 1892:
The first women's hockey game is played in Ottawa or Barrie, Ontario.
1893:
Frederick Arthur, Lord Stanley of Preston and Governor-General of Canada, donates a trophy to be called the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup. It will be known more commonly as the Stanley Cup. The first winning team is from the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association, champions of the AHAC.
1894:
The first artificial ice rink is opened in Baltimore.
1895:
College athletes from the United States and Canada play the first international series of matches, with the Canadians winning all four games.
College and club teams in the Eastern U.S. soon take up the game.
1896:
The Winnipeg Victorias become the first team from Western Canada to win the Stanley Cup.
Late 1800s and early 1900s:
North American ice hockey appears in European countries, taking its place alongside similar games such as bandy.
1900:
The goal net is introduced.
1904:
Five teams in the United States and Ontario form the International Hockey League, the first league of professional teams. It last three seasons.
1910:
The Montreal Canadiens play their first game after joining a new league called the National Hockey Association.
1911:
Teams in Western Canada form the Pacific Coast Hockey Association. The league introduces several innovations: Blue lines are added to divide the ice into three zones, goaltenders are permitted to fall to the ice to make saves and forward passing is allowed in the neutral zone.
The 60 minute game is divided into three 20 minute periods.
1912:
The number of players allowed on the ice is reduced from seven to six per team.
1917:
Four NHA teams reorganize to form the National Hockey League. A new Toronto franchise, the Arenas, is added. The Arenas will become the Maple Leafs in 1927.
The Seattle Metropolitans of the PCHA become the first American-based team to win the Stanley Cup, after the Cup's trustees rule that teams outside Canada can compete for the trophy.
1920:
An ice hockey tournament is played at the Summer Olympics. It will later be declared the first World Ice Hockey Championship. Canada wins.
1923:
Foster Hewitt calls the first hockey broadcast for radio, an intermediate game between teams from Kitchener and Toronto.
1924:
The Boston Bruins defeat the Montreal Maroons 2-1 in the first NHL game played in the United States.
The NHL increases the regular season schedule from 24 to 30 games. Players on the first place Hamilton Tigers refuse to compete in the 1925 playoffs unless they are paid for the extra games played. The players are suspended and the team is subsequently sold to become the New York Americans.
Ice hockey debuts at the Winter Olympics, with Canada winning the gold medal.
1926:
The New York Rangers, Chicago Black Hawks and Detroit Cougars (later renamed the Red Wings) join the NHL.
The Western Hockey League disbands and sells most of its players to the new NHL teams, leaving the NHL as the undisputed top hockey league in North America.
1929:
The first offside rule is introduced.
1934:
Ralph Bowman of the St. Louis Eagles scores the first penalty shot goal.
1936:
The New York Americans defeat Toronto 3-2 in the first game to be broadcast coast-to-coast in Canada.
Great Britain wins the Olympic gold medal, marking Canada's first significant loss in international ice hockey.
1937:
The first rule to deal with icing is introduced.
1942:
The Brooklyn Americans withdraw from the NHL. For the next 25 years the league will be comprised of the Canadiens, Maple Leafs, Red Wings, Bruins, Rangers and Black Hawks, now known as "the Original Six."
1945:
The NHL season begins in October for the first time.
1946:
Babe Pratt becomes the first NHL player suspended for betting on games.
Referees begin using hand signals to indicate penalties and other rulings.
1947:
Billy Reay of the Montreal Canadiens becomes the first NHL player to raise his arms and stick in celebration after scoring a goal.
1949:
The center red line first appears on the ice.
1952:
Hockey Night in Canada makes its television debut.
1955:
Maurice "Rocket" Richard is suspended for the remainder of the season and the playoffs after punching a linesman during a fight.The suspension sparks the "Richard Riot" in Montreal.
NHL officials wear striped sweaters for the first time.
The Zamboni makes its NHL debut when Montreal hosts Toronto.
1956:
Jean Beliveau is the first hockey player to appear on the cover of "Sports Illustrated."
The USSR enters Olympic ice hockey for the first time, winning the gold medal.
1957:
The first NHL Player's Association is formed with Detroit's Ted Lindsay as president. The owners soon crush the organization and the Red Wings trade Lindsay to the last place Chicago Black Hawks.
CBS is the first U.S. television network to carry NHL games.
1958:
Willie O'Ree of the Boston Bruins is the first black player in the NHL.
1961:
The Hockey Hall of Fame opens in Toronto.
1963:
The first NHL amateur draft is held in Montreal, with 21 players selected.
1965:
Ulf Sterner plays four games with the New York Rangers, becoming the first Swedish-born player in the NHL.
1967:
The NHL doubles in size, adding franchises in Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Oakland, St. Louis and Philadelphia.
1970:
The Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks join the NHL.
1972:
The World Hockey Association begins play, outbidding NHL teams for several star players. Bobby Hull becomes hockey's first million-dollar man when he leaves the Chicago Black Hawks and signs a 10-year, $2.75 million contract with the WHA's Winnipeg Jets.
The Atlanta Flames and New York Islanders join the NHL.
The Summit Series pits the best Canadian professionals against the best from the Soviet Union for the first time. Canadian players who have jumped from the NHL to the WHA are not invited to play. Canada wins the last three games to finish with four wins, three losses and a tie, clinching the series on a dramatic goal by Paul Henderson in the final game.
1974:
The Kansas City Scouts and Washington Capitals join the NHL.
The USSR wins the first World Junior Hockey Championship.
A second Canada-Soviet exhibition series takes place, featuring Canadians from the WHA against the Soviet nationals.
1975:
Soviet club teams play in North America for the first time when Central Red Army and Soviet Wings play a series of exhibition games against NHL teams.
1976:
Two franchises move: The California Seals become the Cleveland Barons and the Kansas City Scouts become the Colorado Rockies.
Canada defeats Czechoslovakia in the final to win the first Canada Cup tournament.
1978:
The Cleveland Barons merge with the Minnesota North Stars.
1979:
The World Hockey Association folds, with the Edmonton Oilers, Quebec Nordiques, Hartford Whalers and Winnipeg Jets joining the NHL.
1980:
The United States defeats the USSR in the semifinal and Finland in the final to win the Olympic gold medal. The "Miracle on Ice" will be enshrined as one of the greatest moments in American sports history.
The Atlanta Flames move to Calgary.
1982:
The Colorado Rockies move to New Jersey and become the Devils.
1983:
The NHL introduces a five-minute sudden death overtime period at the end of ties games in the regular season.
1989:
Sergei Priakin plays for the Calgary Flames, becoming the first Soviet player permitted to join an NHL club.
1990:
Canada wins the first Women's World Hockey Championship.
1991:
The San Jose Sharks join the NHL.
The NHL introduces video review.
1992:
The Ottawa Senators and Tampa Bay Lightning join the NHL.
1993:
The Florida Panthers and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim begin play.
The Minnesota North Stars move to Dallas and become the Stars.
1994:
One of the NHL's most famous futility streaks comes to an end as the New York Rangers win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1940.
Rangers' defenseman Brian Leetch is the first American-born player to win the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP.
In the league's first major labour dispute, NHL players are locked out for 103 days at the beginning of the 1994-95 season. The regular season, which begins January 20, 1995, is the shortest in 53 years.
1995:
Jaromir Jagr becomes the first European to lead the NHL in scoring.
The Quebec Nordiques move to Denver and become the Colorado Avalanche.
1996:
The Winnipeg Jets move to Phoenix, where they are re-named the Coyotes.
1997:
The Hartford Whalers become the Carolina Hurricanes.
Craig Mactavish, the last remaining helmetless player in the NHL, retires.
1998:
The Nashville Predators join the NHL.
The NHL begins using two referees in each game.
NHL players compete at the Olympics for the first time, with the Czech Republic winning the gold medal.
The United States defeats Canada to win the first Olympic gold medal in women's hockey.
1999:
The Atlanta Thrashers join the NHL.
2000:
The Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild bring the total number of NHL teams to 30.
2002:
NHL players return to the Winter Olympics, with Canada winning the gold medal. The victory comes 50 years to the day after the last Canadian gold medal in men's hockey.
Canada defeats the United States to win the second Olympic gold medal in women's hockey.
The Detroit Red Wings win the Stanley Cup, with Swedish-born defenseman Niklas Lidstrom claiming the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Lidstrom is the first European to win the award.
2004:
The United States wins its first ever World Junior Hockey Championship.
The Stanley Cup arrives in Florida, as the Tampa Bay Lightning win the NHL championship in their 12th season.
Canada wins the second World Cup of Hockey, defeating Finland 3-2 in the championship game and finishing the tournament undefeated. Vincent Lecavalier is named tournament MVP.
On September 15, the owners lock out the players, putting the 2004-05 NHL season on hold pending a new collective bargaining agreement.
2005:
On February 16, the 2004-05 NHL season is officially cancelled because of the failure to reach a new collective agreement.
On July 13, the 301st day of the lockout, the NHL and NHL Players' Association announce a tentative agreement, allowing the league to resume play in October.
The NHL introduces a series of rules changes for the 2005-06 season, including shootouts to end tie games.
2007:
The Anaheim Ducks become the first California-based team to win the Stanley Cup.
Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins finishes the season with 120 points, making him the youngest scoring champion in NHL history at 19 years, 244 days.
Hockey Glossary:
Adams Division:
with the Patrick Division made up the Wales Conference until the 1992-93 season; renamed the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference starting with the 1993-94 season.
All-Star Game:
a mid-season exhibition game pitting selected stars of North American origin against selected stars from the rest of the world; from 1969 to 1997, the game was played between representatives from the NHL's two conferences.
assist:
the pass or passes which immediately precede a successful scoring attempt; a maximum of two assists are credited for one goal.
attacking zone:
the area between the opponents’ blue line and their goal.
backcheck:
an attempt by a player, on his way back to his defensive zone, to regain the puck from the opposition by checking or harassing an opponent who has the puck.
backhand shot:
a shot or pass made with the stick from the left side by a right-handed player or from the right side by a left-handed player.
beat the defense:
to get by one or both of the defensemen.
beat the goalie:
to outwit the goalie and score a goal.
behind the net:
the area of ice behind the goal cage is legal territory.
blind pass:
to pass the puck without looking.
blue lines:
two blue, 12-inch wide lines running parallel across the ice, each 60 feet from the goal; they divide the rink into three zones called the attacking, defending and neutral (or center) zones; defending blue line is the line closer to a player’s own net; attacking blue line is the one farther from his net; used in determining offsides.
boarding or board-checking:
a minor penalty which occurs when a player uses any method (body checking, elbowing or tripping) to throw an opponent violently into the boards; if an injury is caused, it becomes a major penalty.
boards or board wall:
a wooden or fiberglass wall 3 1/2 to 4 feet high which surrounds the rink to keep the puck and players from accidentally leaving the rink and injuring spectators; all rinks have shatterproof glass that rises above the boards to provide additional protection.
body check:
when a hockey player bumps or slams into an opponent with either his hip or shoulder (the only legal moves) to block his progress or throw him off-balance; it is only allowed against an opponent in control of the puck or against the last player to control it.
break:
a chance to start a rush when the opposing forwards are caught out of position.
breakaway:
a fast break in which an attacker with the puck skates in alone on the goalie, having gotten past or clear of the defensemen, trapping the opponents behind the play.
breaking pass:
a pass to a teammate who is trying for a breakaway.
butt-ending:
a major penalty which occurs when a player jabs an opponent with the shaft of his hockey stick.
Campbell Conference:
was one of the two conferences in the NHL that contained the Norris and Smythe Divisions until 1992-93; renamed the Western Conference in 1993.
carom:
a rebound of the puck off the boards or any other object.
center or center forward:
the center player in the forward line who usually leads his team’s attack when they are trying to score a goal; he takes part in most of the face-offs; he controls the puck and tries to score or pass it to a teammate who is in a better position to score a goal.
center face-off circle:
a circle, measuring 30 feet in diameter, at the center of the ice where the puck is dropped in a face-off to start the game and to restart the game after a goal has been scored.
center ice:
the area between the two blue lines, also called the neutral zone.
centering pass:
a pass from an attacking player towards the middle of the ice to a teammate with a better angle at the goal.
center line:
a red, 12-inch wide line across the ice midway between the two goals.
charging:
a minor penalty which occurs when a player makes a deliberate move of more than two steps when body checking an opponent; if serious injury is caused or blood is drawn it becomes a major penalty.
check or checking:
any contact initiated by a defending player against an opponent to get the puck away from him or slow him down; there are two main types of checks: stick check and body check; these are only allowed against a player in control of the puck or against the last player to control it immediately after he gives 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 a defending player sends the puck out of the opponent's attacking zone, all the attacking players must leave or clear the zone to avoid being called offsides when the puck reenters the zone.
cover:
when a player stays close to an opponent to prevent him from receiving a pass or making a play on offense.
crease lines:
the red lines that form the semi-circular area with a 6-foot radius in front of the goal called the goal crease.
cross bar:
the horizontal bar that connects the top of the two goalposts.
cross-checking:
a minor penalty which occurs when a player holds his stick in both hands and drives the shaft into an opponent; a stick check where a player has both hands on the stick and no part of the stick on the ice; if serious injury is caused or blood is drawn it becomes a major penalty and a game misconduct.
dead puck:
a puck that flies out of the rink or that a player has caught in his hand.
defensemen:
two players who make up a team’s defensive unit usually stationed in or near their defensive zone to help the goalie guard against attack; sometimes they lead an attack. The left defenseman covers the left half of the rink, the right defenseman plays to the right, but they can skate into each other’s territory.
defensive line:
consists of two defensemen.
defensive zone:
the zone or area nearest a team’s goal (the goal they are defending).
deflection:
causing any pass or shot to stray from its intended course; a shot or pass that hits some object such as a stick or skate and goes into the net for a score or when a goalie hits the puck away.
deke or deking:
a decoying or faking motion by the puck-carrier; the art of making a defensive player think you are going to pass or move in a certain direction when you are not. There are shoulder dekes, stick dekes and head dekes.
delayed penalty:
a penalty against a team that has only 4 players on the ice, assessed only when one of its players gets out of the penalty box.
delayed whistle or delayed call:
when an official raises his arm but does not blow his whistle, waiting to see the outcome of a play before calling a penalty; this is done so as not to penalize the non-offending team by stopping its momentum.
delay of game:
a 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 the goalpost from its normal position.
double minor:
a type of minor penalty given for certain accidental infractions that result in an injury to another player or for certain deliberate attempts to injure an opponent that are unsuccessful; penalty time of 4 minutes is served, double the time of a normal minor penalty.
drop pass:
when a player simply leaves the puck behind for a teammate following him to pick up.
Eastern Conference:
the renamed Wales Conference beginning with the 1993-94 season which contains the Atlantic, Northeast and Southeast Divisions.
elbowing:
a minor penalty which occurs when a player strikes his opponent with an elbow to impede his progress.
empty-net goal:
a goal scored against a team that has pulled the goalie.
endboards:
the boards at each end of the rink.
enforcer:
also called the policeman; is usually the most penalized player on a team; he has the job of protecting his teammates from harm; generally a larger player who is not afraid of any fight.
exhibition game:
a game not included in the regular-season schedule and which does not count in the standings; the All-Star Game or other games generally played before the season begins.
expansion:
the addition of teams to the NHL.
expansion draft:
a special arrangement to assist new franchises in obtaining players, where expansion teams choose players from other teams’ rosters.
expansion team:
a team that has been recently added to the NHL.
face mask:
the protective mask worn by the goalie.
face-off:
the method of starting play; the dropping of the puck by the official between the sticks of two opposing players standing one stick length apart with stick blades flat on the ice; used to begin each period or to resume play when it has stopped for other reasons.
face-off circles and spots:
the various circular spots on the ice where an official and two players will hold a face-off to begin or to resume the action of the game; there is one blue face-off circle and four red face-off spots located in the neutral zone; two red face-off circles are found at each end of the ice.
falling on the puck:
a minor penalty, which occurs when a player other than the goalie closes his hand on the puck, deliberately falls on the puck, or gathers the puck under his body while lying on the ice.
feeding:
passing the puck.
fighting:
a major penalty which occurs when two or more players drop their sticks and gloves and fight; if a referee deems one player to be the instigator, that player also receives a minor penalty and a misconduct penalty; the minor penalty for a less severe pushing and shoving match is called roughing.
flat pass:
when a player passes the puck to a teammate along the surface of the ice.
flip pass:
a pass by a player to a teammate that lifts the puck from the ice and sends it through the air, usually for the purpose of getting it over an opponent’s stick.
flip shot:
a shot in which a player cups the puck in his stick, then flips it with his wrists up off the ice towards the goal; this sometimes makes the puck harder to block.
forecheck:
to check or harass an opponent who has the puck in his defensive zone and keep the opponents in their end of the rink while trying to regain control of the puck; usually done by the forwards.
forehand:
a shot or pass taken from the right side of a right-handed player or from the left side of a left-handed player.
forward line or attacking line:
consists of two wings (right and left) and a center; these three players play nearer the opponent’s goal and are responsible for most of the scoring.
forwards:
the three players who make up the attacking line or forward line of a team — the center and the right and left wings.
foul:
any infraction of the rules that will draw a penalty.
franchise:
a team; the legal arrangement that establishes ownership of a team.
freeze the puck:
to hold the puck against the boards with the skate or stick in order to stop play briefly or gain a face-off.
full strength:
when a team has its full complement of 6 players on the ice.
get the jump:
to move fast and thereby get a good start on the opponents.
goal:
provides one point; scored when a puck goes between the goalposts from the stick of an attacking player and entirely crosses the red line between the goalposts; also the informal term used to refer to the area made of the goalposts and the net guarded by the goalie and into which a puck must enter to score a point.
goal cage:
a 6 foot wide by 4 foot high tubular steel frame consisting of a cross bar and two goalposts to which a net is attached.
goal crease:
a semi-circular area with a 6 foot radius in front of the opening of the goal; denotes the playing area of the goaltender within which attacking players must not obstruct his movement or vision.
goal line:
the two-inch red line between the goalposts that stretches in both directions to the sideboards
.
goalkeeper, goalie or goaltender:
the heavily padded player who guards the goal; prevents opponents from scoring by stopping the puck any way he can.
goalposts:
the metal bars that frame the area to which the net is attached which rests on the center of the goal line and between which a puck must pass to score a goal.
hat trick:
three or more goals scored by a player in one game.
head deke:
when a player drops his head as though moving one way and quickly moves in another to fake out the opponent.
high-sticking:
a minor penalty which occurs when a player carries his stick above the normal height of his opponent’s shoulders and hits or menaces the opponent with it; if injury is caused it becomes a major penalty; if a referee determines that the raising of the stick was unintentional and no contact occurred, it is considered a team infraction, and a face-off is held in the offender's defensive zone.
holding:
a minor penalty which occurs when a player grabs and holds onto an opponent (or his stick) with his hands or arms to impede the opponent’s progress.
holding the puck:
See falling on the puck.
home team:
the team in whose arena the game is being played; the team wearing the lighter uniforms.
hook check:
a sweep of the stick low to the ice to take the puck from an opponent’s stick.
hooking:
a minor penalty which occurs when a player attempts to impede the progress of another player by hooking any part of the opponent’s body with the blade of his stick; an illegal use of one’s stick.
icing:
a violation which occurs when the team in possession of the puck shoots it from behind the red center line across the opponent’s goal line into the end of the rink (but not into the goal) and a member of the opposing team touches it first; results in a face-off in the offender’s defensive zone; a shorthanded team cannot be called for icing.
interference:
a penalty in hockey called when a player attempts to impede the motion of another player not in possession of the puck.
intermission:
a fifteen-minute recess between each of the three periods of a hockey game.
kneeing:
a minor penalty which occurs when a player uses a knee to hit his opponent in the leg, thigh or lower body.
lead pass:
a pass sent ahead of a moving teammate designed to meet the player at the location he is headed.
lie:
angle made by the shaft of the stick and the blade.
line change:
the entire forward line and/or defensive line will be replaced at once, which puts players on the ice who work well together.
linesmen:
the two officials on the ice, one toward each end of the rink, responsible for infractions of the rules concerning off-side plays at the blue lines or center line and for any icing violations; they conduct most of the face-offs, sometimes advise the referee concerning penalties, and separate players who are fighting; they wear black pants and an official league sweater, and are on skates.
major penalty:
a type of individual penalty called for more serious infractions of the rules; of 5 minutes in duration whether or not the non-penalized team scores.
match-up:
a pairing of players on opposing teams who will cover each other during the hockey game.
minor penalty:
a type of penalty lasting 2 minutes; if the non-penalized team scores a power play goal during this time, the penalty ends immediately.
National Hockey League (NHL):
a professional league started on November 22, 1917; currently contains 30 teams in the U.S. and Canada.
net:
the goal; netting attached to the goalposts and frame of the goal to trap the puck when a goal is scored.
neutral zone:
the area between the blue lines.
Norris Division:
with the Smythe Division made up the Campbell Conference until the 1992-93 season; renamed the Central Division of the Western Conference starting with the 1993-94 season.
officials:
two referees and two linesmen on the ice calling infractions and handing out penalties plus several off-ice officials including two goal judges, the game timekeeper, the penalty timekeeper, the official scorer, the statistician and the video goal judge.
offside:
a violation which occurs when both skates of an attacking player cross 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 defending zone to a teammate across the red center line (two-line pass); this is one of the most common calls made in a hockey game and results in a face-off.
offside pass:
See two-line pass.
on-the-fly:
making player changes or substitutions while play is under way.
on the road:
when an NHL team plays games away from its home arena.
open ice:
that part of the ice that is free of opponents.
overtime:
an additional period of play used to break a tie; see sudden-death.
overtime loss:
the result for a team that loses a game in overtime that was tied after regulation; this category was created starting with the 1999-2000 season and is worth 1 point in the standings.
passing:
when one player uses his stick to send the puck to a teammate.
passout:
a pass by an attacking player from behind his opponent’s net or goal line to a teammate in front of the net.
Patrick Division:
with the Adams Division made up the Wales Conference until the 1992-93 season; renamed the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference starting with the 1993-94 season.
penalty:
punishment of a player for a violation of the rules, resulting in suspension from the game for a period of time; 6 types exist: minor, bench, major, misconduct, match and goalkeeper’s penalties.
penalty box:
an area with a bench just off the ice, behind the sideboards outside the playing area where penalized players serve their penalty time.
penalty killer:
a player expert at backchecking and keeping or gaining control of a loose puck under difficult circumstances who is trained to break up a power play when his team is shorthanded.
penalty shot:
a free shot awarded a player who was illegally interfered with, preventing him from a clear scoring opportunity; the shot is taken with only the goalie guarding against it.
periods:
three 20-minute playing intervals separated by two intermissions.
points:
the left and right positions taken by the defensemen of the attacking team, just inside the blue line of the attacking zone; also the term used to describe the defensemen playing at this location; also an individual statistic for players equal to their goals plus assists; also a team statistic used to determine team standings (2 points for each win and 1 point for each tie or overtime loss during the regular season).
poke check:
a quick jab or thrust to the puck or opponent’s stick to knock the puck away from him.
policeman:
see enforcer.
power play:
an attack by a team at full strength against a team playing one man (or two men) shorthanded because of a penalty (or penalties) which resulted in a player on the opposing team receiving penalty-box time.
puck:
a black, vulcanized rubber disc, 1-inch thick and 3-inches in diameter, weighing between 5 1/2 and 6 ounces used to play hockey; they are frozen to prevent excessive bouncing and changed throughout the game; can travel up to 120 miles per hour on a slap shot.
pulling the goalie:
taking the goalkeeper off the ice and replacing him with a forward; leaves the goal unguarded so is only used as a last minute attempt to score.
ragging:
retaining the puck by clever stickhandling; often used by a shorthanded team to kill time.
rebound:
a puck that bounces off the goalie’s body or equipment.
red line:
the line that divides the length of the ice surface in half.
referees:
the chief officials in a hockey game, distinguished from the other officials by a red armband; they start the game, call most of the penalties and make the final decision in any dispute; they are responsible for making sure the ice, the nets and the clock are in good condition; they wear black pants and an official league sweater; they are also on skates.
referee’s crease:
a semi-circular area, with a 10 foot radius, marked in red on the ice in front of the timekeepers’ bench into which players may not follow a referee.
rink:
the iced area inside the boards on which the game of hockey is played; it is 200 feet long by 85 feet wide with rounded corners.
rockered blades:
used by professional ice hockey skaters; the gentle curve in a very sharp blade of an ice skate produced by rounding the toe and heel of the blade to make it easier for hockey players to turn quickly.
roster:
a list of the players on a team.
roughing:
a minor penalty which occurs when a fight between players is more of a pushing and shoving match; a less severe penalty than fighting.
rush:
an individual or combined attack by a team in possession of the puck.
save:
the act of a goalie in blocking or stopping a shot.
scramble:
several players from both sides close together battling for possession of the puck.
screen shot:
a shot on goal that the goalie cannot see because it was taken from behind one or more players from either team standing in front of the net.
shooting angle:
the angle determined by the position of the shooting player in relation to the goal at the moment he shoots the puck.
shorthanded:
a team with one or more players off the ice in the penalty box when the opponent has its full complement of 6 players; also a power play for the other team.
shot on goal (SOG):
a scoring attempt that would enter the goal if not stopped by a goalie: results in either a goal or a save.
shoulder deke:
a quick move of the shoulder in one direction and the player in another to fake out the opponent.
sideboards:
the boards along the sides of the rink.
slap shot:
a shot in which the player raises his stick in a backswing, with his strong hand held low on the shaft and his other hand on the end as a pivot. Then as the stick comes down toward the puck, the player leans into the stick to put all his power behind the shot and add velocity to the puck; achieves an extremely high speed (up to 120 miles per hour) but is less accurate than a wrist shot.
slashing:
a minor penalty which occurs when a player swings his stick hard at an opponent, whether or not contact is made; if injury is caused it becomes a major penalty and a game misconduct.
sleeper:
an attacking player who slips into the center or neutral zone behind the attacking defensemen; same as a floater or a hanger.
slow whistle:
when an official waits to blow his whistle because of a delayed offside or delayed penalty call.
Smythe Division:
with the Norris Division made up the Campbell Conference until the 1992-93 season; renamed the Pacific Division of the Western Conference starting with the 1993-94 season.
solo:
a rush by a player without assistance from a teammate.
spearing:
a major penalty which occurs when a player illegally jabs, or even just attempts to jab, the point of his stick blade into another player’s body; one of the most serious infractions a player can commit; results in an automatic game misconduct.
stick deke:
when a player’s stick is moved as though for a shot, but instead the player moves the puck past the defending player; done to fake out the opponent.
stickhandling:
moving the puck along the ice with the stick blade.
substitution:
occurs when a player comes off the bench to replace a player coming out of the game; can be made at any time and play does not need to stop.
sudden-death overtime:
an overtime period that ends as soon as one team scores a goal, determining the winner and terminating the game.
sweep check:
a check made by a player with one hand on the stick, and one knee so low it is practically on the ice, with the shaft and blade of the stick flat on the ice to take the puck away from an opponent.
third-man-in rule:
the third man in a fight gets a game misconduct penalty and is out of the game for its duration; created to discourage players from jumping into a fight, even if they are only trying to break it up.
three-on-one:
a type of break with three attackers coming in on one defenseman; this is a desperate situation.
three-on-two:
a type of break with three attacking players skating against two defensive players.
trailer:
a player who follows his teammate on the attack seemingly out of the action but actually in a position to receive a backward or drop pass.
tripping:
a minor penalty which occurs when a player places his stick or a part of his body under or around the feet or legs of an opponent causing him to lose his balance; will also be called if a player kicks an opponent’s skates out from under him, or uses a knee or leg to cause his opponent to fall.
two-line pass:
a type of offside violation occuring when a player passes the puck from his defending zone to a teammate across the red center line, play is stopped for a face-off; also known as an offside pass.
two-on-one:
a type of break with two attacking players skating against one defensive player.
two-on-two:
a type of break with two attacking players skating against two defensive players.
under-led pass:
a pass behind or to one side of a teammate, making it difficult for him to control the puck.
waffle pad:
a large rectangular pad attached to the front of the goalie’s stick hand.
Wales Conference:
was one of the two confrences in the NHL consisting of the Patrick and Adams Divisions until the 1992-93 season; renamed the Eastern Conference in 1993.
wash out:
a goal that is ruled invalid by the referee or the waving off of an infraction by the linesmen.
Western Conference:
the renamed Cambell Conference beginning with the 1993-94 season which contains the Central, Northwest and Pacific Divisions.
wings:
two players who flank the center on his right and left sides and, with him, make up the attacking unit or forward line.
wrist shot:
a shot made using a strong flicking of the wrist and forearm muscles, with the stick blade kept on the ice; it is slower but more accurate than a slap shot.
Zamboni:
the brand of machine used to clean the ice.
zones:
three areas made up by the two blue lines; the attacking zone is the area farthest from the goal a player is defending; the neutral zone is the central area; the defending zone is the area where a player’s goal is (the goal where his team’s goalie is stationed)
Hockey Infractions:
Abuse of officials
Arguing with, insulting, using obscene gestures or language directed at or in reference to, or deliberately making violent contact with any on or off-ice official. This generally is issued in addition to other penalties or as a bench penalty against a coach or off-ice player, and is grounds for ejection under a game misconduct or match penalty in most leagues including the NHL.
Aggressor penalty
Assessed to the player involved in a fight who was the more aggressive during the fight. This is independent of the instigator penalty, but both are usually not assessed to the same player (in that case the player's penalty for fighting is usually escalated to deliberate injury of opponents, which carries a match penalty).
Attempt to injure
Deliberately trying to harm an opponent (and/or succeeding). This type of infraction carries an automatic match penalty.
Boarding
Pushing an opponent violently into the boards.
Butt-ending (or Stabbing)
Jabbing an opponent with the end of the shaft of the stick. It carries an automatic major penalty and game misconduct.
Charging
Taking more than three strides before hitting an opponent.
Checking from behind
Hitting an opponent from behind is a penalty. It carries an automatic minor penalty and misconduct, or a major penalty and game misconduct if it results in injury. See checking.
Clipping
Delivering a check below the knees of an opponent. If injury results, a major penalty and a game misconduct will result.
Cross-checking
Hitting an opponent with the stick when it is held with two hands and no part of the stick is on the ice.
Delay of game
Deliberately stalling the game (for example, deliberately shooting the puck out of play, holding the puck in the hand, refusing to send players out for a faceoff, or even repeated deliberate offsides). As part of the rule changes following the 2004-05 NHL lockout, NHL officials also call an automatic delay of game penalty to goaltenders that go into the corners behind the goal line (outside a trapezoid-shaped area just behind the net) to play the puck. Some delay of game offenses, such as taking too long to send players to take a faceoff, are not punished with a penalty: instead, the official may choose to eject the center of the offending team and order him replaced with another player already on the ice.
Diving
Falling to the ice in an attempt to draw a penalty.
Elbowing
Hitting an opponent with the elbow.
Fighting (Fisticuffs)
Engaging in a physical altercation with an opposing player, usually involving the throwing of punches or worse. Minor altercations such as simple pushing and shoving are generally called as Roughing.
Goaltender Interference
Physically impeding or checking the goalie. Visually impeding the goalie's view of the play with your body, called "screening", is legal.
Head-butting
Hitting an opponent with the head. A match penalty is called for doing so.
High sticking
Touching an opponent with the stick above shoulder level. A minor penalty is assessed to the player, unless blood is drawn by the player hit by the stick. In this case, an automatic double-minor (4 minutes) is called. A penalty is not called when the puck is hit by a high stick, but play will be stopped and the ensuing faceoff will take place at a spot which gives the non-offending team an advantage. Also, a goal that is scored by means of high sticking will not be counted.
Holding
Grabbing an opponent's body, equipment or clothing with the hands or stick. Generally a minor; USA Hockey rules call for a major and a game misconduct for grabbing and holding a facemask or visor.
Holding the stick
Grabbing and holding an opponent's stick, also called when a player deliberately wrenches a stick from the hands of an opposing player or forces him to drop it by any means that is not any other penalty such as Slashing.
Hooking
Using a stick as a hook to slow an opponent, no contact is required under new standards.
Illegal Equipment
Using equipment that does not meet regulations, either by size (length, width) or number (two sticks) or other guidelines (e.g. a goalie's facemask can no longer be the "Jason"-style form-fit mask, a player may not have a stick with a curve exceeding 3/4", nor may they play with a goalie's stick). If a player broke his stick, it is mandatory to drop the stick immediately and play without it until getting a replacement from the bench. Otherwise this penalty will be assessed to the offending player (some game summaries call this "playing with a broken stick"). In addition, in the NHL a player may not pick a stick up off the ground after it has been dropped (they can only receive a stick from another player or from the bench; goalkeepers may not go to the bench but must have a stick carried out to them). This rule is generally not enforced in amateur leagues except for broken sticks or egregiously out-of-spec equipment as the cost of acquiring gear that meets NHL specifications "post-lockout" is prohibitive, especially for goalies. However, as of 2009 USA Hockey will enforce the NHL goal equipment specs, as will IIHF. While allowing "big pads" until them, USA Hockey stated in their 2007 Official Rules and Casebook of Ice Hockey that they "strongly encourage" goaltenders to follow the new regulations before they take effect.
Instigator penalty
Being the obvious instigator in a fight. Called in addition to the five minute major for fighting.
Interference
Impeding an opponent who does not have the puck, or impeding any player from the bench.
Joining a fight
Also called the "3rd man in" rule, the first person who was not part of a fight when it broke out but participates in said fight once it has started for any reason (even to pull the players apart) is charged with an automatic game misconduct in addition to any other penalties they receive for fighting.
Kicking
Kicking an opponent with the skate or skate blade. Kicking carries a match penalty if done with intent to injure, but otherwise carries a major penalty and a game misconduct. (Under Hockey Canada rules, kicking or attempting to kick an opponent always carries a Match Penalty regardless of intent.)
Kneeing
Hitting an opponent with the knee.
Roughing
Pushing and shoving or throwing punches that are not severe enough to be considered fighting. Also called in non-checking leagues when an illegal body check is made.
Slashing
Swinging a stick at an opponent, no contact is required under new standards.
Slew Footing
Rarely called, as it is easily concealed. Tripping an opponent by using your feet. Most of the time simply called as "Tripping"; Slew footing as a penalty in fact does not exist in the USA Hockey rulebook as of 2005-2006.
Spearing
Stabbing an opponent with the stick blade. It carries an automatic major penalty and game misconduct.
Starting the wrong lineup
This very rare bench minor penalty is called when the offending team fails to put the starting lineup on the ice at the beginning of each period, the exception being injuries. For this penalty to be called, the captain of the non-offending team must bring this breach of the rules to the referee's attention immediately at the first stoppage of play. Also the penalty may be given if a player is not put on the scoresheet at the beginning of the game and plays. The only way for this to be called is if the official scorer notifies the referee of this oversight.
Substitution infraction (Illegal Substitution)
This rare bench minor penalty is called when a substitution or addition is attempted during a stoppage of play after the linesmen have signalled no more substitutions (once the face-off is set) or if a team pulls its goalie and then attempts to have the goalie re-enter play at any time other than during a stoppage of play. Too many men on the ice and/or starting the wrong lineup can also simply be called a substitution infraction.
Too many men on the ice
Having more than six players (including the goalie) on the ice involved in the play at any given time. "Involved in the play" is key; players that are entering the ice as substitutes for players coming off may enter the ice once the player returning to the bench is less than five (5) feet from his team's bench (Rule 74.1); at that point the returning player is considered out of the play, even if the play passes in front of the bench, unless he actively makes a move for the puck. The player entering the ice is part of the play as soon as his skates touch the ice.
Tripping
Using a stick or one's body to trip an opponent, no contact is required under new standards.
Unsportsmanlike conduct
Arguing with a referee; using slurs against an opponent or teammate; playing with illegal equipment; making obscene gestures or abusing an official. Can carry either a minor, misconduct, game misconduct or match penalty, depending on the gravity of the infraction (for instance, using obscene language to a referee initially results in a minor, but making an obscene gesture to an opponent, fan or official carries a game misconduct.) Also, in some leagues the penalty progression is different for players and team officials (for example, in the USA Hockey rulebook players get a minor for their first infraction, a misconduct for their second and a game misconduct for their third, whereas the option of a misconduct is removed for coaches; in addition, after each penalty for a team official, the penalty count resets itself). Unsportsmanlike conduct may also be called if a player drops his gloves and stick in preparation for a fight, but the non-offending player does not drop his equipment and has committed no action (verbal or physical harassment) to attempt to instigate a fight.
Types of Penalties:
Minor penalty
A minor penalty is the most common form of penalty, which is assessed for common infractions. A player who receives a minor penalty will remain off the ice for two minutes of play during which his team will be short-handed. If a goal is scored against a team short-handed by a minor penalty, the penalty ends immediately. Similarly, if a goal is scored against the offending team on a delayed penalty which would be a minor penalty, the penalty is negated. However, if a team has been assessed multiple minor penalties, a goal against them will end only the earliest assessed minor penalty.
In the NHL and U.S. college hockey, if minor penalties are assessed to one player on each team at the same time ("coincidental") while teams are at full strength, the teams will each play with four skaters in "four-on-four" play. Since neither team is short-handed, a goal in four-on-four play does not end either penalty. In USA Hockey and IIHF, however, coincidental minor penalties result in normal full strength hockey, and the players may not return to the ice until the first stoppage in play after the penalties expire.
Bench minors are minor penalties which are assessed against the team as a whole; any player other than the goaltender may be selected to serve a bench minor. For certain offences, a player may be assessed a double minor, which simply entails serving two consencutive minor penalties. They are typically issued for instances of high-sticking which result in injury. Though not part of official USA Hockey rules as of 2005-2006, some "in-house" amateur or non-checking leagues instruct referees to call a double minor for stick penalties such as high-sticking, slashing, tripping with the stick, hooking or cross-checking, regardless of whether an injury was sustained as a result. If a goal is scored during the first penalty of a double minor, the first penalty expires and the second immediately begins. If a goal is scored against the offending team on a delayed penalty that is to be a double minor, the first penalty is negated and the second is enforced as a normal minor.
Common infractions which incur a minor penalty include: cross-checking, high-sticking, holding, holding the stick, hooking, interference, roughing, slashing, [delaying the game] and tripping.
Major penalty
A major penalty is a stronger degree of penalty for a more severe infraction of the rules than a minor. Most penalties which incur a major are more severe instances of minor penalty infractions; the exception is fighting which always draws a major. A player who receives a major penalty will remain off the ice for five minutes of play during which his team will be short-handed. A major penalty will not end if a goal is scored against the short-handed team.
If major penalties are assessed to one player on each team at the same time, they may be substituted for and teams will not be reduce by one player on the ice. They will remain in the penalty box until the first stoppage of play following the expiry of the penalties. This commonly occurs with majors for fighting.
Earning three major penalties in a game results in an automatic game misconduct penalty; though a number of infractions that result in a major penalty automatically impose a game misconduct as well.
Misconduct penalty
A player who receives a misconduct penalty will remain off the ice for ten minutes. The player may be substituted for on the ice and may return to the ice at the first stoppage in play following the expiry of the penalty. They will also incur a $100 fine.
Game misconduct penalty
A player who receives a game misconduct penalty is suspended for the remainder of the game, and is sent to the team's dressing room. He may be immediately substituted for on the ice. They will also incur a $200 fine. There are additional fines and suspensions outlined for incuring multiple game misconducts of various types. A goaltender can be assesed a match penalty and suspended from the game.
Match penalty
A player who receives a match penalty is suspended for the remainder of the game, and is sent to the team's dressing room. A match penalty is imposed for deliberately injuring or attempting to injure another player. Regardless of when a match penalty is imposed, it is recorded as a ten minute penalty. Any player other than the goaltender must be chosen to go to the penalty box to serve five minutes during which he may not be substituted for on the ice. Further, the offending player will be indefinitely suspended from the league pending a decision by the commissioner as to when they may return. A goaltender can be assessed a match penalty and suspended from the game.
In NCAA hockey, a similar penalty called a game disqualification results in automatic suspension for the number of games equal to the number of game disqualification penalties the player has been assessed in that season.
Penalty shot
A penalty shot is a special case of penalty for cases in which a scoring opportunity was lost as a result of an infraction. The player who was deprived of the opportunity is allowed a free chance to score on the opposing goaltender as compensation.
Gross misconduct penalty
Similar to a game misconduct, gross misconduct penalties were eliminated from the NHL rulebook on June 20, 2007. It was imposed for an action of extreme unsportsmanlike conduct, such as abuse of officials or spectators) and could be assessed to any team official in addition to a player. Infractions which garnered a gross misconduct now earn a game misconduct. The penalty had last been assessed in 2000.