How to Use Hockey Slang

Hockey has been played for centuries around the world, first on ice and more recently on roller blades. No matter what surface the team plays on, the game is a mystery to many new spectators. While there are a wide variety of terms, a basic understanding of the most common slang will help you understand and enjoy this wonderful game.

Instructions

    • 1

      Know what the "puck" is. A puck is a small rubber disc that weighs roughly one pound and is about one inch tall. This is the equivalent to a ball in most other sports. The players use it to score a goal.

    • 2

      Watch for players to "check" each other. To many people this is the most exciting aspect of hockey. A check simply means to take the puck away from another player. This can be done with a poke check, which means to steal the puck using your stick, or a body check, which means to physically slam into a player to take the puck.

    • 3

      Understand that hockey players, like basketball players, must play offense and defense. This gets very tiring. So, instead of substituting individual players, coaches put one of three "lines" on the ice. A line is a series of five players, a mini-team within a whole team.

    • 4

      Cheer when a hockey player scores a "hat trick" by completing a rare feat. This is an honor bestowed on a player who scores three goals in one game.

    • 5

      Keep an eye out for the "Zamboni" in between ice hockey periods. During play the ice gets chopped up and uneven. The Zamboni comes out to smooth the ice by scraping off 1/4 inch of the damaged ice and smoothing it out using hot water.