For fans who are new to the sport of hockey, this page will provide information about the players, the officials, and the rules of the game. There is also a large glossary of commonly used hockey terms provided.
The Players
Each team skates with the following six players on the ice: one goaltender who is responsible for stopping shots on goal; two defensemen who are responsible for limiting quality shots from the opposing team; and three forwards who are primarily responsible for scoring goals.
The Officials
Referee- the official with the band around his arm. The referee is the only official allowed to call penalties and makes all final decisions including whether a goal has been scored.
Linesmen- there are two linesmen who work together from opposite sides of the ice and call “icing” and “offside” violations.
Goal judge- an off-ice official who sits behind the goal, outside the boards, and determines if the puck enters the goal. Should there be a difference in opinion the referee will have the final decision.
Penalties
Minor- penalizes the offending player for two minutes.
Major- a five-minute penalty assessed for fighting.
Misconduct- Assessed for abusive or profane language. The team with the penalized player does not skate shorthanded.
Delayed penalty- a team shall not be shorthanded on the ice more than two players at any one time because of imposed penalties. Therefore, should a team receive a third penalty, that penalty shall be delayed in its start until one of the preceding penalties has terminated. Also, the referee will not call a penalty until the offending team has touched the puck.
Delayed whistle- when a violation occurs, the official will not blow the whistle to stop play as long as the non-offending team is in possession of the puck. The moment the offending team touches the puck, play will be stopped.
Penalty shot- awarded when a player has a quality scoring opportunity and is taken down from behind.
Actions drawing penalties
Boarding- violently checking an opponent into the boards
Charging- taking three or more strides before deliberately checking an opponent
Cross-checking- hitting an opponent with both hands on the stick and no part of the stick is touching the ice.
High sticking- carrying the stick above the shoulder to use against the opponent or to hit the puck.
Holding- using your hands on the opposition or their equipment to delay their progress.
Hooking- impeding an opponent by applying the blade of the stick around the opponent’s body and tugging.
Interference- interfering with the progress of an opponent who is not in possession of the puck.
Roughing- engaging in any unnecessary roughness.
Slashing- swinging the stick at an opponent.
Spearing- poking or attempting to poke an opponent with the tip of the blade of the stick.
Tripping- using a stick, arm or leg to cause a opponent to trip or fall.
Hockey Terms
Assist- an assist is credited in the scoring record to the player (or players) who is involved in the play immediately preceding the goal. Maximum of two assists per goal.
Back check- the action of the forwards skating back into their defensive zone to break up the opposing team’s offensive play.
Body check- using the body against an opponent who has possession of the puck to break up or disrupt an offensive play.
Breakaway- a scoring opportunity that occurs when there are no defending players between the puck carrier and the opposing goaltender.
Changing on the fly- substitution of players while the clock is running.
Clearing the puck- shooting the puck out of the defensive zone or away from the front of the goal.
Face-off- dropping the puck between one player from each team to initiate play.
Fore check- pressuring the opponent when they control the puck in the neutral or defensive zone.
Freezing the puck- catching or falling on the puck to create a stoppage of play. The goaltender is the only player who can legally do so.
Goal crease- the area marked off in front of the goal. An offensive player may not enter the crease unless the puck is already inside this area.
Hat Trick- Term referring to a player scoring three goals in a single game.
Icing- A team, when both teams have an equal number of players on the ice, may not shoot the puck from behind the center red line over their opponent’s goal line (except if the puck goes into the goal). The puck must first be touched by a player from the defensive team before icing is called.
Minor officials- more commonly referred to as “off-ice officials.” Includes the goal judges, game timer, penalty timer and official scorer.
Neutral zone- the area of the ice between the two blue lines.
Off-side- when an offensive player precedes the puck across the blue line and into the offensive zone. For an off-side violation, a face-off will be conducted in the neutral zone.
Off-side pass- the puck may not be passed from a team’s defensive zone to a player of the same team who is beyond the center red line.
One-timer- when a player shoots the puck immediately upon receiving it, without stopping first.
Plus/minus- when a goal is scored for a players team while the player is on the ice it is counted as plus 1. If a goal is scored against a players team while the player is on the ice it is counted as minus 1. The total for a player is called plus/minus.
Poke check- using the blade of the stick to knock the puck away from an opponent.
Power play- an attempt to score by a team that has numerical advantage in players due to a penalty or penalties.
Save- a shot blocked by the goaltender that otherwise would have been a goal.
Screen- offensive players positioning themselves to block or shield the opposing goaltenders view of the puck.
Slap shot- a shot in which the player raises his stick in a back swing and slaps the puck forward.
Slot- the prime scoring area in front of the goal between the face-off circles.
Two Line Pass- A member of the attacking team passes the puck to a teammate across the two lines.
Wrist shot- a shot made using a strong flick of the wrist.
Zamboni- a brand of machine used to resurface the ice. Bird Arena has an Olympia brand ice resurfacer.