Apple
Assist.
Bar Down
Describes a goal that ricochets off the top crossbar of the goal and into the net, as in: “He went bar-down in overtime.”
Barn
The arena or rink.
Barnburner
A high-scoring game.
Biscuit
The puck.
Bucket
Helmet.
Butterfly
A style of goaltending where the goalie drops to their knees with legs spread and pads flat to block the bottom of the net.
Celly
Celebration after scoring a goal.
Chiclets
Teeth, often referring to missing teeth, a common hockey injury.
Chippy
Describes a game with a lot of subtle cheap shots being overlooked by the officials, or a player who indulges in the same.
Chirp
Trash talk directed at opponents.
Clapper
Slap shot.
Coast To Coast
The length of the ice, as when a player handles the puck from deep in his own end all the way to the opponent’s goal.
Dangle
A skillful maneuver with the puck that deceives an opponent.
Deke
A fake or feint to get past an opponent.
Donnybrook
Fight involving multiple pairs of players.
Dump and chase
A strategy where a player shoots the puck into the opponent’s zone and then pursues it aggressively.
Empty Netter
A goal scored when the opposing team has pulled its goalie for an extra attacker.
Enforcer
A player known for fighting and physical play to protect teammates.
Facewash
Rubbing one’s glove in the face of an opponent, often to provoke during a scrum.
Filthy
Describes an audacious deke or move requiring extreme skill to pull off.
Five-hole
The space between a goalie’s legs.
Flow
Long hair that ripples in the wind when a player skates.
Goon
Similar to an enforcer, a player whose primary role is fighting and intimidating the opposition.
Gordie Howe Hat Trick
Scoring a goal, recording an assist, and getting into a fight in the same game.
Grinder
A player known for hard work and relentlessness rather than skill.
Hat Trick
Three goals in one game by the same player.
Michigan
Goal scored by working the puck onto the blade of the stick, lifting it off the ice and depositing into the net. Sometimes called a lacrosse goal.
Muffin
A weak shot.
One-timer
Shooting the puck directly off a pass without stopping it first.
Pipes
Goal posts.
Pizza
Easily intercepted pass in the defensive zone leading to scoring opportunity for the opposition.
Plumber
Similar to a grinder, but more dismissive.
Point
The position near the blue line on the offensive side of the rink, typically where defencemen play during an offensive attack.
Power Play
An advantage when the opposing team has a player in the penalty box. The team with the extra player is said to be on a power play.
Punt and Hunt
The defensive version of dump-and-chase, where the puck is flipped high out of the defensive zone to relieve pressure and then pursued in the neutral zone.
Putting on the foil
Preparing to fight, popularized by the classic hockey movie Slap Shot.
Pylon
A slow or unskilled player, easily maneuvered around.
Saucer Pass (or Sauce)
A pass that is slightly lifted off the ice to get over an opponent’s stick or body part.
Scrum
A gathering of players from both teams after a stoppage in play that typically involves some pushing and shoving and occasionally initiates a fight.
Sieve
Goalie who lets in a lot of goals. Could be generally, or specific to a particular game. “He was a sieve tonight.”
Sin Bin
Penalty box.
Slot
Area directly in front of the net between the faceoff dots. Also sometimes called the house.
Snipe
A precise, accurate shot resulting in a goal.
Standing on his head
Describes an outstanding goaltending performance involving many acrobatic saves that deny excellent scoring opportunities.
Suicide Pass
A pass delivered to a teammate at the moment he is extremely vulnerable to a big check.
Tape to tape
A perfect pass from the blade of one player’s stick to another.
Tic Tac Toe
A quick succession of tape-to-tape passes in several directions.
Tilt
A fight.
Top Shelf
Scoring high in the net, just under the crossbar.
Turtle
To bend over and cover up during a fight so as to avoid being hit.
Twig
Hockey stick.
Wheels
Fast skating ability.
Wraparound
A play where a player skates behind the opponent’s net and attempts to score by reaching around the front of the net.
Zamboni
Brand name that has become synonymous with ice-resurfacing machines used between periods.
Zebras
Officials, so named because of their black-and-white striped jerseys.