What are the 3 zones of a hockey rink?

The ice surface is divided into three zones. The area where the goal net is located is the “defending zone” for the team defending that net. The middle of the rink, between two blue lines, is the “neutral zone.” The area where the opposing net is located is the “attacking zone” or “offensive zone.”

What are the names of the zones on a hockey rink?

The "side boards" are the boards along the two long sides of the rink. The half boards are the boards halfway between the goal line and blue line. The sections of the rink located behind each goal are called the "end boards". The boards that are curved (near the ends of the rink) are called the "corner boards".

What is your zone in hockey?

The offensive zone in hockey is the zone where the goal that your team is trying to score on is located. It is on the opposite side of the defensive and the goal that your team is defending. The offensive zone is signaled by a blue line which is 12 inches thick.

What is the blue zone in hockey?

The goal crease is the light blue painted area that is directly in front of the goalie's net. It belongs to the goaltender and is used both for protection and for reference as a guide to positioning in making saves.

What is the red line in hockey?

The red line in hockey splits the ice into two halves. It is used primarily to determine whether icing has occurred. There are also two goal lines in each team's defensive zone, which are red as well.

What is the trapezoid in hockey?

The trapezoid in hockey is the area behind each goal on the rink. In the trapezoid, the goaltender is allowed to play the puck on their stick and move around freely below the goal line. Since the NHL's rule change in 2004, goalies are not allowed to touch the puck in the corners below the goal line.

What does D to D mean in hockey?

D to D. A pass from one defenseman to another defenseman, both on the same team. Dangle. See Deke.

What does F mean in hockey?

In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score and assist goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes of the ice going from goal to goal.

Does handedness matter in hockey?

The first time a kid picks up a hockey stick, he'll probably put his strong hand on the bottom. It's a more natural motion to shoot the puck because the strong hand is generating the power. "It's a lot easier in the beginning," says former Michigan State assistant Terry Christiansen.

What is neutral zone hockey?

The neutral zone in hockey is the area in between the offensive and defensive zones. Two thick blue lines separate the neutral zone from the other zones. The center face-off circle is also located in the neutral zone. This circle has the mid-ice line through it.

What are the dimensions of a hockey rink?

The standard ice rink in North America measures 200 feet long by 85 feet wide. And every NHL game in North America is played on a standard-size rink, which means conditions in every building should be identical.

How many circles are on a hockey rink?

Five painted lines, nine dots, five circles and two trapezoids lie frozen in 10,600 gallons of water, all encased by fiberglass boards. A standard National Hockey League rink is 200 feet long and 85 feet wide.

Is Ovechkin right-handed?

Alex Ovechkin, the NHL star chasing Gretzky's all-time goals record, shoots his deadly floating, dipping, speeding shot right-handed and throws a baseball left-handed. Some left-right stats: Roughly 60 to 70 percent of NHL players are left-handed shooters, depending on the season.

Why are there no left-handed hockey sticks?

Safety concerns and injury prevention were the primary reasons for banning left-handed sticks from IHF-sanctioned competitions. According to officials, left-handed sticks create too much danger on the field when used in competition against right-handed sticks.

What does hockey stick hand mean?

The top hand on a hockey stick provides all of the control and touch, so it should be your dominant hand. If you hold the hockey stick with your right hand on top of the stick and your left hand down the stick, you are a left-handed shooter.

What is P in hockey stats?

P or PTS – Points – Scoring points, calculated as the sum of G and A. S - Shots on Goal - Total number of shots taken on net in the current season. PN - Penalties - Number of penalties the player has been assessed.

What does GF stand for in hockey?

It removes the statistical outlier for when you get shelled for seven goals, smooths out the game you get that five to one win. From NHL.com, this is the Western Conference teams ranked by points. GF=Goals For. GA=Goals Allowed.

What is a sniper in hockey?

Snipe/Sniper

A very commonly used term that most hockey fans should already know that refers to an insane shot that places the puck in a tiny space for a goal. A sniper is a player who can do this on a regular basis. Example: Dangle, Snipe, Celly, the perfect combination.

What is a cookie in hockey?

Top cookies: top shelf (where grandma hides the cookies) Trapezoid: the area behind the net where a goalie is allowed to play the puck. Turtle: when a player completely covers himself up as to not be involved in a fight. Twig: a hockey stick, also derived from when they used to be made of wood.

What is a pigeon in hockey?

Pigeon: describes a player that isn't good enough to score goals by himself, so he picks up the trash of his more skilled linemates.

What is a grocery stick?

Grocery Stick : A slang insult for a seldom used player, often an enforcer or "goon", who sits on the bench specifically to help a coach divide the defensemen and forwards. Advertisement.

What is the 7 hole in hockey?

'Six and Seven Hole': the six and seven holes are relatively new terms to identify the areas under either armpit of the goalie. Goaltenders who hold their trapper high or blocker further out to the side of their body are said to have six and seven holes.

Why can hockey goalies play the puck in the corners?

The goaltenders are only allowed to play the puck inside of the trapezoid when the puck goes behind the net. The idea was that this would limit the goaltender's ability to retrieve the puck for their team and would give the attacking team a greater chance at winning possession of the puck deep in their offensive zone.

Why do goalies scuff the crease?

Goalies scrape the ice around them with their skates and stick to prepare the crease before the start of play. They do this for a few reasons, to stop the build-up of snow, to make their crease flatter and to make the puck slide slower.

Do left wingers shoot left or right?

This position is commonly referred to by the side of the rink that the winger normally takes, i.e. "left wing" or "right wing." The side of the rink the player played on traditionally related to the side of their body they take a shot from (i.e. left-shooting playing left wing) but in recent decades more wingers have ...