Plain-language explanations of the rules and terminology that come up most for families new to the game.
This glossary covers the hockey terms and rules families search for most: what a power play is, how blue lines and zones work, checking vs. cross-checking, how faceoffs work, referee signals and officiating basics, and common shorthand like PIM and "sniper." For equipment sizing, see our equipment guides; for club tiers (AAA/AA/House), see our clubs directory.
A power play happens when the other team has a player serving a penalty, so your team skates with more players on the ice -- most commonly five against four. The team with the extra skater is "on the power play"; the team down a player is "on the penalty kill." Coaches typically build a dedicated power-play unit, a group of players who run this situation specifically, because it plays so differently from even-strength hockey -- more passing and set plays, less pressure to just clear the puck.
Most power plays are 5-on-4: one skater off the ice for a minor penalty. If a second player from the same team is also serving time -- their own separate penalty, or one that started while the first was already running -- the power-play team gets a 5-on-3, a two-skater advantage and one of the best scoring chances in the sport. It doesn't last as long as the numbers suggest: the moment the shorthanded team gets back to four skaters, either because a penalty expires or a goal ends one early, it drops back down to a regular 5-on-4.
It depends on the penalty. A standard minor (tripping, hooking, too many players, and similar calls) runs 2 minutes in a full-length game and ends immediately if the power-play team scores. Two minors to the same player at the same stoppage become a double minor -- 4 minutes total, but only the first half ends early on a goal; score again in the back half and that one ends too. A major penalty (5 minutes, typically for fighting or a dangerous hit) doesn't end early no matter how many goals go in -- the penalized team plays short-handed for the full five minutes. NHL and adult games use these full lengths because their periods run a full 20 minutes. Younger age groups usually don't: under USA Hockey's official rules, penalty lengths are scaled down for shorter periods -- 1 minute for periods of 12 minutes or less, 1:30 for periods between 12 and 17 minutes, and the full 2:00 once periods reach 17 minutes or longer. Individual associations can set their own exceptions above the 14U level, so check your league's actual rules if the exact number matters for a specific game.
A power-play goal ends the penalty right there, even if time is still on the clock, and the penalized player skates straight back onto the ice. If the shorthanded team scores instead, that's a shorthanded goal -- your team finding the net while a teammate is still in the box. It happens less often than a power-play goal, simply because you're defending with fewer skaters, which is exactly why it tends to swing a game's momentum when it does.
| Power Play | Penalty Kill | |
|---|---|---|
| Skaters on ice | 5 vs. 4 (or 5 vs. 3) | 4 vs. 5 (or 3 vs. 5) |
| Team's goal | Score before the penalty expires | Prevent a goal and run out the clock |
| Typical approach | Puck possession and passing for a clean shot | Pressure the puck carrier, block passing lanes, clear the zone |
| A good outcome | A power-play goal | Penalty expires with no goal against -- or a shorthanded goal for them |
The core idea -- more skaters against fewer -- is the same at every level, from a first-year U10 game up through the NHL. What changes is the fine print: penalty lengths, how many officials work the game, and how strictly certain calls get made can all vary by age group, association, and league. If you're trying to understand a specific call from a specific game, USA Hockey's official rulebook (or your league's own rules, if it isn't a USA Hockey affiliate) is the source to check -- not an assumption based on how the NHL runs it.
A hockey puck is a vulcanized rubber disc, 3 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick, weighing about 6 ounces -- standard across all levels from youth to the NHL. Pucks are frozen before games at higher levels of play so they slide flatter and bounce less on the ice; that's a detail that matters more at the competitive/pro level than for a typical youth practice.
The two blue lines divide the rink into three zones: the defensive zone (in front of your own goal), the neutral zone (the middle third), and the offensive zone (in front of the opponent's goal). The blue lines are what offside calls are based on -- an attacking player generally can't enter the offensive zone ahead of the puck. Not every rink is exactly the same size: NHL rinks are a standard 200 by 85 feet, but international and some other rinks are wider (Olympic-size), and youth/community rinks can vary somewhat, so always check with your specific facility if dimensions matter for what you're doing.
A typical game uses either one or two referees plus two linesmen, depending on the level -- youth games often run with fewer officials than a full four-person crew. Referees signal penalties with specific hand gestures (for example, both fists tapping together for tripping, or a chopping motion to the wrist for slashing) so players, coaches, and fans can identify the call before it's announced. "Misconduct" is a more serious penalty category (typically 10 minutes) for unsportsmanlike conduct, separate from standard minor penalties. Becoming a certified official generally starts through your local USA Hockey affiliate, which runs referee certification clinics for different levels.
Body checking is legal contact used to separate an opponent from the puck, permitted at some age levels and not others -- see our U14 / Bantam guide for when checking is typically introduced. Cross-checking (hitting with the shaft of the stick held in both hands) is illegal at every level. A "donnybrook" is old hockey slang for a fight or brawl -- informal terminology, not an official rules term.
A faceoff restarts play after a stoppage: the referee drops the puck between two opposing players who battle to control it. Winning faceoffs consistently is a real, coachable skill -- it comes down to stick positioning, reading the referee's drop timing, and body positioning to shield the puck once it's won, not just reacting faster than the other player.
The hockey stop (turning the blades sideways to shave off speed) is one of the first advanced skills youth players work on after learning to skate forward and backward -- it takes real practice time and isn't something most beginners pick up in a single session. Crossovers (stepping one skate over the other while turning) build speed around curves, and are foundational for skating agility drills at every level above beginner.
Youth teams typically rotate players through multiple forward and defense positions early on rather than fixing a young player into one position permanently -- specialization tends to happen gradually as players get older and coaches see where a player's skills fit best.
"AAA" and "Tier 1" refer to the same thing -- the highest, tryout-based competitive level in youth club hockey. "Tier 2" generally refers to AA. See our AAA vs AA vs House League guide for the full breakdown of how the levels compare, or browse real programs by level in our AAA, AA, and House League directories.
A typical youth hockey season runs roughly September through March, though exact dates vary by association and level. The NHL season is a separate, longer professional calendar -- if you're asking about NHL start dates or the NHL's annual outdoor "Winter Classic" game, that's pro-league scheduling, distinct from youth club seasons, and changes every year, so check NHL.com directly for current dates rather than relying on a static answer here.
Modern ice hockey traces back to informal games played in 19th-century Canada, formalized over subsequent decades into the organized sport played today. We keep this section deliberately brief rather than asserting specific dates or "firsts" we can't verify -- for a properly sourced history, a dedicated hockey history resource is a better reference than a youth-club-focused site like this one.
When the opposing team has a player in the penalty box, giving your team a numbers advantage on the ice (usually 5-on-4). The team with the advantage is on the "power play"; the short-handed team is on the "penalty kill."
A two-skater power play: two players from the same team are serving penalties at once, so their opponent has five skaters against three. It's a bigger advantage than the more common 5-on-4.
A goal scored by the team that's killing a penalty -- while one of their own players is still in the penalty box. It's less common than a power-play goal since the shorthanded team is defending with fewer skaters.
2 minutes for a standard minor penalty, 4 minutes for a double minor, or 5 minutes for a major (majors don't end early on a goal). Youth games with shorter periods often use shorter penalty times -- check your league's rules for the exact numbers.
The basic idea -- more skaters against fewer -- is the same at every level. Penalty lengths can differ: the NHL and adult leagues use full 2-minute/5-minute penalties, while many youth levels run shorter penalty times scaled to shorter periods, under USA Hockey's rules.
One of two lines dividing the rink into three zones (defensive, neutral, offensive). The blue lines are the basis for offside calls -- an attacking player generally can't enter the offensive zone ahead of the puck.
Penalty Minutes -- a player's cumulative time spent in the penalty box over a season.
Faceoff success comes down to stick positioning, reading the referee's drop timing, and body positioning to shield the puck once it's won -- a coachable, practiced skill rather than pure reaction speed.
Body checking is legal contact used to separate an opponent from the puck, permitted at some age levels. Cross-checking -- hitting with the shaft of the stick held in both hands -- is illegal at every level.
AAA (also called Tier 1) is the highest, tryout-based competitive level in youth club hockey, above AA (Tier 2) and House League. See our AAA vs AA vs House League guide for the full breakdown.
3 inches in diameter, 1 inch thick, about 6 ounces -- standard across youth, college, and NHL play.
Forward (center and left/right wing), defenseman, and goalie. Forwards focus on scoring and forechecking, defensemen on defending the zone and starting breakouts, and goalies use an entirely separate equipment set and skill set from the rest of the team.