If you think being fluent in English means you can understand everything being said at the rink or in the stands at a hockey game, think again.
Hockey has developed its own language and added a whole new dimension of fun. Before you watch the next game, here's a hockey dictionary that will help you cheer up when your team is trailing and lift your spirits when your team wins.
Here we define 35 hockey slang words you're likely to hear at your local NCAA rink.
apple: assist
Barn burner: high score games
vendor: A player whose ankle bends while skating
bottle rocket: When a goalie breaks the goalie's water bottle on top of the net.
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Biscuit: pack
Hairdresser/Cosmetologist: A player who is loved not only for his technique but also for his personality. He's one of the coolest players on the team and always tells great stories. He might have the best flow on the team.
bucket: Helmet
Celie: Celebration after the goal
cheese: top shelf of the net
Chiclet: teeth
Chirp: say bad things about the other team
Clapper: slap
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Hanging: When a player becomes a deke (or decoy) by making a move that deceives the goalkeeper or an opposing player.Also used to describe the act of handling a stick
dirty: A term used to describe an outstanding deek.
Duster: Someone who doesn't have much playing time and is gathering dust on the bench.
Professor Pack is @SnoopDogg, is back with another episode explaining the meaning of classic hockey slang. 📖#StanleyCup https://t.co/SS6Tx3oNFs
— NHL (@NHL) April 18, 2018
egg: When the game ends 0-0
Face wash: When a player rubs an opponent's face with the palm of his glove simply to annoy him
Filthy: Another word for a great deke or pass, such as “dirty”
Flamingo: When a player stands like a flamingo with one leg raised so as not to interfere with the shot.
flow: Long hair – you can see it sticking out from the helmet
Gino: goals scored
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Gonsho: Games that get out of control due to big hits and high scores
Grocery sticks: A player who sits between the defender and attacker on the bench
Hoser: Trash talk term for calling a player or team a loser. This has been around for a while. Before the Zamboni was created, losing teams had to hose down the ice after the game.
Kronwald: Big hit by defenseman named after Red Wings star Nicklas Kronwall
lettuce: For hair, head and face
Turn on the lamp: Score a Goal – When a team scores a goal, a red light lights up behind the net.
Lip lettuce: moustache
muffin: A shot that should have swung in the air and stopped until it reached the net.
pillow: goaltender leg pads
Plumber: He may not be the best player on the team, but he's a hardworking player who does the dirty work in the corner.
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sieve: Goaltenders who allow a lot of goals are usually said to be full of holes.
Sin bin: penalty box
sweater: hockey jersey
Top shelf: ““Where Grandma Keeps the Good Stuff” – the top of the goal net between the crossbar and the goaltender's shoulders
Yard sale: If a player is hit so hard that he loses his equipment (stick, helmet, gloves) and is left on the ice after a play.
Sources: FloHockey, Bleacher Report, The Hockey Writers
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