Hockey Glossary of Terms-H-K

Habs

Short for "Habitants", a nickname for the Montreal Canadiens. See Montreal Canadiens

Hacker

Refers to a player who lacks the skill and uses dirty tactics such as hooking, slashing and clutch and grab to try to check his opponents off the puck. See Clutch and grab.

Had his head down

Refers to a player who is usually looking at the puck and not looking at what is going on around him, thus making him an easy target for a bodycheck. Eric Lindros had his head down during the 1999-2000 playoffs when Kevin Stevens leveled him, possibly ending Lindros' career. See also keeping one's head up.

Hall of Fame

See Hockey Hall of Fame

Hall of Famer

Refers to a player who has been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. The traditional waiting period before a player can be inducted into the Hall of Fame is 3 years after his retirement. Some players have been inducted sooner because of their skill level: eg: Wayne Gretzky

Hand pass

A pass made with the hand, illegal unless done in the defensive zone. See Glove pass

Handcuffed

Refers to a player who is so tied up that he cannot get his stick on the puck.

Hang back

A move where a player will not follow the rush in, but will wait for the play to come to him. See also left wing lock, right wing lock.

Hat

Helmet

Hat Trick

A player who scores 3 goals in a game. If the goals are scored consecutively, it is called a Natural Hat Trick

Headmanning the puck

A player who passes the puck to a team mate ahead of him.

Heads up

A comment made to a player, indicating they should be aware of whats going on around them. Sometimes yelled to a player who is about to be checked without his knowledge of the impending check.

Heads up play

A smart play.

Heavy Traffic

Many players in a specific area of the ice surface. "There was heavy traffic in front of the net." See also, Traffic.

Heel

The part of the stick where the shaft turns into the blade.

Helmet

Protective equipment worn by players on their head. Craig McTavish was the last NHL player to retire without helmet. All players must now wear them.

Helper

An assist.

Hemmed in

Describes a team who is unable to get the puck out of their defensive end. See contain

He shoots, he scores!

A phrase coined by famed broadcaster Foster Hewitt when he did play by play announcing for the Toronto Maple Leafs out of the Mutual Street Arena and later, Maple Leaf Gardens. Most announcers use this phrase today to indicate when a player takes a shot and scores.

Hickory

Term used for hockey stick. See also Lumber

High heat

A shot to the top of the net. See also going upstairs, going top shelf

High sticking

Raising the stick above the shoulders. If a player hits another player, the referee may call a 2 minute penalty. If a player touches the puck with the stick above his shoulders and a team mate touches the puck next, the play is whistled down. A player may not touch the stick while it is above his shoulders and get credit for a goal.

Hip check

A check that is delivered to an opponent with the hip.

Hockey card

A collectible card with the players picture and statistics on it. Some of the major producers of hockey cards are Topps, Upper Deck, Parkhurst and Score. Over the years, collecting Hockey Cards has been a hobby of many youngsters and older people alike. Some cards can become very valuable depending on the player's ability and the number of cards of that player produced.

Hockey Hall of Fame

The "place" where players, builders and overall contributors to the game of hockey are recognized for their contributions. Members of the Hall of Fame are voted in after 3 years of retiring from the game. In certain instances, the 3 year period is waived. The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario. There is also a United States Hockey Hall of Fame

Hockey Night in Canada

The name of the CBC Television program that was originally shown on Saturday nights. The series began on radio and was led by Foster Hewitt, and later made its TV debut in 1952, making it North America's longest running TV sports program.

Hockeyist

Slang for a hockey player.

Holding

A player using his hands or arms to impede the progress of an opponent. The referee may call a 2 minute penalty.

Home and home

Refers to two teams who play each other in consecutive games, one game in each of their own rinks.

Hooking

Using the stick to impede the progress of an opponent. This infraction is usually done by a player who cannot catch up to his opponent and extends his stick, causing the blade to get caught in the opponents arms or around his waist.

Hot Stove League

The intermission show between periods on Hockey Night in Canada; originating during the radio broadcasts and later extending to the TV show. During this show the more controversial hockey issues were discussed between commentators around a pot bellied stove to give the show a down home atmosphere.

Hyperbaric chamber

A large cylinder or sphere where a player breathes pressurized oxygen. Injured players recover more quickly because of the increased oxygen in their system.

The "I"

The International Hockey League, IHL.

Ice cleaner

Today it is better known as the Zamboni, named after the company who manufacturers the unit. Prior to the modern ice cleaning techniques, the ice surfaces were shoveled and flooded with large water drums pulled around the ice surface.

Ice time

The amount of time a player logs during a game. Some of the more talented players can log up to 20-25 minutes.

Icing

If while at even strength or having a greater number of skaters on the ice, a team shoots the puck from their side of center and without touching an opposing player or his stick or skates, the puck crosses the offensive goal line, but does not go in the net, and an opposing player, but not the goalie touches the puck first, the puck is considered iced, and the resulting face off will occur in the defensive end of the team icing the puck.

Illegal stick

A stick that is too long, too wide or has to much of a curve on the blade. If detected the stick is confiscated and a 2 minute penalty is assessed. Generally it will be the opposition who makes the claim to the referee, who will then inspect the stick. Those player who have an illegal stick will also have several legal sticks on the bench, and at the first signs of being challenged, they will change sticks. See also banana blade, curve.

In alone

A puck carrier who is in on a breakaway with just the goalie to beat. See also breakaway.

In back of the net

Refers to players or the puck being behind the net.

In the zone

Refers to a player who is playing extremely well. Not relegated to just hockey.

Insurance goal

A goal that gives a team a two goal advantage. An goal is usually referred to as an insurance goal when it is scored late in the third period. See also go ahead goal.

Intentional offside

A play where a player deliberately puts himself offside. The resulting face off is held is taken all the way back to the offending players defensive zone. See offside, all the way.

Interference

Impeding a player progress who does not have possession of the puck. Subject to a 2-minute penaly.

Intermission

A 15 minute break between periods. During this time the ice is resurfaced. When the teams return to the ice, they switch ends.

Iron

Goal post or crossbar.

Jock strap

Athletic supporter

Judge of play

A second referee, used in games played in the 1910's and 1920's. The two referee system has been reinstated in the NHL in the 1998-1999 season. As of the 2000-01 season all games will be played using a 2 referee system.

Junior Hockey

Hockey that is played in Canada by players under the age of 20. The highest level of Junior hockey is major junior and is the greatest supplier of players selected in the NHL entry draft. See also Memorial Cup.

Katie-bar-the-door

A defensive strategy that emphasizes goal prevention rather than goal generation. Teams adopt this strategy when the game is close and they have a one goal lead. Also know as going into a defensive shell.

Keeping your head up

Watching what is going on around you, rather than just the puck to prevent an opponent from delivering a vicious check. See also had his head down.

Kick save

A save made by the goalie with his leg using a kicking reflex motion to steer the puck away from the net.

Killing a penalty

A team or player who prevents the opposition from gaining control of the puck. This can be done by shooting the puck down the ice, as a penalized team cannot be called for icing, or skating around with the puck to kill time. See ragging the puck.

Knee on knee hit

A dangerous type of body check where both players knees collide. This type