Glossary of Hockey Terms

A more complete list of hockey terms is available at Wikipedia, and other sites on the net. Here are some basics:

The rink
The rink is the area in which hockey in played. The ice surface is divided into three zone by the two blue lines: The neutral zone, and the two attacking/defending zones:

(rink diagram here)

The players
Teams play with six players on the ice a time. Substitutions can be made during play, without waiting for play to stop. Players are typically organized as follows:

• Goalkeeper ("goalie"): One player is designated as the goalkeeper. With additional protective equipment and additional privileges, the goalkeeper has the ultimate responsibility to defend the goal, and prevent the other team from scoring.
• Defense: Two players are designated as defense, usually left and right, for their general areas of responsibility. In the defensive zone, the defense usually play closest to the goal. In the offensive zone, the defense usually play in the area closest to the blue line.
• Forwards: Three players -- left wing, right wing, and center are the forward line. The forwards generally play closest to the opponent's goal when in the offensive zone, and have responsibility to cover the opposing defense players when in the defensive zone. The center usually covers the opposing center in the defensive zone.

Forwards are often organized into lines, who are generally on the ice together. Defense are usually organized in pairs, but both forwards and defense can rotate or split ice time when the number of players on the bench or the pace of the game dictates.