Are you going to your first hockey game ever? Did you become interested in the sport recently but have no idea what fans and commentators are referring to?

Hopefully, this guide to some of ice hockey's terminology will help you follow the sport and blow everyone away with your knowledge. You will go from hockey vocabulary rookie to veteran in no time.

Assists: Goals are often assisted; meaning one or two other players helped set up the goal scorer by passing the puck to him.

Attack zone: The end of the ice where a team is trying to score a goal. Each team shoots at one attack zone twice; during the first and third periods. They also use the same attack zones for any overtime and a shootout. The goalies switch ends for the second period.

Breakaway: A move when one player is trying to get a goal by breaking out of the defensive zone and down towards their attack zone.

Clearing the zone: A term which refers to a player hits the puck out of their defensive zone and chases it down the ice; hoping to get back to the offensive end.

Defensive zone: The area where a team is trying to keep their opponents from making scoring chances and putting the puck in the net.

Four-on-four: Each team has four players on the ice for regular play, excluding the goalie. Four-on-four is also the overtime format. There are variations of four-on-four such as five-on-four, four-on three, etc.

Frozen puck: The puck is out of play by the goaltender who is allowed to cover it up with his hands. An offensive or defensive player cannot do this or receives a delay of game penalty.

Game misconduct: A penalty that requires the offending player to leave for the rest of the game.

Home Ice Advantage: Rewarded to the higher ranking team in professional hockey playoffs; the team gets to play four out of the seven game series in their own arena. Fans may have traditions or participate in other promotions to make home ice advantage even more exciting.

Major penalty: An incident such as fighting. Major penalties can also be given if other, usually minor, calls result in injury to an opposing player.

Minor penalty: Two minute penalty calls resulting from infractions such as hooking, holding, slashing, unsportsmanlike conduct, and others.

Overtime: A five minute, four-on-four period played when the game is tied at the end of three periods of regulation.

Penalty box: The area of the rink where a player sits to serve his penalty.

Penalty kill: The team

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