Quiz on Ice Hockey

What is the rubber disc used in ice hockey called?

• Puck ✓ (Correct answer)
• Disc
• Wafer
• Ball

Source: The puck is frozen before games so it slides smoothly and doesn't bounce on the ice.

What is the premier professional ice hockey league in North America?

• NBA
• NHL ✓ (Correct answer)
• AHL
• NFL

Source: The NHL was founded in 1917 and is the world's top hockey league by talent and revenue.

A penalty sends a player to which area for a set time?

• Penalty box ✓ (Correct answer)
• Dugout
• Bullpen
• Bench

Source: The penalty box is nicknamed the 'sin bin', and the offending team must play short-handed while their player sits.

Restarting play by dropping the puck between two opposing players is called a what?

• Tip-off
• Faceoff ✓ (Correct answer)
• Kickoff
• Throw-in

Source: A referee drops the puck at a faceoff; quick reflexes here win possession dozens of times a game.

How many players from each team are on the ice during normal play?

• Five
• Six ✓ (Correct answer)
• Seven
• Four

Source: Six per side: three forwards, two defensemen and a goalie — pull the goalie and it briefly becomes five skaters.

What trophy does the NHL championship-winning team receive?

• Stanley Cup ✓ (Correct answer)
• Conn Smythe Trophy
• Vince Lombardi Trophy
• Art Ross Trophy

Source: Every winning player's name is engraved on the Stanley Cup — it's the only major trophy that travels and gets a day with each champion.

Scoring three goals in a single game is called what?

• Hat trick ✓ (Correct answer)
• Triple play
• Treble
• Three-peat

Source: Fans throw hats onto the ice to celebrate a hat trick — three goals by one player.

What protective equipment is most associated with a hockey goaltender?

• Catching glove ✓ (Correct answer)
• Batting helmet
• Shin guards
• Wicketkeeping pads

Source: A goalie's catching glove, or trapper, can snatch a puck flying over 100 mph clean out of the air.

Which country is widely regarded as the birthplace of modern ice hockey?

• Russia
• Sweden
• Canada ✓ (Correct answer)
• Finland

Source: The first organized indoor game was played in Montreal in 1875, and Canada has dominated the sport ever since.

Sending the puck across two lines untouched results in which infraction?

• Offside
• Holding
• Icing ✓ (Correct answer)
• Tripping

Source: Icing stops teams from just dumping the puck the length of the rink to relieve pressure.

How many periods make up a standard ice hockey game?

• Two
• Four
• Three ✓ (Correct answer)
• Five

Source: Three 20-minute periods, separated by two intermissions while the ice is resurfaced.

What is the name of the machine that resurfaces the ice between periods?

• Zamboni ✓ (Correct answer)
• Bobcat
• Groomer
• Smoother

Source: Named after inventor Frank Zamboni, it shaves, washes and lays a fresh sheet of water that refreezes glassy-smooth.

Which legendary player was nicknamed 'The Great One'?

• Bobby Orr
• Wayne Gretzky ✓ (Correct answer)
• Mario Lemieux
• Gordie Howe

Source: Gretzky holds so many records that the NHL retired his number 99 across the entire league.

What is a 'power play' in ice hockey?

• Pulling the goalie
• A man advantage ✓ (Correct answer)
• An overtime period
• A coach's timeout

Source: A power play means the opponent is penalized, so your team attacks with a temporary extra skater.

What does the term 'deke' describe in ice hockey?

• A slap shot
• A fake to fool opponents ✓ (Correct answer)
• A line change
• A body check

Source: Short for 'decoy', a deke is a deceptive move that tricks a defender or goalie out of position.

Which trophy is awarded annually to the NHL's most valuable player?

• Hart Trophy ✓ (Correct answer)
• Vezina Trophy
• Norris Trophy
• Calder Trophy

Source: The Hart Trophy goes to the MVP, while the Vezina, Norris and Calder reward goalies, defensemen and rookies.

Which event lets NHL players compete for national teams every four years?

• World Cup of Hockey
• The Winter Olympics ✓ (Correct answer)
• The Stanley Cup
• Ryder Cup

Source: The 'Miracle on Ice', where US college kids beat the Soviets in 1980, is the most famous Olympic hockey moment.

Which player holds the NHL record for most career goals?

• Wayne Gretzky
• Alexander Ovechkin ✓ (Correct answer)
• Gordie Howe
• Brett Hull

Source: Ovechkin passed Gretzky's long-standing record of 894 goals in 2025 — a mark many thought untouchable.

What is the official diameter of a regulation hockey puck?

• Three inches ✓ (Correct answer)
• Two inches
• Four inches
• Five inches

Source: A puck is three inches wide and one inch thick, weighing about six ounces of vulcanized rubber.

Which defenseman is the only one to win the NHL scoring title?

• Ray Bourque
• Paul Coffey
• Bobby Orr ✓ (Correct answer)
• Nicklas Lidstrom

Source: Bobby Orr revolutionized the position, twice leading the entire league in points from the blue line.