Roller hockey shares most of its vocabulary with ice hockey, with extra terms for skates, wheels and playing surfaces. The two main forms are inline hockey, played on inline skates with a puck or ball, and quad or rink hockey, played on traditional four-wheel roller skates with a ball and shorter, curved sticks. Most inline hockey is played four on four plus goalies, and many leagues have no offside or icing, although rules vary by organization. Key terms include backcheck, forecheck, crease, deke, faceoff, power play, sport court, wheels, bearings and rockering. This glossary explains the most common roller hockey terms in plain language, grouped by category, so new players, parents and fans can follow the game with confidence.
Rulebook note: Roller hockey is governed by several organizations with different rulebooks, including national federations, World Skate at the international level and various amateur and youth leagues. Team sizes, penalties, offside and icing rules, game length and equipment requirements differ between them. Always check the current rulebook for your specific league or tournament.
Quick reference table
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Inline hockey | Roller hockey played on inline skates, usually with a puck |
| Rink hockey | Roller hockey on quad skates with a ball, also called quad hockey |
| Sport court | Interlocking plastic tile playing surface |
| Crease | Marked area in front of the goal |
| Deke | A fake to beat an opponent |
| Power play | Playing with more skaters due to an opponent’s penalty |
| Rockering | Setting wheels at different heights for agility |
| Hilo setup | Chassis using smaller front wheels and a larger rear wheel |
Game and format terms
Inline hockey: The most common form of roller hockey in North America, played on inline skates, usually with a puck designed for smooth surfaces. Teams typically have four skaters and a goalie on the surface.
Rink hockey: Also called quad hockey or roller hockey in many countries, played on quad skates with a ball and sticks similar in shape to bandy sticks. It is especially popular in parts of Europe and South America.
Four on four: The standard number of skaters per side in most inline hockey, not counting goalies.
Faceoff: The restart in which the referee drops the puck or ball between two opposing players.
Period or half: A segment of game time. Many inline leagues use halves or periods with running or stop time, depending on the rulebook.
Running time: A clock that keeps running during stoppages, common in recreational leagues.
Stop time: A clock that stops whenever play stops.
Shootout: A tiebreaker in which players take one-on-one attempts against the goalie.
Overtime: Extra time played to decide a tied game, often with fewer skaters.
Positions and roles
Goalie: The player who defends the net, wearing specialized pads, a catching glove and a blocker.
Forward: An attacking player focused on creating and scoring chances.
Defense: A player responsible for protecting the zone in front of the goal and starting the attack.
Center: The forward who often takes faceoffs and supports both ends of the rink.
Captain: The player designated to speak with officials on behalf of the team.
Line change: Swapping players on and off the surface during play.
Rink and surface terms
Rink: The playing area, enclosed by boards. Inline rinks are often converted ice rinks or dedicated outdoor or indoor facilities.
Sport court: A surface of interlocking plastic tiles that provides consistent grip and is common in dedicated inline rinks.
Sealed concrete: A smooth, coated concrete surface used for many outdoor and some indoor rinks.
Boards: The walls surrounding the rink.
Crease: The marked area in front of each goal where rules often protect the goalie from interference.
Center line: The line dividing the rink in half, used for faceoffs and, in some leagues, for rules on passing or clearing.
Faceoff spots: Marked dots where faceoffs take place.
Play and tactics
Backcheck: Skating back toward your own goal to defend after losing possession.
Forecheck: Pressuring the opponent in their own end to win the puck or ball back.
Breakout: Moving the puck out of your defensive zone to start an attack.
Cycle: Keeping possession in the offensive corners by passing and moving in a loop.
Deke: A fake or quick move to get past a defender or goalie.
Give and go: Passing to a teammate and moving into space to receive a return pass.
Odd-man rush: An attack with more attackers than defenders, such as a two on one.
Screen: Standing in front of the goalie to block their view of a shot.
Rebound: A loose puck or ball after a save.
Wrist shot: A quick, accurate shot using a sweeping motion of the wrists.
Slap shot: A powerful shot with a large wind-up.
Snap shot: A hybrid shot with a short wind-up and quick release.
Penalties and officiating
Minor penalty: A short penalty, often two minutes, during which the penalized team plays shorthanded. Exact lengths vary by league.
Major penalty: A longer penalty for more serious infractions.
Bench minor: A team penalty served by any designated player.
Power play: Playing with more skaters because the opponent has a player in the penalty box.
Shorthanded: Playing with fewer skaters because of a penalty.
Penalty shot: A free attempt on the goalie awarded for certain fouls that deny a scoring chance.
Tripping, hooking, slashing: Common stick and body fouls that result in penalties.
Delay of game: A penalty for actions that stop play unnecessarily, such as deliberately shooting the puck out of the rink.
Equipment terms
Inline skates: Skates with wheels in a single line, standard for inline hockey.
Quad skates: Skates with two pairs of wheels side by side, used in rink hockey.
Chassis: The frame that holds the wheels on an inline skate.
Wheels: Rated by diameter in millimeters and hardness on the durometer A scale; softer wheels grip better, harder wheels last longer and roll faster.
Bearings: Components inside the wheels that allow them to spin; often rated by ABEC or similar precision scales.
Hilo setup: A chassis setup using smaller wheels at the front and larger wheels at the back, which tilts the skater slightly forward.
Rockering: Setting wheels at different heights so fewer wheels touch the ground at once, increasing agility.
Roller hockey puck: A puck designed for smooth surfaces, often with small nubs or runners to reduce friction.
Girdle: Padded shorts or protective pants worn under or instead of hockey pants.
How to learn the terms
- Start with the basics: faceoff, crease, power play and shorthanded.
- Watch games and listen to how coaches and commentators use the terms.
- Learn your equipment vocabulary before buying skates, wheels and bearings.
- Read your league’s rulebook to understand local variations.
- Ask coaches and teammates to explain unfamiliar terms during practice.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming ice hockey rules apply unchanged to roller hockey.
- Confusing inline and rink hockey, which use different skates, sticks and balls or pucks.
- Buying the wrong wheel hardness for your surface.
- Ignoring league-specific rules on offside, icing and penalties.
- Using an ice puck on roller surfaces.
Frequently asked questions
Is there offside in roller hockey?
Many inline hockey leagues do not use offside or icing, but some do, and rink hockey has its own rules. Check your league’s rulebook.
How many players are on a roller hockey team?
Inline hockey usually has four skaters and a goalie per side on the surface, with extra players on the bench.
What is the difference between inline and rink hockey?
Inline hockey uses inline skates and usually a puck, while rink hockey uses quad skates, a ball and differently shaped sticks.
