How To Say Hockey In Russian? [Expert Review!]

Hockey, the Winter Olympic and world championship sport, is one of the most popular sports in the world. But what do you say when you are talking about hockey in Russian? Let’s have a look at some of the most common phrases used in hockey conversations:

Акваждахта

This is the standard greeting used when somebody scores a goal in hockey. It literally means ‘good game’ but is often used to describe a good hit, goal or fantastic play during a game. You can use this after a game, at the end of a period, or when you see a really good play that you think deserves a ‘good game’ phrase. You can use this anywhere you would use ‘good game’ in English. For example:

– Очку выпустили, чтобы начать с акваждахты (She scored a goal, so let’s have a shootout to end the period)

– Я понял, что нашел ходу (I knew I was going to score a goal)

– Не порадовали? (Did you like it?)

Бронзовый круг

This is used when two or more teams are playing against each other and one of the teams is attacking the opponent. If you are playing defense, you can use this term, but it is more specific for when the teams are trading shots and there is a ‘rush’ to get the puck. The literal translation is ‘penny round’ which refers to the fact that the game is usually refereed by an assistant referee known as a ‘penny-round official.’ These officials are wearing a special badge, belt and whistle that only they can use and they have the ability to whistle for ‘penalty’ calls and stop play for ‘time’ outs. Before you start using this term, you must know that the ‘penny round’ is a very aggressive form of hockey, similar to football, and the language can get really intense. You can also use this term when referring to the play of a single player who is ‘going one-on-one’ with the goalie. This is considered a heroic play and the players in the rink will give you a round of applause!

– Целься сначала на штраф-рейгал, а потом на бронзовый круг (You start with a shtick, then you go for the gold, referring to the fact that the hockey players compete for the Stanley Cup, a gold-covered ice hockey cup)

– Я заставляю себя двигаться бронзовыми кругами! (I am commanding myself to move in penny-rounds!)

Нервозный ход

This is the hockey equivalent of a fight, or a ‘battle’ as they say in English. When two or more players get into a fight, you can say that the game is ‘outstanding’ and that they played ‘clean and hard.’ This is a common expression, especially when referring to hockey on TV, but you should use it with caution. This is a very serious game and you must be sure that the fights you see are real and not staged for television. Don’t ask me how I know, I just do…

– Как тебе удалось убить кого-то в нервозной ход? (How did you manage to beat somebody in a fight?)

– Нервозный ход – это так называемая сильна битва, которая идет между нашими любимыми. (It is a fight to the death between our beloved hockey teams!)

Побег за побегом

When one team is pursuing the other team to score a goal or to take the puck, whoever is ahead is said to be ‘on the offence,’ while the other one is ‘on the defense.’ In other words, ‘one-on-one’ combat is what you get when both teams are defending their goal and are trying to score against each other. If you are playing defense, you can use this term when referring to a situation where a player is chasing a puck that they just cornered after a hard shot. The play is over and the other team gets to start again from the end line.

– Простояв до конца, Игорь заставил Лукаса побегуть за побегом (Just for the fun of it, Igor made Lukas hurry up and run for the goal)

– Гайди воспрепятся, Норвегия на динозаврике! (Hockey players are very resilient, just like dinosaurs!)

На футбольной батарее

This is the phrase you will hear when somebody scores a goal on an ‘angle shot’ or when a puck bounces off the goalie and goes in. The goalie has no chance of stopping it, so it is ‘in.’ This is a variation of the usual ‘good goal,’ but you should use it when somebody hits the ball perfectly with the outside of the foot while playing ‘sticky wicket’ or trap hockey, a variation of hockey where the goalie wears a mask and pads and tries to block the shots rather than catching them.

Калейвики

This is the act of a player deliberately stepping on the blade of the opponent’s stick, which creates a short pause in the game, as they try to figure out how to play without a sword stuck in their throat. The act is very daring and embarrassing to the opponent, who usually has to leave the game. You can also use this when referring to the celebration of a goal that is followed by the injured player, usually a goalie, removing his equipment as he waits for the paramedics to arrive. The celebrating goalie must also remove his mask, to show that he is not playing but injured. This is considered a very serious violation of the rules and is often seen as a cowardly act that brings shame upon the player and his team. In my opinion, it is one of the most disgraceful actions a goalie can do. Just thinking about it makes me angry…

Выстрелка

This is a good goal that stops the opposing team’s attack. It comes from the French word ‘vaiselles,’ which can also mean ‘wildcat’ or ‘hyena,’ and is used when referring to a hard shot that takes the goalie by surprise and goes in. Usually, this is followed by a flurry of aggressive body movement on the part of the goalie, as he battles the puck and throws his body in the path of shots as they come at him from different angles. It is considered a heroic effort and the other players in the rink will give you a round of applause!