neutral zone
noun
: the portion of an ice hockey rink between the attacking and defensive zones
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Along the way, the Wings didn’t rule the neutral zone and committed too many turnovers. 
Gene Myers, Detroit Free Press, 24 May 2022 The Wamps excelled at controlling the neutral zone. Cam Kerry, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Feb. 2022 Great acceleration sprinting through open lanes in the neutral zone. Kyle Woodlief, USA TODAY, 7 July 2022 As the Avs pushed the puck up the ice, Shanahan rode Lemieux out of the play along the boards in the neutral zone. Detroit Free Press, 26 June 2022 Breaking Vancouver’s neutral zone pressure proved a chore, even thought the Hawks placed an emphasis in practice on their forecheck. Phil Thompson, chicagotribune.com, 1 Feb. 2022 Then Palat, who scored the game-winning goal in Game 3 with less than a minute remaining, swung around in the neutral zone and fired a pass to his linemate, Kucherov, who was waiting alone at the blue line. New York Times, 8 June 2022 Then Steve Yzerman wheeled through the neutral zone, got one skate across the blue line and fired, just for the heck of it, from 60 feet. Gene Myers, Detroit Free Press, 31 May 2022 Fox scooped up a Tampa giveaway in the neutral zone and tapped the puck to Mika Zibanejad, who then beat Vasilevskiy over the right shoulder to tie for the team lead with nine playoff goals to make it 3-1. Vincent Z. Mercogliano, USA TODAY, 4 June 2022 See More
Gene Myers, Detroit Free Press, 24 May 2022 The Wamps excelled at controlling the neutral zone. Cam Kerry, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Feb. 2022 Great acceleration sprinting through open lanes in the neutral zone. Kyle Woodlief, USA TODAY, 7 July 2022 As the Avs pushed the puck up the ice, Shanahan rode Lemieux out of the play along the boards in the neutral zone. Detroit Free Press, 26 June 2022 Breaking Vancouver’s neutral zone pressure proved a chore, even thought the Hawks placed an emphasis in practice on their forecheck. Phil Thompson, chicagotribune.com, 1 Feb. 2022 Then Palat, who scored the game-winning goal in Game 3 with less than a minute remaining, swung around in the neutral zone and fired a pass to his linemate, Kucherov, who was waiting alone at the blue line. New York Times, 8 June 2022 Then Steve Yzerman wheeled through the neutral zone, got one skate across the blue line and fired, just for the heck of it, from 60 feet. Gene Myers, Detroit Free Press, 31 May 2022 Fox scooped up a Tampa giveaway in the neutral zone and tapped the puck to Mika Zibanejad, who then beat Vasilevskiy over the right shoulder to tie for the team lead with nine playoff goals to make it 3-1. Vincent Z. Mercogliano, USA TODAY, 4 June 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1948, in the meaning defined above