blue line
noun
: either of two blue lines that divide an ice hockey rink into three equal zones and that separate the offensive and defensive zones from the center-ice neutral zone
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web 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 The Flyers were turned back at the blue line, they were called for offsides and another face-off ensued outside the zone with 6.6 seconds left. Gene Myers, Detroit Free Press, 7 June 2022 The Colorado Avalanche dealt with an injury to Samuel Girard and added grit to their blue line by acquiring physical defenseman Josh Manson from the Anaheim Ducks for Boston College defenseman Drew Helleson and a 2023 second-round pick. Mike Brehm, USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2022 Shorthanded, Schaefer tips it past Clay Hanus at the blue line, then pushes it past a diving Taylor Gauthier who was way out of the net. Dylan Bumbarger, oregonlive, 20 Feb. 2022 Savard telegraphed rookie Gabriel Fortier’s bad pass at the blue line, jumping up to intercept it, juked past Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman and beat Lagace. Eduardo A. Encina, orlandosentinel.com, 28 Dec. 2021 Connor Murphy sent the puck out of the Hawks’ end to Reese Johnson, made a quick relay pass at the blue line to Toews. Phil Thompson, chicagotribune.com, 12 Dec. 2021 With 1:50 to go, Tampa delivered the coup de grâce, improbably again as Sergachev, from just inside the blue line, sent the puck through traffic and Palat deflected it home. BostonGlobe.com, 10 June 2022 Hakanpaa, the defenseman with one goal his previous 39 games, scored on a sniper shot from just inside the blue line 4:42 into the game, and only seconds after a faceoff, that went off a Coyotes player on the way to the net. Stephen Hawkins, The Arizona Republic, 27 Apr. 2022 See More
New York Times, 8 June 2022 The Flyers were turned back at the blue line, they were called for offsides and another face-off ensued outside the zone with 6.6 seconds left. Gene Myers, Detroit Free Press, 7 June 2022 The Colorado Avalanche dealt with an injury to Samuel Girard and added grit to their blue line by acquiring physical defenseman Josh Manson from the Anaheim Ducks for Boston College defenseman Drew Helleson and a 2023 second-round pick. Mike Brehm, USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2022 Shorthanded, Schaefer tips it past Clay Hanus at the blue line, then pushes it past a diving Taylor Gauthier who was way out of the net. Dylan Bumbarger, oregonlive, 20 Feb. 2022 Savard telegraphed rookie Gabriel Fortier’s bad pass at the blue line, jumping up to intercept it, juked past Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman and beat Lagace. Eduardo A. Encina, orlandosentinel.com, 28 Dec. 2021 Connor Murphy sent the puck out of the Hawks’ end to Reese Johnson, made a quick relay pass at the blue line to Toews. Phil Thompson, chicagotribune.com, 12 Dec. 2021 With 1:50 to go, Tampa delivered the coup de grâce, improbably again as Sergachev, from just inside the blue line, sent the puck through traffic and Palat deflected it home. BostonGlobe.com, 10 June 2022 Hakanpaa, the defenseman with one goal his previous 39 games, scored on a sniper shot from just inside the blue line 4:42 into the game, and only seconds after a faceoff, that went off a Coyotes player on the way to the net. Stephen Hawkins, The Arizona Republic, 27 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1925, in the meaning defined above