at the puck between

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at the puck between" is not correct and does not make sense in written English.
It seems to be an incomplete or incorrect expression, and without context, it is unclear when it could be used. Example: "The player aimed at the puck between the defenders."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

St . Louisjabbed at the puck between Jonsson's feet and was off on a breakaway.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Plekanec restored the lead with a similar goal at 12 24 as he swiped the puck between two defenders and had it beat Lundqvist.

The Guardian - Sport

Less than two minutes later, Gaborik, the Rangers' top scorer in the regular season, got free in the Ottawa end, deked Anderson, and made it 2-0 by slipping the puck between his legs at 16:24.

The New York Times - Sports

Gomez flipped a perfect pass to Stevenson, who shoved the puck between Salo's pads at 5 06.

The New York Times - Sports

Miller scored on his first shift, skating around defenseman Brian Strait and firing the puck between the legs of goalie Evgeni Nabokov at 1 minute 29 seconds.

The New York Times - Sports

At 2 55 of the first period, Grahame allowed Parrish to poke the puck between his pads and the Islanders had a 2-0 lead.

The New York Times - Sports

It went to Patrice Bergeron, who twirled and put the puck between Henrik Lundqvist's pads for the decisive goal at 11 minutes 52 seconds.

The New York Times - Sports

But it was the Coyotes who scored, when Lauri Korpikoski stole the puck from defenseman Brad Stuart, warded off Henrik Zetterberg's backcheck and got the puck between goalkeeper Jimmy Howard's legs with the Coyotes' first shot at 4 10.

The New York Times - Sports

Briere put the puck between Michal Neuvirth's pads.

The New York Times - Sports

A face-off, in which an official drops the puck between opposing players, follows the infraction.

Encyclopedia Britannica

At first it looked as if McKay had fanned on the shot, but he put enough on it to get the puck between Hebert's legs.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing hockey plays, ensure clarity by specifying the action related to the puck, such as "aiming", "reaching", or "competing" for it, instead of relying solely on the preposition "at". This will enhance understanding and avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "at" without a clear action verb describing what's happening with the puck. For instance, instead of "at the puck between", specify the player's intention, like "aiming at the puck" or "battling for the puck".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at the puck between" functions as a prepositional phrase, attempting to describe a location or direction in relation to the puck. However, it lacks a clear verb, making the intended action ambiguous. According to Ludwig, this is not correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "at the puck between" is a prepositional phrase used in the context of hockey. However, it is deemed grammatically incorrect due to the lack of a verb to complete the meaning. As Ludwig AI pointed out, the phrase by itself is not correct, without any specific context. It appears infrequently, primarily in sports news and media, and is best replaced with more descriptive phrasing that includes an action verb, such as "aiming at the puck between" or "battling for the puck between". While sources like The New York Times use the phrase, it is not considered a best practice due to its ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

aiming for the puck between

This alternative clarifies the intention behind the action, focusing on the aim rather than just the location.

toward the puck between

This alternative uses a more general preposition to indicate direction without specifying a precise point.

reach for the puck between

This option replaces "at" with a verb that implies extending to grab or poke at the puck.

play the puck between

This option frames the action as a game action to get possession of the puck.

positioned near the puck between

This describes the player's placement in relation to the puck and the other players.

compete for the puck between

This frames the action as a competition action to get possession of the puck.

battling for the puck between

This version emphasizes the competitive struggle for possession of the puck between players.

challenge for the puck between

This frames the action as a challenge to get possession of the puck.

skating for the puck between

This alternative gives context related to skating action to get possession of the puck.

move for the puck between

This highlights the action of trying to get possession of the puck between players.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "at the puck between" to be grammatically correct?

To improve the phrasing, use action verbs that describe the player's intention, such as "aiming "at the puck between"", or focus on the competition for it, like "competing "for the puck between"".

What is a more precise way to describe hockey plays instead of saying "at the puck between"?

Instead of using "at the puck between", describe the specific action being performed with the puck. For instance, use "passing "the puck between" players" or "shooting "the puck between" the goalie's legs" for clarity.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "at the puck between"?

Given its grammatical ambiguity, it's best to avoid "at the puck between" and instead opt for clearer, more descriptive phrasing. Specifying the action clarifies the play.

What are some alternatives to "at the puck between" that emphasize spatial relations?

Consider using phrases that highlight spatial relationships, such as "near "the puck between" players" or "positioned "near the puck between"", to indicate the player's placement in relation to the puck and other players.