Five-hole

Lore & Background

The term 'five-hole' and its first recorded usage was in 1972 by legendary goalie Jacques Plante in his book, On Goaltending. The name derives from the five open areas a goaltender must cover when in the ready position: glove side high, glove side low, stick side high, stick side low, and the five-hole between the leg pads and skates. This area is protected by the blade of the stick at all times and is closed up by the upper leg pads when the goalie is in the butterfly position.

There are two additional areas, the 6 hole (under the glove side arm) and 7 hole (under the stick side arm), which are less commonly used terms. The term is also used in basketball, association football, field hockey, and lacrosse. In baseball, the term is used to describe a wild pitch between the catcher's legs.

Reader's Guide

The five-hole is a fundamental concept in goaltending, representing a vulnerable area that shooters target and goalies work to seal. Its introduction into hockey terminology by Jacques Plante in 1972 formalized a way to describe and discuss this specific scoring zone. The term's adoption across multiple sports—basketball, association football, field hockey, lacrosse, and baseball—demonstrates its utility as a concise descriptor for a gap between a defender's legs. In hockey, the five-hole is protected by the blade of the goaltender's stick at all times, and the butterfly style of goaltending closes this area with the upper leg pads. The existence of the less common 6 hole and 7 hole terms shows an extended numbering system for other vulnerable areas, though the five-hole remains the most widely recognized and used term among players, coaches, and fans.