the boards

plural noun

US
: the low wooden wall that surrounds the playing surface in ice hockey
He crashed into the boards.

Examples of the boards in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The forward deked past the goaltender, backhanded the puck into the net and then slid into the boards. Peter Baugh, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025 As a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Television Academy, and the Producers Guild of America, Goetz serves on the boards of six nonprofit organizations. Leia Mendoza, Variety, 7 Oct. 2025 Earlier this year, the fan-favorite NBC series Smash — about the making of a fictional Marilyn Monroe bio-musical called Bombshell — debuted on the boards, though has since closed. Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025 Both Lachlan and James were appointed to the boards of both companies, and that period eventually paved the way for the sale of 21st Century Fox to Disney. Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025 Cranston says the boards without prices contain Easter eggs. Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 3 Sep. 2025 Her impact extended beyond the boards, with Reese adding 24 points and seven assists. Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2025 Standout defenseman Niko Mikkola, who left the Game 3 victory after crashing hard into the boards and forward A.J. Greer, who left Game 3 in the final minutes, also were ruled out for Game 4. Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 26 May 2025 The second-pair defenseman, who has been stellar for the Panthers all throughout the postseason, left midway through the third period of Saturday’s 6-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final after crashing into the boards shoulder first and in discomfort. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 25 May 2025

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“The boards.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20boards. Accessed 11 Oct. 2025.

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