rag the puck

present singular third person rags the puck · participle present ragging the puck · participle past ragged the puck · past ragged the puck

1. hobbiesTo retain possession of the puck by skillful skating and stickhandling without attempting to score, as a deliberate tactic intended to use up time.

   So confident and serene were the Red Wings that despite have several opportunities to attempt empty-netters from their own end, they opted to coolly rag the puck in the neutral zone.

   2002 September 11, “Blues frustrated again by Detroit efficiency”, in Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, retrieved 12 May 2008

   Synonyms: run out the clock

2. CanadabroadlyTo proceed slowly in order to use up time; to stall for time.

   You're having a brutal year, with sales of Hyundais in Canada down nearly 20 per cent. Are you just trying to rag the puck and kill time until the new Sonatas arrive?

   2004 September 30, Michael Vaughan, “Five Questions for President, CEO Hyundai Canada”, in Globe and Mail, Toronto, retrieved 12 May 2008

   1 more example

   We're kind of running the clock here and there's a question as to whether the government's ragging the puck. There's absolutely no reason why we can't get an agreement. I'm optimistic we can, but it's getting a bit late.

   2010 June 12, Michael Ignatieff, “Harper may be ‘ragging the puck’ on detainee records: Ignatieff”, in Globe and Mail, Toronto, retrieved 12 Jun 2010