A hockey blade for a hockey stick for striking a game projectile during hockey play. The preferred hockey blade has horizontal arcuate channels disposed on each of a first striking face and a second striking face of a projectile striking member whereby the striking faces of the hockey blade demonstrate improved control over a spherical game projectile. A plurality of vertical score lines may be disposed on one or both striking faces of the hockey blade. The upper and lower edges of the horizontal arcuate channels may be displaced from the upper and lower edges of their respective striking faces, and the vertical score lines may be located only in the horizontal arcuate channels.