Ice hockey is a thrilling game that has millions of fans worldwide. This game involves strategies, skills, and a keen interest in playing. Ice hockey was initially played in Canada, but now people around the world know it, and it is mostly played in Europe. People of all ages enjoy this game.
In this article, we will dig into: How long is an ice hockey game?
Length of a Professional Ice Hockey Game
The most frequently asked question by fans of hockey games is, How long is an ice hockey game? Fans around the world want to know the exact timing rules and regulations of the game so it is easier for them to understand.
The common NHL ice hockey games are about 60 minutes long, with three sections of twenty minutes each. Each session has an intermission lasting over 15–20 minutes. Sometimes, a shorter game is also played. Most of the time, an ice hockey game takes over two hours to compile, whereas the actual game is only about sixty minutes so far.
In order to understand how long an ice hockey game is, let’s dig into some of the basic hockey tactics.
Bais of a hockey game
In order to understand how long an ice hockey game lasts, we need to understand the basic concepts of ice hockey.
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Intermissions and periods
In an ice hockey game between games, two to three intermissions are allowed that encourage players to take some rest and create strategies for their game as well.
What is the difference between an ice hockey and an NHL hockey game?
| Ice Hockey | NHL Hockey |
| Ice hockey game has various overtime that may include sudden death, periods, and shoutouts. | If a game ties in regulation time then it will proceed to overtime. |
| Ice hockey is played regardless of league and competition. | NHL hockey game is played between professional teams of the United States and Canada. |
| Ice hockey can be played anywhere even for recreational purposes. | NHL hockey is a professional league with strict rules and regulations, governing player contracts. |
| Ice hockey can be found in many countries with leagues of its own and competitions. | NHL hockey consists of 32 teams from major cities in Canada and the United States. |
What is overtime in the Ice Hockey Game?
In order to understand How Long is an Ice Hockey Game is, we need to understand the overtime as well.
Overtime is the additional time that occurs at the end of the game if the score is tied. In order to finish the game, overtime is played so one team can win the game.
What overtime could typically occur in an ice hockey game?
Overtime period: In most hockey games, including ice hockey games, overtime is usually very short. As one team scores a goal, overtime is finished. Overtime takes place usually because of the tie in the game. As one team scores a goal, the other team automatically loses the match, which is why overtime is short.
Shoutout: If during the game both teams are not able to score any goals, then a shoutout time is given. In this shoutout time, the entire team does not play the game, but a few selected players come forward and try to take penalty shots against the goaltender of the opposite team. The team that is able to make the most scores in the shoutout time is considered the winning team.
Point System: In an ice hockey match, if a team is losing the match, even then it may receive a point, and the winning team may receive two points, depending on the rules and regulations of the game.
Regulation Time: The ice hockey game is sixty minutes long with three periods; each period lasts for twenty minutes. If, within this time span, the game is tied, then the game proceeds to overtime.
What are the additional time factors that may affect the ice hockey game?
While studying How Long is an Ice Hockey Game, we also have to go through some additional factors that may affect the duration of the game. These factors are:
Injuries may increase game time
When going through how long an ice hockey game is, we go through some additional factors that include injuries to the player during the match
If during the ice hockey match a player meets any injury unfortunately for a few minutes or so the match is stopped. If the condition of the player is serious he might even leave the match as well.
Commercials may increase game time
When a player is injured in an ice hockey game, broadcast companies may take advantage of this and play their commercials, which can result in an increase in game time.
Penalties may increase game time
During an ice hockey game, penalties may also occur, like fighting between the players and so on, which eventually increases the time of the game.
Maintaining peace during an ice hockey game
When studying how long is an ice hockey game lasts, you also need to consider the factors of peace and precision. In ice hockey games or in any other sport, maintaining peace is very essential.
For fair play and from the players’ perspective, peace plays a very important role in the game. Even when arguing about goals or penalties, the boundaries must not be crossed, and a peaceful environment must be maintained, not only for players but also for the audience.
Conclusion: How long is an ice hockey game
All the hockey games, specifically the ice hockey games, have 3 periods of 20 minutes total. But the game’s duration is about 2 hours or more. This happens because of the breaks or intermissions that take place for the rest of the players.
In this article, other factors are also explained that affect the duration of ice hockey games. In order to understand how long an ice hockey game is, you have to go through all the factors; furthermore, the major difference between an ice hockey game and an NHL game is also explained.
Mark Wilson is a sports writer who loves to share stories about different sports like baseball and soccer. He grew up in Chicago, USA, and always enjoyed watching and playing sports.
