What Is a Hockey Game? Periods, Rules and How It Works
A hockey game is a team sport in which players use sticks to move a puck or ball into the opposing team’s goal. The word “hockey” can refer to several forms of the sport, but ice hockey is the version most often associated with periods, faceoffs, skates and a puck.
How many periods are in an ice hockey game?
A standard ice hockey game has three periods. Each regulation period lasts 20 minutes of playing time in major professional and international competitions. The clock stops whenever play is interrupted, so the total time in the arena is considerably longer than 60 minutes.
There are two intermissions between the periods. Players leave the ice, teams review tactics and the ice surface is usually resurfaced before the next period begins. The team with more goals after the third period wins.
What happens if an ice hockey game is tied?
If the score is level after regulation, the competition rules determine the next stage. Many leagues use a short sudden-death overtime period, during which the first team to score wins. Overtime may be played with fewer skaters on the ice, creating more open space and faster attacking chances.
If neither team scores in overtime, a shootout may decide the result. Selected players take one-on-one attempts against the opposing goaltender. Shootout rules vary between leagues and tournaments, and some playoff competitions continue with additional overtime periods instead of using a shootout.
What happens during a hockey game?
Each team normally has skaters and a goaltender on the ice. Players compete for possession, pass the puck, create scoring chances and defend their own net. A game begins with a faceoff, and faceoffs are also used to restart play after certain stoppages.
Officials enforce rules covering actions such as tripping, holding, high-sticking and illegal body contact. A player who breaks a rule may receive a penalty and spend time in the penalty box. The opposing team can then have a power play, giving it a temporary numerical advantage.
The playing time is divided into three periods rather than four quarters, which is one of the defining features of an ice hockey match. The exact roster size, overtime format, rink dimensions and penalty details can differ between professional leagues, international competitions and youth hockey.
Is field hockey played in periods?
Field hockey is a different version of hockey played on a grass or artificial-turf pitch with a hard ball instead of an ice hockey puck. Modern field hockey matches are generally divided into four quarters, each lasting 15 minutes under international rules, with breaks between sections of play.
That means the answer depends on the type of hockey being discussed: ice hockey usually has three periods, while field hockey commonly has four quarters. Checking the competition rules is useful because playing time and overtime procedures can vary.
