How Many Periods Are In A Hockey Game?
The game of hockey is comprised of three periods, each lasting 20 minutes. Teams try to score goals during each period by shooting the puck into the opposing team’s net. Players are also allowed to body-check opponents to gain control of the puck.
A variety of penalties can be called during the game, resulting in a player being sent to the penalty box. As with most sports, hockey is governed by rules that players must follow to ensure fair play.
How Overtime Works In The NHL
In the National Hockey League, overtime determines a winner in regular-season games that are tied after regulation time has expired. During the regular season, each game is worth two points in the standings, so it is crucial to break the tie as quickly as possible.
During overtime, each team can have three skaters on the ice instead of the standard five. This creates more open ice and often leads to faster, more exciting play. The first team to score during overtime is declared the winner. If no one scores during overtime, the game will go into a best-of-three shootout to determine who will get the two points, while the losing team receives one.
In the playoffs, however, overtime is played until there is a winner, regardless of how long it takes. As a result, playoff games often feature long periods of overtime play before a winner is finally crowned.
Hockeys Fast Pace Makes It Exciting To Watch
One of the things that makes hockey so exciting is its fast pace. The game is played on a large rink, and there is much room for skating. Players can cover a lot of ground quickly and often make sudden changes in direction. This can make it hard to predict what will happen next and keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.
And because the players are constantly moving, there is a lot of action to watch. This can be incredibly exhilarating during a close game when every play could make a difference. For these reasons, many people find hockey one of the most exciting sports to watch.
