Hockey is a fairly popular sport, both in the United States and especially in its northern neighbor, Canada. We previously discussed the hockey GOAT debate. However, it is also important to discuss the basics of hockey. Without further ado, here is the answer to how many periods in hockey there are.
How Many Periods in Hockey Are There?
The answer to this question is fairly simple. There are a total of three periods in a hockey game. This is the case for any hockey game that does not go to an overtime period.
Learn the History of How Many Periods in Hockey There Are
As one might expect, the way that a hockey game was separated into periods has changed over time. Before 1910, hockey games did not have three periods. Instead, they had two halves that each lasted a total of 30 minutes. However, there were a number of problems with this setup for hockey games.
One of the main problems with two 30-minute halves for hockey games was ice buildup. The buildup of snow and ice caused delays, injuries, and rusting. It was clear that that system could not continue in the sport of hockey moving forward.
As a result, the National Hockey Association changed hockey games so that they were played in three 20-minute periods instead of two 30-minute halves. This new structure offered many benefits. One of the benefits of this change was that maintenance crews could now clean the rink more frequently. Cleaner rinks meant fewer injuries to players and an overall improvement in the quality of games.
Additionally, the new structure provided the players with more opportunities to rest. Teams and the league as a whole also benefited financially, since more periods encouraged fans to go to concession stands. This change improved hockey forever.
Who Was Responsible for the Change in How Many Periods in Hockey There Are?
As with many things, it can sometimes be difficult to figure out who was responsible for changing the structure of hockey games. Many people no doubt contributed to this change. However, this doesn’t mean that it is a complete mystery who deserves credit for this change.
According to most, the two people most responsible for this change were two brothers. Their names were Lester and Frank Patrick. This story credits them for hockey’s shift to three periods. The two of them believed that this change would benefit hockey in a number of ways. They were right.
How Many Periods Are There in Women’s Hockey?
There are some sports that have different timing rules for the men’s and women’s version of the game. One example of a sport that falls into this category is college basketball. Men’s college basketball games and women’s college basketball games do not last the same amount of time. However, this is not the case for hockey.
Women’s hockey games have three 20-minute periods just like men’s hockey games. This consistency makes things more simple when comparing men’s hockey and women’s hockey. In any case, it is important to note this fact.
How Many Intermissions Are There?
There are intermissions in the vast majority of sports and that includes hockey. In terms of intermissions in hockey, it is quite simple and easy to understand. There are a total of two intermissions in a hockey game.
Each intermission lasts 15 minutes long and gives the players time to rest, maintenance crews time to clean, and fans time to visit the arena’s concession stand. The intermissions take place between the first and second periods and between the second and third periods. Naturally, these intermissions are necessary for a number of reasons.
The intermissions changed over time as well, as one might expect. When there were only two 30-minute halves, there was only one intermission. This intermission happened between the first half and the second half. This intermission is similar to the modern concept of halftime in NBA games. It is important to note that this single intermission did help maintenance crews, players, and fans.
However, only one intermission led to many issues, as previously discussed. The structure of two intermissions in a hockey game is much better and has stood the test of time. There is still more to discuss about this topic, though.
How Does Overtime Work in the NHL?
When answering the question, how many periods in hockey there are, it is also necessary to discuss overtime. Many sports include the concept of overtime and hockey is no different. Overtime in the NHL works differently depending on whether it is a regular-season game or a playoff game.
In the regular season, the two NHL teams play a three-on-three overtime period that lasts five minutes in total. In most case, one team scores during this period. If not, then the game goes to a shootout and each team has three chances to score one-on-one against the goalkeeper.
Three rounds of the shootout are usually enough to determine the winner of the game. If the score remains the same after three shootout rounds, then the stakes become higher. The team that scores the next goal wins under these circumstances. However, it is different in the playoffs.
In a playoff game, the two teams play a full overtime period that lasts 20 minutes. This is the same length as a full period in a standard NHL game. The two teams continue playing until one team puts the ball in the back of the net. There are no shootouts in the NHL playoffs. The overtime periods simply continue until one team wins.
When Did the NHL Introduce Overtime?
Overtime hasn’t always been a part of the NHL. However, it has been around for quite some time. The NHL introduced overtime in 1921. The NHL changed the length of the overtime period several times.
First, the NHL decreased the length of the overtime period from 20 minutes to 10 minutes in 1927. They followed that up by changing the length of the overtime period to five minutes in 1983. Five-minute overtime periods continue in the NHL regular season to this day.
That concludes our discussion of the question: “how many periods in hockey are there?”