How Long Is A Hocket Game

How Long is a Hockey Game?

Okay, so you’re curious about how long a hockey game lasts? It’s a great question because it’s not as simple as saying “it’s always exactly this many minutes.” Hockey games have a flow of their own, and several things can impact the total time. Let’s break it all down so you have a clear understanding of what to expect when you’re watching a game, whether it’s your first time or you’re a seasoned fan!

The Standard Game Length: Three Periods

At the heart of every hockey game is the division into three periods. In most professional and high-level amateur hockey leagues, each period is 20 minutes long. So, if you just looked at the active playing time, you’d think a game should be about 60 minutes long (20 minutes x 3 periods = 60 minutes). However, it’s much more than that! Why? Because of stoppages. We will look into stoppages in detail later, but for now, you should know that the clock stops whenever the play is interrupted for any reason.

Intermissions: A Time to Regroup and Refuel

Between each period, there’s an intermission, a break for the players to catch their breath, strategize with their coaches, and get ready for the next period. Usually, intermissions last for about 15 to 18 minutes. That time is not part of the actual game clock and adds to the overall duration of the game. These intermissions provide players the much needed rest they require.

Timing Breakdown for Regular Play

Let’s recap the time involved in a standard hockey game without considering any stoppages or overtime (we’ll get to that!).

• Period 1: 20 minutes
• Intermission 1: Approximately 15-18 minutes
• Period 2: 20 minutes
• Intermission 2: Approximately 15-18 minutes
• Period 3: 20 minutes

If you add all of the game time and estimated intermission time together, a standard game will last between 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes, provided no other factor intervenes. But, of course, other factors do intervene.

The Impact of Stoppages: Why the Clock Doesn’t Run Continuously

The biggest factor that extends the time of a hockey game beyond that initial 60 minutes of play are stoppages. In hockey, the clock doesn’t run continuously like in some other sports. The clock stops every time play stops. Here are some of the most common reasons why play might be stopped:

• Goals: When a goal is scored, the game clock stops to allow time for the referee to confirm the goal and for a brief celebration.
• Penalties: When a player commits a penalty, the clock stops while the referee signals the penalty and the penalized player is sent to the penalty box.
• Offsides: An offside happens when a player from the attacking team enters the attacking zone before the puck does. It leads to a stoppage of play.
• Icing: Icing occurs when a player shoots the puck from behind their own side of the center line all the way down to the opposing team’s end without it being touched by another player.
• Puck Out of Play: Sometimes, the puck goes out of the playing area. When that happens, the game has to pause to retrieve it, and this stops the clock.
• Injuries: If a player gets injured and needs assistance, the clock stops to allow the player to be seen to.
• Timeouts: Each team gets one 30-second timeout per game to strategize, and the clock is stopped for that as well.

All of these stoppages add up, significantly extending the total time of a hockey game.

What About Overtime?

Sometimes, after the three regular periods, the score is tied. In that case, many hockey leagues implement an overtime period to determine a winner. The rules of overtime can be different depending on the league, but generally, it’s either a sudden-death overtime or a timed period (sometimes 5 minutes or 10 minutes) where the first team to score wins the game. In sudden death, the game ends immediately when one team scores. If no goal is scored during the overtime period, the game will go to a shootout in certain leagues. But these vary from league to league, so let’s look into different overtime structures based on leagues.

Overtime in the NHL (National Hockey League)

In the NHL regular season, if the game is tied after three periods, teams will play a 5-minute, 3-on-3 sudden-death overtime. If no one scores during that 5-minute period, the game goes to a shootout. In the NHL Playoffs, the overtime structure is different. The teams play a 20-minute, 5-on-5 sudden-death period. This means the game will go on until one team scores, meaning playoff games could potentially be several periods long!

Overtime in NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Hockey

NCAA hockey has its own overtime rules. In the regular season, teams play a 5-minute, 5-on-5 sudden-death overtime. If no goal is scored in the overtime period, the game ends in a tie. In some conference tournaments, and in the NCAA tournament, the rules change and the overtime periods are 20-minute sudden death, just like in the NHL playoffs.

Overtime in Other Leagues

Overtime rules can vary depending on the league or even the specific tournament. Many lower level amateur leagues will use a sudden death overtime, but the duration of the period, and number of players on the ice can vary.

Youth Hockey: Shorter Game Times

It’s important to know that youth hockey games are often shorter than professional games. The periods themselves might be only 10 to 15 minutes long, and there might be fewer stoppages. This ensures that the young players don’t get too tired and can safely enjoy the game and develop their skills. So, don’t be surprised if a kids’ hockey game seems to fly by compared to a professional one!

Typical Youth Hockey Timing

Here’s a sample time breakdown of how a typical youth hockey game could look:

• Period 1: 12-15 minutes
• Intermission 1: 5-10 minutes
• Period 2: 12-15 minutes
• Intermission 2: 5-10 minutes
• Period 3: 12-15 minutes

These shorter games can last roughly 45 minutes to an hour or less.

Factors That Can Extend Game Duration

Beyond the standard stoppages and overtime, a few less frequent events can further lengthen a hockey game.

Video Review

Sometimes, a goal might be disputed, or a penalty needs a second look. The officials will then take time to review the play through video replay. These reviews can be time-consuming, as the officials want to make sure they have made the correct call.

Lengthy Injuries

More serious player injuries may need more immediate attention. If there’s an injury that requires a longer time for medical staff to help, the game clock may be stopped for several minutes. Safety of players always comes first.

Multiple Penalties/Fights

When a game has multiple penalties or a fight between the players, this can increase the duration of the game, as players will have to be sent to penalty boxes and officials will have to sort out situations.

Keeping Track of Time: Why It Matters

Understanding how long a hockey game lasts is more than just a fun fact—it’s essential for scheduling, travel, and even planning your viewing at home or at the arena. Whether you’re a player, a coach, or a spectator, knowing what to expect in terms of time commitment is very beneficial. This information also helps you to plan your activities around the game so that you don’t get late for other scheduled tasks.

The Game Clock vs. Real Time: A Quick Recap

To make sure everything is clear, it’s vital to remember the difference between active game time and real time:

• Active Game Time: The actual time the puck is in play (three 20-minute periods).
• Real Time: The total time the game takes from start to finish, including intermissions and all stoppages.

The real time of a game will be significantly more than the active game time.

In Summary

While the standard active playing time of a hockey game is 60 minutes (3 periods of 20 minutes each), the actual duration is much longer due to intermissions and stoppages of play. Add in possible overtime, video reviews, and serious injuries, and you can have some games that will last a lot longer than you think. For a regular professional game, you can expect to spend around two and a half hours at the stadium. Youth games and other leagues will have different time parameters depending on the league rules. As a general rule of thumb, you can anticipate spending at least 1 hour and a half for a game, and maybe more. So, when you plan to go to a hockey game, make sure you take this into consideration and plan your day accordingly.