How Longis A Hockey Game Breakdown

How Long is a Hockey Game?

Okay, so you’re curious about how long a hockey game actually lasts? That’s a great question! It’s not as simple as just saying “60 minutes” because there’s a lot more to it than just the time on the clock. Let’s break down all the parts that make up the total time of a hockey game, from the exciting play to the breaks in between. Understanding these elements will give you a much better idea of what to expect when you settle in to watch a game.

The Basics: Game Time and Periods

At its core, a standard professional hockey game, like those you see in the NHL (National Hockey League), is divided into three periods. Each period is officially 20 minutes long. So, if you just added the time for the periods, you’d think a hockey game is only an hour, or 60 minutes. But it’s not that simple! The clock stops frequently during a game, which makes the total time much longer. These are just periods of actual playing time, and it is the main part of the game.

What Happens Between Periods?

After each period, there is an intermission. This is a break for the players to rest, the coaches to talk strategy, and for the fans to grab snacks or use the restroom. In the NHL, intermissions are 17 minutes long. This means after the first 20-minute period, there’s a 17-minute break, and again after the second 20-minute period there is another 17-minute break. These breaks add considerable time to the total game time.

Here’s a quick summary of the time:

• One Period: 20 minutes of playing time
• Intermission: 17 minutes (between periods)

Why Does the Clock Stop So Much?

One thing that makes hockey different from many other sports is how often the clock stops during game play. There are many reasons for this:

Puck Out of Play

If the puck goes out of bounds, over the glass, or is otherwise considered out of play, the clock stops. This allows time for the officials to retrieve the puck and reset the play.

Icing

Icing is a penalty that occurs when a player shoots the puck from their own side of the center red line all the way down past the opposing team’s goal line without it being touched by another player. When this happens, the play is stopped and the puck is brought back to the other end of the ice.

Penalties

When a player commits a penalty (like tripping, hooking, or high-sticking), the clock stops. The penalized player has to go to the penalty box for a certain amount of time, and the game can stop for the referee to explain the penalty. These stoppages, including the face off to start play again, can add a lot of time.

Goals

Yes, even goals stop the clock! After a goal is scored, the game pauses briefly while the goal is announced and the play is set to resume. This brief delay allows excitement to build and for players to get back into position. While goals are not so frequent to add a big delay overall, but when the team scores, the time stops.

Timeouts

Each team can call a timeout during the game. These timeouts are used to discuss strategy, rest, and catch a breath. This pause also stops the clock.

Injuries

If a player gets hurt during the game, the clock stops to allow for them to get medical help. The clock only starts again when it is confirmed the player can leave the ice and play resume.

Average Length of a Hockey Game

Considering all these stoppages, an average NHL hockey game usually lasts between 2.5 to 3 hours. Sometimes the game can go a bit longer or shorter than this. A lot depends on how many penalties are called, how many goals are scored, and how many stoppages happen. It is not uncommon to see a game lasting over 3 hours, but it can be less.

Remember this is just the average for professional hockey. Games in college, junior leagues or recreational leagues may have shorter periods, and shorter intermissions. Also, the amount of stoppages will vary considerably, which means overall game time can be very different.

Overtime and Shootouts

What happens when the score is tied at the end of three periods? Well, the game enters overtime! Overtime is an extra period or period(s) to see if someone can score a goal and win the game. However, the rules for overtime can differ depending on the league.

NHL Overtime

In the NHL regular season, if a game is tied after three periods, the game goes into a sudden-death overtime period, it means the game ends as soon as someone scores. The overtime is only 5 minutes long, and they play 3 on 3 (3 players from each team and the goalie). If no one scores during this 5 minute period, the game goes into a shootout.

In the NHL playoffs, the overtime rules are different. Overtime periods are 20 minutes long, played with 5 players on each side and the game does not go to shootout. Overtime will continue as long as it takes for a goal to be scored, so some playoff games can take a long time to finish!

Shootouts

If an NHL regular-season game is still tied after the five-minute overtime, the game goes to a shootout. In a shootout, players take turns skating toward the opposing team’s goal and try to score. The team with the most goals in the shootout wins the game. Shootouts make for very exciting finishes!

Other Leagues Overtime

Other leagues, including college and amateur leagues, can have different overtime rules. For instance, some leagues will play a 5-on-5 overtime period, and some leagues might have a longer overtime period than NHL regular season format. These are all dependent on the league rules and specific circumstances.

Factors Affecting Game Length

As we’ve already touched upon some factors, let’s take a closer look at what else can influence the length of a hockey game:

Number of Penalties

A game with a lot of penalties will almost always be longer than a game with fewer penalties. Each penalty stops the clock and can add time to the game, especially if there are a lot of penalties in a short period of time.

Number of Goals

While goal celebrations are quick, they do pause the play for a bit. A high-scoring game will usually take longer than a low-scoring game because each goal leads to a brief stoppage.

Power Plays

Power plays are when one team has more players on the ice than the other because of a penalty. These stretches of play tend to result in more stoppages. If a power play has lots of shots and action, this can create more stoppages which leads to longer time.

Injuries

Serious injuries can result in significant delays as medical staff attends to the injured player. Sometimes, a player needs to be taken off the ice and play may stop for several minutes.

Video Review

Sometimes, the referees need to review a play on video to make sure the correct call is made. This can cause delays if there is a need for a video review.

Playoff Intensity

Playoff games are usually more intense than regular-season games, and there tend to be more stoppages due to more pressure on the players. The playoff games tend to take longer overall due to increased stoppages.

Timekeeping Differences in Various Leagues

It’s important to know that the rules about how long periods last and how games are handled can vary a bit from league to league. Here’s a look at some of those differences:

NHL

As we’ve covered, NHL games have 20-minute periods, 17-minute intermissions, and overtime and shootout rules we mentioned above. This format is pretty standard for the highest level of professional hockey.

AHL

The American Hockey League, or AHL, is often referred to as a feeder league for the NHL. The rules are very similar to the NHL, with 20-minute periods, 17-minute intermissions, with regular season overtime similar to the NHL, but it differs in playoff overtime.

College Hockey

In college hockey, the periods are also 20 minutes long. However, the intermissions are usually shorter. Overtime rules also differ, and usually does not involve a shootout.

Youth and Minor Leagues

For younger players or in very minor leagues, the game times are often shorter. They may have shorter periods, such as 15-minute periods or even shorter. They may also have shorter intermissions and some youth leagues do not allow overtime.

International Games

International hockey games such as the Olympics and the World Championships also have 20-minute periods. Overtime rules can be different in these tournaments, compared to NHL. Sometimes, they play longer overtimes and don’t have a shootout, in other cases overtime is shorter than NHL.

So, there you have it! A deep dive into the question of how long a hockey game actually lasts. While the playing time is 60 minutes total, all the stoppages, intermissions and potential overtime, it can add up to a much longer period overall. Remember to account for an average of 2.5 to 3 hours for a professional game, and it might be good to add even extra time if you are at the game, with possible traffic or long waits to get into the stadium.