How Many Minutes Is A Hockey Game?

A standard professional hockey game is 60 minutes long, played across three 20-minute periods.

Ever wondered how many minutes is a hockey game? The clock ticks down, and the excitement builds, but how long does that action truly last? It’s a question many new fans ask.

Games are structured into three distinct periods. Each period provides a fresh start. This division contributes to the strategic play.

These periods, 20 minutes each, add up to the total duration. So, while a full game takes longer with stoppages, the actual playing time of a professional hockey game is sixty minutes.

How Many Minutes is a Hockey Game?

So, you’re curious about how long a hockey game actually lasts? It’s a great question! When you watch the exciting action on the ice, it might seem like time flies by. But, there’s a standard set of rules for how many minutes are in a hockey game, and we’re going to explore all of that here. We’ll cover the basics, look at what can cause the game to run longer, and even touch on differences at various levels of play. It’s not just a simple number; it’s a whole world of time management on ice! Let’s dive into the fascinating clockwork of a hockey match.

The Standard Time: Three Periods of 20 Minutes

The core of any hockey game’s timing lies in its periods. A standard professional or major junior ice hockey game is divided into three periods, and each of these periods is 20 minutes long. That means that if the clock ran continuously, without any stops, the playing time would be exactly one hour, which is 60 minutes. That would be a short and very unusual game though! However, there’s much more to the story.

What the 20 Minutes Actually Means

The 20 minutes we are talking about are what we call “stop-time.” This means the clock doesn’t always run continuously like in a basketball game. It pauses whenever the game has a “whistle,” a stoppage in play that the referees will signal when there is any kind of infraction, or the puck leaves the playing surface, or a goal is scored. These pauses are important for things like face-offs, penalties, and allowing players to change lines and take a quick break. So the game clock will run down when the play is happening, and pause during the stops and whistles.

Breaks Between Periods: Intermissions

Between each 20-minute period, there is an intermission. These breaks are not just for the players to rest; they are also for cleaning the ice and for fans to get snacks or visit the restrooms. Typically, an intermission lasts for 15-18 minutes, but these can vary slightly. In a typical game there will be two of these intermissions, in between the first and second period, and second and third period.

The Cumulative Time

So, let’s put it all together! You have the three periods of 20 minutes each, totaling 60 minutes. Then, you have two intermissions that are about 15-18 minutes each. This means that the clock will be running for 60 minutes of playing time. Now factor in the 30-36 minutes of intermissions. If we add all of that together, the actual time of a hockey game is usually between 90-96 minutes, or roughly 1 and a half hours, not including all the stop time that happens during the periods. But remember, that is just the minimum time!

Factors That Affect Game Length: Why Games Rarely Run Exactly 60 Minutes

As mentioned earlier, the 20-minute periods are “stop-time.” That means the clock doesn’t continuously run. The continuous clock of sixty minutes of actual play time, is almost always longer. There are several things that can stop the clock, and these things add time to a hockey game. Here are the major factors that impact total time:

Stop-Time: Play Stoppages

This is a major reason why hockey games don’t just stick to their strict time. Every time there’s a whistle, the game clock stops. The whistle sounds during:

• Penalties: When a player breaks a rule, the clock pauses to give referees time to assess the situation and impose penalties.
• Offsides: When a player enters the attacking zone before the puck, the play is stopped.
• Icing: When a player shoots the puck from behind their own side of the center red line and it goes all the way to the other side of the ice, an icing whistle happens which stops the time.
• Puck Out of Play: If the puck leaves the playing area, the clock stops until play resumes.
• Goal Scoring: Of course, the game clock stops every time a goal is scored. The referees will need a moment to review the score and signal that the goal has been correctly awarded.

Power Plays

When a player is penalized, their team goes down a player, and the opposing team goes on a “power play.” The clock will continue to run during this time, but a lot of play stoppages will often occur during power plays. There will be face-offs, more shots on goal and other events that may stop the clock. These power plays can influence how long a period might take as there is much more activity than a normal even-strength five on five situation.

Time-Outs

Each team in most leagues is granted one time-out during the game. When a team calls a time-out, the clock also stops, while the players gather around and the coaches provide tactical advice. This adds to the total length of the game.

Overtime: What Happens When the Game is Tied

Sometimes, after the three periods, the score is tied. In that case, the teams usually go into an “overtime” period. Overtime rules can vary depending on the league. Some leagues play a sudden-death overtime, which means that the first team to score wins. Other leagues play a timed overtime period, typically 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or 20 minutes. If the game remains tied after the overtime period, there might be a shootout, which involves alternating penalty shot attempts by the two teams. Overtime obviously adds to the length of the game as well.

Shootouts

If the game is still tied after an overtime period, some leagues might have a shootout. In a shootout, each team will have three players attempt to score a penalty shot on the opposing team’s goalie. If the score is still tied after the three attempts each, the shootout will continue into the next round with each team selecting a different player to take the penalty shot.

Variations in Time: Different Leagues, Different Rules

While 20 minute periods is standard in professional and major junior hockey, there are some variations in hockey period times based on different leagues and age groups.

Youth Hockey

For younger players, period lengths are generally shorter. Games often have 10-15 minute periods. This is to account for the player’s smaller size, as well as their ability to focus for long periods. These games also often have running time, where the clock stops only during the whistles, not when the puck leaves the playing surface. This helps shorten the overall length of the games, as well as help teach young players that the clock keeps moving.

High School and College Hockey

High school hockey periods are often 15-17 minutes long, while college hockey games tend to follow standard 20 minute periods.

International Hockey

Major international tournaments such as the Olympics and the World Championships use the same format as NHL games: three 20-minute periods with stop-time and intermissions. The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) follows this format.

Table: Typical Hockey Game Lengths by Level

Keeping Track of Time

If you’re at a hockey game in person, you will see the main scoreboard, which will prominently display the game clock. This is also usually displayed at the bottom of the screen if you are watching on TV or a live stream online. Sometimes, there will be two separate clocks displayed on the TV or live stream. There will be a game clock, as well as a shift clock. The game clock as we know will stop and start based on the rules we discussed above. The shift clock will tell the viewer how long each player has been on the ice during that particular shift. This is typically set to the maximum length of a shift for each player. For example, many NHL players will have shift lengths of 45 seconds each, and the shift clock will reflect this.

So, you now have a much better idea of how long a hockey game can last. While the core play time is a consistent 60 minutes, all the factors we have talked about mean games very rarely run exactly one hour. You now know how stoppages, intermissions, and overtimes add up. No matter what league or level of play, understanding how hockey time works gives you even more insight into the exciting sport. It’s not just about the goals and the big hits, but also about the time and how every second counts!

How long is a hockey game?

Final Thoughts

A standard hockey game plays for 60 minutes. This time splits into three 20-minute periods. Actual game time often exceeds 60 minutes due to stoppages.

So, to answer simply, how many minutes is a hockey game? It is formally 60 minutes of play, not accounting for any delays that will add more time.