To the uninitiated, hockey can be a very confusing sport. A three-period game that’s always low-scoring, is interrupted frequently be fights, and ends up having a lot of penalty shots ? it’s quite difficult to keep up with unless you’re a true fan of the sport. Even if you are a fan, you might still want to know a little bit about things like hockey ice, the type of equipment the players use, etc. While we physically cannot answer every hockey question asked, as it would take up an enormous amount of space, not to mention too much of your time, we can address a few of the most-asked questions regarding hockey.
Below, we will provide some basic answers to some fairly simple and common hockey questions. Keep in mind that these questions are about NHL hockey. Some aspects may be different in other leagues around the globe or with NCAA hockey.
How Long is the Average Hockey Game?
This is where a lot of the confusion comes in. You see, hockey in the NHL is structured to operate on 3 separate 20-minute periods. However, when exactly half that time has expired, there is a short break which is the equivalent of halftime. So, technically speaking, there are 60 minutes in a hockey game. However, everyone knows that the games last well more than an hour. For starters, the clock only runs when the puck is in play, and each stoppage of play eats away at time. Plus you have to factor in halftime, TV time outs, penalties, and other factors that all stop the clock. In total, the average NHL game lasts about 2:20, or two hours and twenty minutes. This is average, of course, and a game might be shorter, or it could end up being a lot longer.
One thing for players who partake in legal hockey betting should keep in mind is the live hockey betting opportunities that are available during a game. During TV timeouts and at the end of intermissions, there is a new live line for the game. They even offer lines on just a particular period. It’s really fun and live betting has a lot of benefits for avid players.
How is Hockey Ice Made?
Some people are absolutely shocked to hear that hockey stadiums aren’t always just hockey stadiums. For instance, some hockey stadiums are actually also basketball courts. And when hockey isn’t being played, the wood court is put over top of the ice, transforming the ice into a hardwood court for an entirely different sport. The ice isn’t melted and drained away. But how did the ice get there in the first place? How is hockey ice actually made? A concrete area called an ice slab is filled with refrigerated brine water (salt water), and the stadium is a huge refrigeration unit. When the first thin layer of ice is frozen inside of the area, the team’s logos and other designs are painted on. Then, 8 to 10 more very thin layers of ice are frozen onto the surface, with the zamboni smoothing out each one. Eventually, the ice will be around 1 inch thick, and it will be maintained throughout the season with refrigeration, replacement layers, and the zamboni.
What is a Hat Trick?
There are a lot of terms you hear in hockey, which is a subject we cover in another section of our resource site here, but just knowing the terms isn’t always enough. You may also want to know what they really mean as they relate to the game. For instance, a hat trick is a popular term thrown around, and any player who earns a hat trick is always in the news, so it’s obviously an accomplishment. But what does it mean exactly? A hat trick is simple enough to figure out and follow. In field hockey and ice hockey alike, a hat trick is simply when a player scores three goals in one game. Wayne Gretzky, the Great One, has the NHL record for hat tricks (50).
What is a Trap?
In hockey, a popular term you may hear, based on a frequently used feature in a game, is a “trap.” But what is a hockey trap? A trap in hockey is basically just a strategic play that focuses almost entirely on defense. By and large, this is known as a neutral zone trap, and it’s carried out mostly by a specific defensive alignment that seeks to stop the other team from advancing the puck toward the opposite goal. The trap is designed to stunt a player’s progress by surrounding him with ample defense.
What was the Highest-Scoring Hockey Game?
Hockey may have a lot of fans, but there are also many people who consider the game to be rather boring. Like soccer, hockey games typically end with scores like 1-0, 2-1, and other very low-scoring finals, which means there isn’t a whole lot of scoring action. Sports like football and basketball thrive off of big-scoring match-ups, but hockey is mostly about great defense and the puck changing hands multiple times. In fact, the highest-scoring game in history saw 19 total goals scored, when the Montreal Canadians defeated the Quebec Bulldogs 16-3 in 1920.
We hope we answered some of your hockey questions in this section of our site. Of course, you may still have questions pertaining to the sport that you need answered. Don’t forget to check back with us for updates. You never know when we might answer your question specifically.