The sport of hockey is typically played in three periods, each lasting 20 minutes, resulting in a total of 60 minutes of play. Here are five supporting facts about hockey game duration:
1. Regulation time: A standard hockey game consists of three periods of equal length, each lasting 20 minutes of play. This makes up the total of 60 minutes of regulation time.
2. Overtime: If a game ends in a tie after regulation time, an additional period called overtime is played. Overtime periods are usually five minutes long, and if necessary, multiple overtime periods may be played until a team scores to win the game.
3. Shootouts: In some leagues, if the game remains tied after the overtime period, a shootout may occur to determine the winner. A shootout consists of a series of penalty shots taken by selected players from each team.
4. Intermissions: Between each of the three periods, there are intermissions to allow players to rest and for ice maintenance. Typically, the intermissions last around 15 minutes.
5. Game duration variations: While a standard hockey game is 60 minutes long, factors like penalties, injuries, and video reviews may add additional stoppage time to the game, causing the total game length to be longer than the expected 60 minutes.
BOTTOM LINE: Hockey is played in three periods, each lasting 20 minutes, totaling 60 minutes of regulation time. Overtime and shootouts may occur if the game remains tied after regulation, and intermissions provide breaks between periods.
