content: how-to-watch-a-hockey-game-game-play
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| ryan | musings | ## Game Structure Hockey has some stuff in common with live theater. No ... really! đ They both have dressing rooms and they both have intermission ... but that is probably where the similarities end. Each hockey game is split into three 20 minute periods. There is an intermission between each period that lasts 18 minutes. During the intermission the players go back to the dressing room to regroup and chat about the previous period a strategize for the upcoming period. Out in the arena there are chances for you to get overpriced refreshments, stand in long lines to use the facilities, or just stay in your seat and watch the silly intermission games. Some examples I've seen of silly intermission games are Fuego Pong (like quarters, but with soccer balls and large 5 gallon buckets), ice bowling where a player is put into a giant slingshot on the ice and hudled towards inflatable bowling pins, and the dress up game. It's also during this time that the ice is resurfaced by a [Zamboni](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_resurfacer) to make it nice and clean for the next period. If at the end of the third period the game is tied then you're in luck because you get free hockey, also known as Overtime. One thing to keep in mind is that the overtime rules during a regular season game are different than a postseason game. ### Regular Season Overtime Rules At the end of the third period there is a 1 minute 'intermission' and then a 5 minute overtime period starts. The overtime period will feature 3 skaters from each team as well as their goalie. If a penalty occurs in Overtime (or is carried over from the third period) the period starts with four players on the power play team and 3 on the short handed team.1 Each team tries to score a goal first. If they do, then they win in overtime. If, at the end of 5 minutes of play, the score is still tied then a shootout happens. In the shootout each team has 3 chances to score a [penalty shot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penalty_shot_\(ice_hockey\)). Essentially a skater from each team has the opportunity to try and score a goal with only the goalie trying to prevent it. If at the end of the three rounds we're still tied, we keep sending out skaters to try and get that penalty shot until one team is victorious. The record for most rounds of a shoot out is [20 rounds](https://youtu.be/oH79V8zcMKk?si=pZYQ0ANCpsPrt-5z) in the NHL, and 16 rounds in the AHL. ### Postseason Overtime Rules Postseason overtime rules are a bit different. Basically you just keep adding 20 minute periods until someone scores. Once a team scores they have won that game. The longest overtime in NHL Postseason history went into the 6th overtime and was [played in 1936](https://records.nhl.com/records/playoff- team-records/overtime/longest-overtime-playoff) between the Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Maroons. The longest AHL overtime was between the [Charlotte Checkers and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms](https://www.phantomshockey.com/timeline-relive-longest-game-ahl- history/#:~:text=The%20game%2C%20which%20took%20place,series%20lead%20over%20the%20Checkers) which went into a 5th overtime period. This game started at 7:03 pm local and didn't finish until almost 3:00 am local the next day! In general most hockey games don't get past the first OT period. From The 2006 playoffs through to the 2024 playoffs there have only been 52 games that have gone into a second overtime period (out of [1312](https://ahl- data.ryancheley.com/games?sql=select%0D%0A++g.game_status%0D%0A++%2C+min%28g.game_date%29%0D%0A++%2C+count%28%2A%29%0D%0Afrom%0D%0A++games+g%0D%0Ainner+join+dim_date+as+d+on+g.game_date+%3D+d.date%0D%0Awhere+d.season_phase+%3D+%27post%27%0D%0Agroup+by+g.game_status%0D%0Aorder+by+g.game_status&_hide_sql=1)). OK, you've got a few basics 'under your belt'. In the next part I'll try and answer the question, 'What should I watch?'. 1. essentially it would be a short Overtime period and probably pretty boring âŠī¸ | 2025-01-29 | how-to-watch-a-hockey-game-game-play | ## Game Structure Hockey has some stuff in common with live theater. No ... really! đ They both have dressing rooms and they both have intermission ... but that is probably where the similarities end. Each hockey game is split into three 20 minute periods. There is an intermission between each period that lasts âĻ | How to Watch a Hockey Game - Game Play | https://www.ryancheley.com/2025/01/29/how-to-watch-a-hockey-game-game-play/ |