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How the game works

Periods, game length, overtime and roster size, explained in plain words for new hockey fans.

Hockey game basics

A hockey game has three periods of 20 minutes each. That gives 60 minutes of playing time. Each team has 6 players on the ice, 5 skaters and 1 goalie.

The game clock stops at every whistle, and two intermissions sit between the periods. A hockey night runs much longer than 60 minutes.

Positions and points

Hockey teams play six positions: center, left wing, right wing, left defense, right defense and goalie. The forwards attack, the defensemen guard their net and the goalie stops shots.

A point in hockey is a goal or an assist, worth 1 each. One goal can hand out up to 3 points. In the standings, a team earns 2 points for a win.

Overtime

A tied NHL regular season game gets up to 5 minutes of 3 on 3 overtime. The first goal wins.

If nobody scores, a shootout picks the winner. The winner earns 2 points, and the loser keeps 1. Playoff overtime follows different rules, and the overtime guide covers both.

Start here

These guides cover the basics of how hockey works: