Now, you might be scratchin’ your head wonderin’, just how many periods are there in an NHL game? Well, let me tell ya straight and simple, it’s three. Yep, NHL hockey, the kinda hockey folks gather round to watch in those big arenas, has three periods. Ain’t no more, ain’t no less.
Each period goes on for 20 minutes, and that’s on the clock. But now, hold up—ya gotta know it ain’t always 20 minutes to us watching from the couch or the stands. That’s just the time the players are actively chasin’ the puck. With stoppages and all, it feels longer than that, believe you me!
Breaks Between Periods
Now, don’t think them players just run around nonstop for three periods straight, oh no! Between each of these 20-minute periods, they get to rest up a bit, and that break, they call it an intermission. First, after that first period, they stop for about 17 minutes, give or take. Same goes for after the second period. Them players catch their breath, coaches chat ‘em up, and the crew comes out with those machines to clean the ice real nice.
- Three periods in total
- 20 minutes each period
- 17-minute breaks between periods
Now, ya might be wonderin’ why they didn’t make it one long game, just playin’ straight through. Well, back in the day, hockey was split up different. It was actually two big ol’ halves, each 30 minutes long. But by the time them players skated back and forth on that ice for half an hour, why, the ice was so beat up and choppy, it slowed the game down somethin’ terrible. And no one wants to watch players trippin’ over rough ice! So, around 1910 or so, they went and changed it to three periods. Smart, I say!
Total Game Time
So ya got three periods, each runnin’ 20 minutes. Do the math, and that’s 60 minutes of game play right there. But now, ya gotta add in them breaks—two of ’em at 17 minutes each. And that’s if the game don’t go into overtime, but that’s a whole ‘nother story. All in all, plan for about 2 to 2.5 hours if you’re settin’ aside time to watch a full NHL game. You got the action, the breaks, a little bit of time in case they call for overtime.
That’s the beauty of it, though. Not too long, not too short. Enough time to make ya feel like you’re in it with ‘em, but not so long you’re checkin’ your watch, hopin’ it’ll end soon.
Why They Stick to Three Periods
So ya might be askin’, why don’t they just go back to halves, or maybe add more periods? Well, lemme tell ya, three periods give a good balance. It gives the teams a couple chances to catch their breath, talk strategy, and smooth out that ice. Plus, people in the stands get a chance to stretch, grab somethin’ to eat or drink.
So that’s it—three periods, clean and simple. NHL’s been doin’ it this way for over a hundred years, and it’s worked just fine. They got the game flowin’ quick, ice stayin’ smooth, and players not lookin’ ready to drop halfway through. And if ya ask me, don’t fix what ain’t broke, right?
Next time you watch a game, count them periods off, and you’ll see just how smooth it all goes. Hockey’s got its own rhythm, and those three periods are just the right beat to keep it excitin’ till the end.
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