How long is NHL intermission? National Hockey League (NHL) is a dynamic and physically challenging sport that demands a lot from the players. In this context, it is more than understandable that in such a fast-paced sport there is no 90-minute playing time, as is the case with football, for example. But how long does a hockey game take? Are there ice breaks or other things that affect the duration of a game? Let us learn about it here.
How long is NHL intermission?
There is a hockey game of three-thirds each lasting 20 minutes. The effective playing time is therefore 60 minutes for a hockey game.
This is the so-called net playing time. In practice, however, a game takes much longer, so that players are often even 120 minutes on the ice.
Here are the break times, which there are between the respective thirds, not included. The break between the respective thirds has a length of 15 minutes. This break is part of the NHL.
How long is NHL intermission?
Interrupts provide a significant increase in the length of the game:
During the thirds of a hockey game, there are extremely many game interruptions. This is mainly due to fouls and related penalties. Since ice hockey is a very hard and physical sport, there are numerous game interruptions in the course of a game.
In this case, unlike, for example, football, but also the time is stopped, which is why it is the third length of 20 minutes only about the net playing time.
Frequently, fouls and punishments last several seconds, sometimes even minutes. The average gross duration of a third is between 30 and 40 minutes for a game.
For ice hockey, there is another factor, the duration of a game, which is called “overtime”. Concerning the overtime regulation, there are differences in almost every country or national ice hockey league.
The Overtime scheme is mainly used in cup games or special competitions. And always, if at the end of the regular season no decision on the outcome of the game could be achieved.
Ice hockey is a sport that is special in many respects, where it is difficult to make any binding statements regarding the duration of the game.
Firstly, interruptions during the game can ensure that the regular playing time (3 x 20 minutes + 2 x 15 minutes break) is significantly extended and, secondly, games in which the overtime regulation takes effect have an “open-end” since until play crucial goal must be played.
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