Whether you’re a seasoned fan or new to hockey, you might wonder just how long an NHL game lasts. Whether you’re a player on the ice or a fan in the stands, the thrill of the game often makes time fly.
However, understanding the exact duration of an NHL game can give you a better idea of what to expect and how to plan your experience.
How Long Are NHL Games?
The official length of an NHL game is about 60 minutes, but this can vary depending on several factors. Here’s a breakdown of the timeline.
1. Regulation Time: The Core of NHL Games
An NHL game consists of three 20-minute periods, totaling 60 minutes of playtime. However, this time can vary due to penalties, stoppages, and commercial breaks.
These factors can make the game feel shorter or longer, depending on the flow of the match.
Period Length: The actual high-energy action revolves around the three 20-minute periods. Due to interruptions like goals, penalties, and stoppages, each period can extend to about 35 to 45 minutes in real-time.
Intermissions: There are two intermissions between the three periods, each lasting about 15 to 18 minutes.
These breaks allow players to rest, strategize, and for the ice to be resurfaced, which is crucial for maintaining the quality of play.
Teams use this time to regroup, address any minor injuries, and adjust their strategies for the upcoming period.
2. Overtime and Shootouts: Extending the Thrill
When the score is tied at the end of regulation, the game enters overtime. The structure and length of overtime depend on whether it’s a regular season or playoff game.
Regular Season Overtime: In the regular season, if the game is tied after regulation, a 5-minute overtime period is played. The first team to score during this period wins the game.
If neither team scores, the game goes to a shootout. In a shootout, each team has three attempts to score against the opposing goalie. The team with the most goals after these attempts wins the game.
Playoff Overtime: In the playoffs, the overtime periods last 20 minutes each, and they continue until one team scores, which immediately ends the game. This makes playoff hockey particularly intense, as games can stretch well beyond the typical time, creating unforgettable moments. For instance, the longest NHL playoff game in recent history lasted over 5 hours.
3. Factors Affecting Game Duration
Several factors can extend the game length beyond the regular 60 minutes.
Commercial Breaks: NHL games include multiple commercial breaks during stoppages in play. These breaks are essential for broadcasting but add significant time to the game.
Penalties and Power Plays: Penalties result in stoppages and power plays, which can shift the momentum of the game and lengthen the playtime. This also includes the potential for coach’s challenges and video reviews, which can add further delays.
Scoring Frequency and Stoppages: The more goals scored, the more time is spent on celebrations, faceoffs, and resets, contributing to the length of the game. Additional stoppages, such as for injuries or video reviews, can further extend the duration.
4. Special Cases: The Length of Playoff Games
Playoff hockey is a different beast altogether. The absence of a shootout in the playoffs means games can stretch into multiple overtime periods. The longest game in NHL history lasted over 176 minutes. This unpredictability adds to the excitement of playoff hockey, where endurance and determination are as crucial as skill.
5. Comparing NHL Game Length to Other Levels of Hockey
When comparing NHL games to other levels of hockey, you’ll notice some differences in game length.
College Hockey: Like the NHL, college hockey has three 20-minute periods. However, if a game is tied at the end of regulation, it may end in a tie, depending on the rules. This can make college games shorter than NHL games.
Recreational and Youth Hockey: Recreational and youth hockey games are typically shorter. For example, youth hockey periods are about 12 to 15 minutes each, making the overall game length shorter compared to other levels.
Conclusion
While an NHL game is officially 60 minutes long, various factors often extend it to 2.5 to 3 hours. So, when attending an NHL game, be sure to free up your schedule and grab some snacks to enjoy the full experience. Whether it’s the thrill of overtime or the anticipation of a shootout, every minute of an NHL game is packed with excitement.
