Module 2: Game Structure
Now that you know who’s on the ice and what they’re wearing, let’s break down what actually happens during a game.
Periods
Ice hockey games are structured into three periods, each lasting 20 minutes of stop time — meaning the clock stops whenever the puck is not in play. Between each period, there’s a 15- to 18-minute intermission for players to rest and strategize. If the game is tied at the end of regulation, depending on the league, overtime and shootouts may follow. Each team is allowed 1 timeout per game.
Player Faceoff: HockeyChirpers
Faceoffs
Play begins with a faceoff — where two opposing players, who are centers, square off at one of the rink’s nine faceoff circles. The referee drops the puck, and play is on. Centers will get kicked off the faceoff and replaced with another forward if they don’t have their stick on the ice or get an early jump on the opposing player.
Shifts
Let’s talk about shifts. Hockey is a sport of intense bursts of activity. Players rotate on and off the ice every 30 to 60 seconds. This constant rotation — known as line changes — keeps energy high and ensures top performance. Line changes can occur during gameplay and after a whistle. The only time a team cannot change lines is during an icing call.
Player Faceoff: Boston Globe
Offsides: Review Journal
Offsides
Now, let’s get into some key rules that keep the game fair and fluid.
First is offsides. A player cannot enter the offensive zone before the puck. This prevents cherry-picking, when a player waits near the goal for an easy scoring opportunity. The blue lines are key here, if an attacker’s skates crosses before the puck does, it’s offsides and the play stops. The teams then take a faceoff by the closest faceoff dot in the neutral zone.
Icing
Then there’s icing. If a player shoots the puck from behind the center line all the way past the opposing team’s goal line without it being touched, icing is called. What happens next? Play is immediately stopped and a faceoff in their own zone occurs with no line changes allowed, which is not helpful for the team who committed the icing.
Icing: Review Journal
You’ll also hear terms like power play and penalty kill. We’ll cover those in detail in the next module, but they refer to a special team formation when a penalty is called and one team plays with fewer players.