ice hockey
ice hockey Fast-action sport on an oval ice rink in which two teams of six players wearing ice skates (and protective clothing) use special hockey sticks to try to propel a vulcanized rubber disc (puck) into the opponents' goal. The rink is usually 61m × 26m (200ft × 85ft) and surrounded by walls c.1.2m (4ft) high. It is evenly divided into three zones – attacking, neutral and defending – each 18.3m (60ft) long. The goals are within the playing area, 3 to 4m (10–15ft) from each back line. Games consist of three 20-minute periods of actual timed play. Substitutions are allowed at any time, and the game is controlled by a referee and two linesmen. A penalized player may be banished to the ‘sin bin’ for two or more minutes, and his team meanwhile remains a player short on the ice unless their opponents score. The National Hockey League (NHL) of North America was instituted in 1917. The major trophy is the Stanley Cup. The sport has been included in the Winter Olympics since 1920.
More From encyclopedia.com
NEARBY TERMS
ice hockey
