How Long Are NHL Periods?

How long are NHL periods? The answer may surprise you.

Introduction

NHL periods are 20 minutes long, with a intermission between the second and third period of 15 minutes. However, if a game is tied at the end of regulation time, there is a five minute sudden death overtime period, followed by a shootout if the game is still tied.

NHL Period Lengths

NHL periods are 20 minutes long, with a intermission of 18 minutes between each period. There are three periods in an NHL game. The first and second periods are each 20 minutes long, and the third period is 17 minutes long. There is a intermission of two minutes between the second and third periods.

Regulation Time

NHL games are 60 minutes long, divided into three 20-minute periods. If the score is tied at the end of regulation time, the game goes into overtime. During the regular season, if the score is still tied after five minutes of four-on-four play in overtime, each team gains a point in the standings and the game ends in a tie. If one team scores during overtime, that team gains two points and the other team gets none.

Overtime

Overtime in the National Hockey League is used to decide the winner of games that are tied after regulation time has expired. There are five different types of overtime formats that can be used during the regular season:
-Four-on-Four: This format is used during the regular season. Both teams will skate with four players, plus the goaltender, for five minutes. If the game is still tied, then a shootout will decide the winner.
-Three-on-Three: This format is used during the regular season. Both teams will skate with three players, plus the goaltender, for five minutes. If the game is still tied, then a shootout will decide the winner.
-Shootout: This format is used during the regular season and playoffs. Each team will get three shots on goal from any one player in an attempt to score. If the score is still tied after three rounds, then it will go to a sudden death shootout where each team gets one shot until one team scores and wins the game.
-Five-Minute Overtime: This format is used during the playoffs. Both teams will skate with four players, plus the goaltender, for five minutes. If neither team scores, then a 20-minute intermission takes place and sudden death overtime begins.
-Sudden Death Overtime: This format is used during playoff games only. The first team to score in overtime wins the game, regardless of how much time is left on the clock.

Shootouts

Shootouts are a five-minute, 3-on-3 sudden death overtime period played if the score is tied at the end of regulation time. If the score is still tied after the overtime period, a shootout will take place to determine the game’s winner.

In a shootout, each team selects three skaters to attempt a shot on goal against the opposing goaltender. The team with the most goals scored in the shootout wins the game. If the score is still tied after three rounds of shootouts, the shootout then becomes a sudden death shootout where each team continues to select one skater per round until one team scores and the other doesn’t.

Conclusion

In short, NHL periods are 20 minutes long. However, if there is a tie at the end of regulation time, the game will go into overtime. During overtime, each team will get one point if the game is still tied after 20 minutes. If a team scores during overtime, that team will get two points.