How Many Periods Are There in Hockey?

min read
Seattle Kraken left wing Tye Kartye (52) scores as Dallas Stars' Miro Heiskanen (4) defend in the second period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Thursday, May 4, 2023, in Dallas.
(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Chase Kiddy @chaseakiddy May 05, 2023, 12:28 PM

Hockey generally has three periods in each game, regardless of what level of hockey is being played.

If a hockey game is tied at the end of the third period, most leagues and rules will call for an overtime period to be played, though individual game circumstances often influence the nature of the overtime period.

In most cases, a shootout is played after (or even instead of) an overtime period.

The three-period model came about prior to the formation of the National Hockey League (NHL). In the early 1900s, hockey followed many other sports by using a two-halves model, but several influential pioneers in the sport believed that a three-period model would create an additional intermission that could be used to keep the ice in better shape for the players.

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About the Author

Chase Kiddy

Read More @chaseakiddy

Chase Kiddy is a writer for BetMGM and co-host of The Lion's Edge, an NFL and college football podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else. He has also written for a number of print and online outlets, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post, Daily News-Record, and HERO Sports. His first novel, Cave Paintings, is in development.

Chase Kiddy is a writer for BetMGM and co-host of The Lion's Edge, an NFL and college football podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else. He has also written for a number of print and online outlets, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post, Daily News-Record, and HERO Sports. His first novel, Cave Paintings, is in development.