Source:

02-12-2009 17:00

Ice hockey is one of the most exciting team sports. It is a frenetic game requiring technique, balance and lots of physical strength. This event consists of men and women’s tournament.

The team

Both men and women's ice hockey teams are made up of a maximum of 20 players and three goalkeepers. A team must not have more than six players on the ice at any one time while play is in progress: a goalkeeper, two defenders and three forwards.

The game

Hockey is a fast-paced game with continuous action, as the players skate from the beginning to the end of the match, passing the puck so quickly .The strategy of each team is to outscore the opponent by shooting the puck into the opposing team's goal and preventing the opposing team from scoring.

An ice hockey match is played over three periods of 20 minutes each, with frequent substitutions between players (there are no limits, and substitutions can occur during play) and with a 15 minute intermission between each period.

Rink

The standard international dimensions of an ice hockey rink are 60 m x 30 m. The ice is surrounded by a wooden or plastic wall, known as "the boards," which are approximately 1.22 m high.

A red centerline divides the rink in half; two blue lines divide the rink into three zones (defensive, neutral and attacking). In addition to the center circle, there are four face-off circles - two in front of each goal. Regulation goals are made of a metal frame with a net and are 1.83 m wide, 1.22 m high and 1.12 m deep. The Goals are centered on the goal line and set four meters away from the backboards so players can skate behind them.

 

Editor:Liu Anqi