Ice hockey, sometimes called ice hockey, is a competitive contact sport played on an ice surface, usually at an ice hockey arena, where two competing teams of skaters utilize their sticks respectively to shoot a thickly-made rubber ball into the opponent’s net for points. The game was originally played between countries in the world ice hockey championships such as the World Cup and the Olympics. Since its reemergence in recent years, ice hockey has gained a lot of popularity in the United States, Canada and other countries.
Ice hockey is the only major sports: that makes use of its own kind of equipment, which can be classified under its three main categories: equipment, clothing and accessories. The equipment consists of pads (both for the players’ feet), a coat for protection against the cold and a helmet worn by the player. The clothing includes the jersey (a sleeveless shirt having a collar and short sleeves), socks (preferably double) and shorts. Accessories include the ball, which are used during the game; the hockey stick, used for scoring goals; protective gear for the head, including goggles; gloves, used to protect the hands; hockey sticks, which are used to punch or shake the ball; and other equipment such as pucks, which are created using a stone as a base.
Ice hockey is divided into three phases: the offensive zone, the defensive zone and the neutral zone. The offensive zone is the area in which the puck is played; the defensive zone is the area in which the team defending the goal tries to prevent the opposing team from scoring the winning goal; and the neutral zone, which is the area in which the two teams wish to play each other. Each player in a hockey game is allowed to move freely within the boundaries of the hockey field except for the boards, which are considered the players’ safety zones. The ball, which is usually made of wood, is placed in the center of the playing field and is surrounded by the bladders of the players. The rules governing this sport include skating, passing, shooting, goal-keeping, and fighting.
Stick games are played with two opposing teams: the goal is to score more goals with the use of sticks than with any other object. Since ancient times, hockey has evolved into a highly specialized game played by men, women and children. Originally, hockey involved only men; however, in the 19th century, both men and women began to play the game. It was a favorite with middle-class families who could afford to send their children to private schools. Since the popularity of the game began to grow, it was encouraged by doctors and teachers who saw the sport as an effective way to help children stay fit.
Hockey is played internationally: today with teams from North America, Europe, Australia and Japan. Although there is no international governing body for hockey, there are several international competitions in which the game is played, such as the Stanley Cup. The most popular ice-hockey game in the world is hockey; it is played in over 80 countries and is considered to be a very popular sport. The popularity of the game has helped it spread all over the world, including Canada and the United States, to where it is played today.
Ice hockey consists of two halves: regulation and overtime, each lasting ten minutes. Regular regulation is played with three regulation periods and one overtime period. Overtime is played with four players on each team, with two scorers each from each team. This game is played with two halves; regulation lasts ten minutes and overtime lasts five minutes.
In hockey, players are divided up into groups or leagues based on the country they live in.
