Hockey live

Hockey – rules

Ice hockey is a team game known since the 15th century (its origins are in England or France, 16th-century Dutch master paintings depicting competition on ice are already known), and nowadays played on a rink, in a hall. There are 22 players in a team, including 2 goalkeepers - 20 field players are divided into so-called "fives" (changes are made at any time, it is important that no more than 6 players from one team are on the ice at the same time). A hockey match lasts 3 periods of 20 minutes of effective playing time. The rink is also divided into so-called thirds, delineated by lines. The puck can be carried with a stick or a skate, it can also be stopped with a hand, but it cannot be passed with it. A goal can only be scored with a stick. 

Hockey is considered a dynamic and quite brutal game, with relatively many plays allowed, but illegal plays are penalized - there are minor penalties (2 minutes), major penalties (5 minutes), and individual penalties (10 minutes or a match penalty). In the case of minor and major penalties, the team plays shorthanded, while individual penalties only apply to the player, not the team. In the case of penalty signaling, it is only enforced after the team that was penalized loses possession of the puck - they usually withdraw the goalkeeper and bring in an extra field player, as they cannot concede a goal. When a team concedes a goal while playing shorthanded due to a minor penalty, the further penalty for the player is canceled.

Hockey – popular competitions (NHL, IIHF World Championship, World Championship Division 1A)

The most important national team tournaments in hockey are the Olympic Games and the IIHF World Championship. Hockey first appeared at the Olympics in 1920, but until 1988 only amateurs were allowed to play. Since 1998, NHL players have been allowed to participate in the Olympics. Canada is the most successful country with 9 gold medals. 

The IIHF World Championship is an event in which the best teams in the world compete. Canada has the most gold medals with 28, ahead of the USSR (if you add Russia's titles, it would be 27). In 2024, the gold went to the Czech Republic, who won on their home ice, defeating Switzerland in the final (Sweden won bronze). The Division 1A is considered the second tier of international hockey – the top teams from there advance to the World Championship. 

In terms of club competitions, the NHL is the most popular, featuring teams from the USA and Canada with the world's best players. The winner of the NHL receives the Stanley Cup, established in 1892 by Lord Frederick Arthur Stanley – the Montreal Canadiens have won it the most times, 24 in total. In Europe, the prestigious Champions Hockey League is popular, although it is not as popular as its football or volleyball counterparts.

Live hockey – an exciting spectacle

February 22, 1980 - this date is considered the most important in the history of hockey. It was then that the so-called "Miracle on Ice" took place, with the USA team defeating the unbeatable USSR 4:3 at the Olympics. Books and movies, including fictional ones, have been written about this event (with many political undertones). The battles fought to the blood (literally) between the USSR and Czechoslovakia teams have also gone down in history. The whole world lived through these events, not just the sports world. In many countries - former USSR, Scandinavia, USA, Canada, Czech Republic - hockey is considered one of the most popular, if not the most popular, sport in the country (according to surveys, this last statement applies to Canada, Finland, and Russia). During the Elite World Championships in the Czech Republic, another attendance record was broken - nearly 800 fans watched the live matches! Overall, hockey is the most media-covered and popular winter team sport, ranking 9th overall when considering all sports, including summer ones. The NHL league, in turn, considering its budget (annual profits of around 4-5 billion dollars), popularity, and fans, is among the top five largest leagues in the world.

Hockey – broadcasts, results, table

The most important hockey events are broadcasted live on various TV channels and online on the Internet. The majority of broadcasts are related to the Olympics and NHL league matches. You can find a comprehensive list of broadcasts on our website, including highlights of some recently played games.