If you are new to hockey, one of the first things you want to know is how the game is structured. Unlike basketball with its four quarters or soccer with its two halves, hockey does things differently. So, how many periods in NHL hockey are there? The short answer is three. Every standard hockey game in the National Hockey League is divided into three periods, each lasting 20 minutes. But there is so much more to know beyond that simple answer.
This guide covers everything from how long a hockey game lasts in real time, to what happens in overtime, to the dramatic rules of playoff hockey. Whether you are a casual viewer or a dedicated hockey fan, this article will give you a complete picture of how many periods in NHL games are played and how the whole structure works from start to finish.
How Many Periods in NHL Hockey? The Basic Structure
A hockey game consists of three periods, each one 20 minutes long. That means every NHL hockey game has 60 minutes of game time in regulation. The game consists of three 20-minute periods played in sequence first period, second period, and third period with breaks in between.
Here is a simple breakdown of the structure:
| Period | Duration | Cumulative Game Time |
|---|---|---|
| First Period | 20 minutes | 0–20 minutes |
| Second Period | 20 minutes | 20–40 minutes |
| Third Period | 20 minutes | 40–60 minutes |
| Intermission x2 | ~17 minutes each | Not counted in play time |
The game consists of three periods of skating, shooting, and physical play. The clock only runs when the puck is in play. It stops for penalties, goals, icing calls, offsides, and injuries. This is why even though there are only 60 minutes of game play, the actual game duration from start to finish is usually around 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Read More: How Long Is a Hockey Game? Complete Guide to NHL, College & Recreational Game Duration
How Long Is a Hockey Game in Real Time?
The duration of a hockey game is longer than just the three 20-minute periods. You also need to count the two intermissions, TV timeouts, video reviews, and any stoppages. Here is what a typical game timeline looks like:
- First Period: ~45 minutes in real time (20 minutes play + stoppages)
- First Intermission: ~17 minutes
- Second Period: ~45 minutes in real time
- Second Intermission: ~17 minutes
- Third Period: ~45 minutes in real time
Total game time (no overtime): approximately 2 hours 20–30 minutes
The game lasts longer during the Stanley Cup Playoffs because there are fewer commercial breaks during play, but extended overtime can push total time well beyond 3–4 hours. For regular season games, the game lasts roughly 2.5 hours without overtime.
What Happens After Three Periods: NHL Overtime Rules
If the score is tied at the end of regulation, the game does not end. Instead, it goes to overtime. This is where overtime in hockey gets really exciting and where the rules change depending on whether it is the regular season or the playoffs.
NHL Regular Season Overtime
In the NHL regular season, if the game is tied after regulation, teams play a 5-minute overtime period with only 3 players on each side instead of the usual five. This is called 3-on-3 overtime, and it creates a lot of open ice and fast chances. It is sudden death, meaning the game ends immediately when a team scores.
Key regular season overtime facts:
- Duration: 5 minutes
- Format: 3-on-3 sudden death
- If still tied: goes to a shootout
- Both teams earn 1 point; the winner earns a 2nd point
The Shootout
If the game is still tied after the overtime period, the shootout begins. In a shootout, each team picks three players to skate in one-on-one against the opposing goalie. The team with more goals after three shooters wins. If it is still tied, it becomes sudden death one shooter per team until someone scores and the other misses.
Important: The shootout is only used in the NHL regular season. It is never used in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
NHL Playoff Overtime Rules: Completely Different Beast
This is where playoff overtime becomes one of the most thrilling experiences in all of sports. NHL playoff overtime rules are very different from the regular season. When a playoff game is tied after three periods, there is no 3-on-3 period. There is no shootout. Instead, teams play full 20-minute overtime periods of 5-on-5 hockey until someone scores.
This is called sudden-death overtime. The game ends immediately after the first goal. If no one scores in the first overtime period, the ice is resurfaced, players rest briefly, and then a second sudden-death overtime period begins. Then a third. Then a fourth. The game keeps going through overtime periods until someone scores no matter how long it takes.
Comparison Table: Regular Season vs. Playoff Overtime
| Feature | Regular Season | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|
| OT Format | 3-on-3, 5 minutes | 5-on-5, 20 minutes |
| Shootout | Yes | No |
| Periods | One OT period max | Unlimited OT periods |
| Sudden Death | Yes | Yes |
| Ice Resurfacing | No | Between each OT period |
NHL playoff overtime rules are designed to let the best team win on the ice no gimmicks, no skills competition. Just pure playoff hockey until someone finds the back of the net.
How Many Overtime Periods Can There Be in the Playoffs?
Technically, there is no limit. The game goes to overtime period after overtime period until there is a winner. Teams play multiple overtime periods if needed, and history has shown this can go very, very late into the night.
In NHL history, there have been games with four, five, and even six overtime periods. These games test the limits of player endurance, goaltender focus, and coaching strategy. The game moves at a slower pace in deep overtime as both teams try not to make a costly mistake.
Here are some notable long playoff overtime games:
- 1936 – Detroit vs Montreal Maroons: The longest game in NHL history and the longest NHL game ever played. It went to six overtime periods, finally ending after 116 minutes and 30 seconds of extra play. Mud Bruneteau scored the only goal of the night in the sixth overtime the most famous game ever played in hockey.
- 2000 – Philadelphia vs Pittsburgh: A five-overtime game that lasted over four hours of total game time.
- 2022 – Calgary vs Dallas: A four-overtime thriller that kept fans awake well past midnight.
These games are part of what makes the world of hockey so special. No other major sport produces drama quite like a sudden-death overtime period in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Periods in Hockey at Other Levels
Many periods in hockey at the NHL level means three full 20-minute periods of 5-on-5 play. But how many periods in hockey vary depending on the level of competition.
| Level | Period Length | Number of Periods |
|---|---|---|
| NHL / Pro | 20 minutes | 3 |
| College Hockey | 20 minutes | 3 |
| Youth Hockey | 12–15 minutes | 3 |
| International (IIHF) | 20 minutes | 3 |
College hockey follows the same three periods structure as the NHL. Youth hockey uses shorter periods to match the stamina and skill level of younger players. International ice hockey also uses three 20-minute periods, which is why the format is universal across the hockey league world.
Professional hockey at every major level from the NHL to the AHL to the KHL uses the same three-period format. This consistency makes it easy for hockey enthusiasts to follow the flow of the game regardless of where it is played.
How the Three-Period Format Came to Be
Early NHL history tells us the game was not always played in three periods. In the early 1900s, hockey was played in two 30-minute halves much like soccer. The switch to three periods happened around 1910–1911, largely because of one practical reason: ice quality.
Playing two long halves meant the ice got badly cut up and slow before anyone could resurface it. By splitting the game into three periods, teams could clean the ice twice during the game once after the first period and once after the second period. This dramatically improved the overall game quality and player safety.
That decision, made over a century ago, shaped the entire world of hockey as we know it today. The game consists of three periods, and that has never changed at the professional level since.
Quick Facts Every Hockey Fan Should Know
- A standard hockey game has three 20-minute periods of regulation play
- Total regulation periods = 60 minutes of game time
- Real game duration with intermissions = approximately 2.5 hours
- NHL overtime rules differ between the regular season (3-on-3, shootout) and playoffs (full 20-minute sudden-death periods)
- The Stanley Cup Playoffs never use a shootout only sudden-death overtime
- The longest NHL game ever went six overtime periods in 1936
- NHL regular season overtime is 5 minutes of 3-on-3 play
- Overtime hockey in the playoffs uses full 20-minute overtime periods with 5-on-5 hockey
- Youth hockey and college hockey both use the same three-period structure
- If the game remains tied in the playoffs, teams keep playing periods until someone scores
Conclusion
Now you know exactly how many periods in hockey there are and what happens before, during, and after them. The game consists of three periods of 20 minutes each, but the real magic often happens after those regulation periods end. From the electric atmosphere of a sudden-death overtime period in the Stanley Cup Playoffs to the fast-paced chaos of a regular-season shootout, NHL hockey gives fans non-stop drama from the first puck drop to the final buzzer.
Whether you are watching your first hockey game or your hundredth, overtime in the playoffs is something you will never forget. It is the purest form of sport periods until someone scores, no matter how long it takes.
FAQs
Is NHL 3 or 4 periods?
The NHL has 3 periods, each 20 minutes long.
What are the 5 basic rules of hockey?
No icing, no offsides, no high-sticking, no interference, and no cross-checking.
Is the number 69 banned in the NHL?
No, 69 is not officially banned, but no NHL player has ever worn it.
What sports have 3 periods?
Ice hockey, field hockey, and bandy all use a 3-period format.
