Why does Hockey have 3 periods when most sports have 2 or 4?
149572
My guess is that, compared to other sports that hockey is very similar to (like field hockey and soccer) which use only two periods, hockey required more upkeep of the playing surface. Two periods of thirty minutes would have the ice surface pretty unplayable by the end of the period.
589138
Ice hockey is played with two teams having six players on each side on the ice at a time.  Each team has five skaters and one goaltender, who stands guarding a net at each end (a red line called the goal line).  \n\nThe object of the game is to gain possession of the puck (a disc of vulcanized rubber that's deceptively small and alarmingly hard when you get smacked with it (inevitably on the two inches of your body that aren't currently covered by padding)), and work with your team to get the puck into the other team's net.\n\nMuch like in other games like soccer and basketball, the strategy of the game is two-part:  offense and defense.  The five skaters on the ice are designated as either forwards (offense) or defense (defense), with two of each of those (right wing, left wing and right defense and left defense (usually you say right or left D)).  The fifth skater is a center, whose job is to cover both ends, assisting with defense in front of the net, and driving plays coming out on offense.\n\nThere are far too many rules in hockey to cover here.  They have to do with everything from the face-off -- where the puck is dropped by the ref where play stopped or at center ice -- to what kind of contact is illegal versus legal -- you can push and shove in front of the net but you can't whack somebody with your stick, for example -- to what can be done where on the ice, which is divided up by lines.\n\nThe lines are what really differentiate regulation hockey from "pond" hockey, which is hockey in its simplest (and some might argue purest and most fun) form.  The lines are the goal line where the net is, and the two blue lines, which form a "neutral" zone in the center of the ice.  The zone where your goalie is, behind the blue line closest to you, is "your" zone.  After you cross the neutral zone over the other blue line, you're in enemy territory (aka "their zone" or for real, the offensive side (and believe me, some teams are move offensive than others)).\n\nIf you think the lines are confusing now, just wait until you hear this next part.  Ready?  Coming out of your zone, you can do anything you want with the puck.  Go back, forth, across the blue line, up and down the blue line, anything you want.\n\nBut when you get to "their" blue line, the puck carrier has to cross first.\n\nThis is apparently the single most difficult rule to understand in hockey, for players and spectators alike.  So let me explain it again.\n\nIf you're coming out of your zone towards the offensive zone, the person with the puck *has* to cross the far blue line first.  If anyone else does, they're "offsides" and play stops and everyone gets all crabby and if you're the one who blew a really good play by getting your skate ahead of your linemate who had the puck, you're all embarassed and some girl in the stands is going "wait, why did they stop play, now?" and it's just bad all around.\n\nThat's just one rule that has to do with the lines.  There are others.  Icing, which is basically just an excuse for the ref to blow a whistle after you've sprinted end to end, and then gloat while you limp wheezing to the faceoff.  There's also a rule called a two line pass rule, which is basically an offsides rule and everyone ignores it anyway.\n\nThere are also rules about what you can and can't do around and with the goalie, most of which you get thumped by the goalie for doing anyway, and if not the goalie his or her enforcer.  Not that I'm speaking from experience.\n\nEvery time you get the puck in the net (their net, not yours) you get a point.  Regulation games are played in three 20 minute periods, which usually wind up being longer on account of all the time people spend between whistles arguing their case with the refs.\n\nHockey is played with sticks, and there's rules around what you can and can't do with your stick (e
825639
I have seen several answers of a team with a one man advantage.  This is not entirely correct.  A power play does result when one team is penalized and the opposing team has more skaters on the ice, but it is possible to have a 5 on 3 situation and so on, which definitely shoots down the one man advantage answers.
430275
tradition\njust like when they hit their sticks against the goalie's pads \nafter he makes a good save. that was originally done to make the pads bigger, because when they were made of leather in the earlie days, htey would shrink after absorbing water(from the ice)
537734
Fatigue - obviously you want to keep fresh legs out there.\n\nScore - if you're up by a few, a coach will put a checking line (4th line) out to give them some ice time.  If you're down by a few, the coach might put all wingers/centers out to generate some offense.\n\nLine Matching - say the opponent puts out their 1st line, you might want to put your 1st or 2nd line out to even things up.\n\nPenalties - a coach on the power play may put out 4 forwards and 1 defenseman, a shorthanded coach might play 4 defensemen.\n\nPuck possession - this is biggest deciding factor.  When a team has the puck (or dumps the puck) in the offensive zone, they will take this opportunity to change.  Usually the defensemen will come off first, followed by the forwards.  It wouldn't make much sense to change up when the puck is by your own net.\n\nA line change can be made at any time (except when a team ice's the puck) for any reason.  Sometimes a coach will mix lines together in the middle of a game just to throw the other coach off or to find some new chemistry between his players.\n\nAgain, lines can be changed at any time, for any reason.  But usually there is a good reason.
893239
No. Exciting. No.\n\nNo 4 on 4 in regulation...totally changes the sport.\n\n4 on 4 is exciting in OT, because you get to watch some of the fastest skilled players on the ice.....but it takes away from the TEAM aspect of the game.\n\nNot a better brand of play, a sometimes exciting brand, but not the brand that I prefer...I'll take the old pair of Levi's over the flashy pair of Diesel's...
246618
both are important.  the more points a team has in their conference the better they are in the standings. there are 30 teams in two conferences(East and West) and three divisions in both conferences with five teams in them.  out of the fifteen teams the teams with the eight best records are determined by their points they earn.  the team that has the most points out of the fifteen teams in the conference is seeded 1st in the conference.  then the second seed goes to the best team in the second division.  and the third seed is given to the best record in the third division. seeds four through eight are determined by the amount of points the remaining teams in the three divisions have.  as far as playoffs go, the 1st seed plays the 8th seed, 2nd plays the 7th seed, 3rd seed plays the 6th seed and 4th seed plays the 5th seed. then the winner between the 1st seed and the 8th seed plays the winner of the third seed and sixth seed . the winner of the fourth seed and fifth seed plays the winner of the 2nd seed and 7th seed match.  then the two winners of those matchups face each other in the conference finals and the remaining team in the conference plays against the winner of the other conference.  the winner wins the stanley cup.
927636
There are tie breakers in place.  The first is record, the second is divisional, the third is who won the head to head match-up the forth is record against common opponents and the fifth is points scored and the sixth is points scored against common opponents.\n\nNot positive but I think that's how it goes.
325791
The answer that I have read from so many different newspaper articles and such is scheduling. If women play 3 of 5, then their matches will take up more time and court space. Hence, many tournaments prefer to limit the matches to 2 of 3. When you think about it, all other matches (doubles and mixed) are 2 of 3. The only events that are 3 of 5 are mens matches. On a different note, the WTA championships from 84 to 98 did use a 3 of 5 format for the final. You can look that up. I think only one final ever went to 5 sets. I cannot remember the details, but you can find it anywhere on the net.
115394
Beverly - they play 3 periods, unless there's a tie.  If the game is tied after 3 periods, they play one 10 minute overtime period.  If it's still tied after the overtime, there will be a shoot out (5 players from each team will be selected).  \n\nIf still tied, each team will select a player that has not participated in the shootout and they will have an opportunity.  A single player from each team will participate in the shootout until a player from one team scores and the corresponding player from the other team does not.
780904
PIM: Penalties in minutes. 2 minutes for a minor, 4 for a double-minor, 5 for a major, 10 for a misconduct.\n\nPPG: Power-play goal. Scored when your team has one (or two) more player(s) on the ice than the other team.\n\nSHG: Shorthanded goal. Scored when your team has one (or two) fewer player(s) on the ice than the other team.\n\n+/- ("Plus/Minus"): A player receives a plus if he is on the ice when his team scores an even-strength or shorthanded goal. He receives a minus if he is on the ice when his team concedes an even-strength or shorthanded goal. (Power play goals do not affect plus-minus). Thus, it is used as a ratio of offense-to-defense in a very general sort of way for every player, independently of goals and assists.\n\nGWG: Game-winning goal. The goal which proves to be the difference-maker (even if it wasn't at the time. i.e. If you score a goal to make it 2-0 for your team, then the other team scores one more before the game is over, yours is considered to be the game-winning goal).\n\nFor goaltenders:\n\nGAA: Goals-against average. Goals surrendered by a goaltender on average for every 60 minutes he plays.\n\nSPCT: Save percentage. A simple ratio of saves made per shot faced. (Not actually a percentage... usually expressed like .897 or .912)\n\nSO: Shutouts. Games completed where no goal is surrendered.
76564
1. No more two-line passes...basically the elimination of the red line \n\n2. Overtime goes 5 minutes..if not winner..a shoot out format is now in place\n\n3. Goals were moved forward a bit\n\n4. Goalies may not handle the puck behind the goal line unless it is directly behind the net, in a clearly marked area\n\n5. A 1-inch reduction in goalie pads\n\n6. A new definition of "hooking" and "interference"\n\n7. Sending the puck over the glass unimpeded from your defensive zone is now a 2 minute minor penalty..
844844
Teams are awarded one point for an overtime loss, which is essentially like half a win.\n\nThe Overtime loss came (before the shootout) becase the NHL wanted less games to end in a tie. They changed overtime to 4v4 and offered a point to the losing team, so that more teams will be more aggressive in the OT, with less games ending in a tie.\n\nAfter the advent of the shootout last year, they extended the OTL point for shootout losses as well.
466069
in Australian rules footbal., there are four periods. with each period, (which is called a quater) is 25 mins long, plus stoppage time.\nStopage time is basicly whenever the whistle is blown, and play stops, such as a goal or point is scored, free kick, mark, or out of bounds.
473693
Usually you split it into two divisions with four in each division. Each team plays the other seven teams once or twice (that's good for 7 or 14 weeks) then you start a playoffs. 1st plays 4th, 2nd plays 3rd in both divisions. Then you have a divisional final and then a championship final. You should have consolation rounds as well for the teams that lose out in the first round of the playoffs.
685649
well one reason is that they think that hockey is getting to rough there is to many injeries and they want to lower the risk of people getting hurt and they also want games to go faster without to many delays,  I know it sucks cause i lick the fighting too but what can u do...
657125
You might consider doing it similar to how the NHL does - Award 2 points for a win, 1 point for a tie. Or whatever numbers you choose to use. In this way if a team that is 32-0 would have 64 points, but a team that is 31-0-1 would only have 63 points and a team that is 31-1 would only have 62. The only glitch would be a 32-0 team would have 64 points, but a 31-0-2 team would also have 64 points. That's why you may consider a 3 point for a win instead of 2, since it would be rather rare to have that many ties. \n\nIt also depends on the total number of games played for each team. You could also do a winning percentage, where you take the wins and divide it by the total number of games played, where ties do not equal wins.