Ice hockey

Ice hockey is a team sport played on ice, in which two teams of skaters use their sticks to shoot a vulcanized rubber puck into their opponent's net to score points. The sport is known to be fast-paced and physical, with teams usually consisting of six players each: one goalkeeper, and five players who skate up and down the ice trying to take the puck and score a goal against the opposing team.

History

Ice hockey is believed to have evolved from simple stick and ball games played in the 18th and 19th century United Kingdom and elsewhere. These games were brought to North America and several similar winter games using informal rules were developed, such as "shinny" and "ice polo". The contemporary sport of ice hockey was developed in Canada, most notably in Montreal, where the first indoor hockey game was played on March 3, 1875.

Game

Ice hockey is played on a large flat area of ice, using a three-inch-diameter (76.2 mm) vulcanized rubber disc called a puck. This puck is often frozen before high-level games to decrease the amount of bouncing and friction on the ice. The game is contested between two teams of skaters. The game is played all over North America, Europe and to varying extents in many other countries around the world. It is the official national winter sport of Canada.

Equipment

The hard surfaces of the ice and boards, pucks being shot at high speed, and players checking each other (bumping into each other) all pose a risk of injury. Ice hockey players therefore use equipment to protect themselves from these and other dangers of the game.

Leagues

Ice hockey is most popular in areas of North America (particularly Canada and northern parts of the United States) and Europe. In North America, the National Hockey League (NHL) is the highest level for men's hockey and the most popular.

See also

• List of ice hockey leagues
• Ice hockey at the Olympic Games
• Ice hockey at the Winter Universiade
• Ice hockey at the Youth Olympic Games

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