Hockey intermissions, crucial pauses between periods, allow players to regroup and spectators to catch their breath. This article delves into their duration and significance, revealing their integral role in the game’s dynamics.
How long are intermissions in hockey?
NHL intermissions are 18 minutes long. This is according to Rule 77.2 of the Official NHL rulebook.
The length of intermission will vary in other leagues; however, they will usually not exceed 20 minutes. In recreational leagues, intermissions can be as short as 1 minute. Read below to see the intermission lengths of the top hockey leagues in North America.
How Long Are Intermissions In Hockey?
Intermissions in the NHL are 18 minutes long, as outlined in Rule 77.2 of the Official NHL rulebook.
Here are the intermission lengths of the top hockey leagues in North America:
- Professional
- College
- Juniors
- OHL
- 17 minutes from the moment the last official leaves the ice (Rule 71.1.1)
- WHL
- 18 minutes from the moment the period ends (Rule 77.2)
- QMJHL
- 18 minutes from the moment the last official leaves the ice (Rule 77.2)
- USHL
- 15 minutes (Rule 636a)
- OHL
The shortest intermission among the top hockey leagues is the NCAA with a minimum of 12-minute intermissions. This is a relatively recent development as before 2022, NCAA intermissions were a minimum of 15 minutes long.
In general – excluding the NCAA – hockey intermissions are 15 to 20 minutes long.
How Long Is Intermission In Playoff Hockey?
Intermissions in NHL playoffs are 18 minutes between periods and 15 minutes between overtimes.
There is also a 16-minute warmup, followed by a 15-minute intermission, prior to the start of the game.
If a game starts at 7, warmups will start at 6:29 and end at 6:45. The puck will likely be dropped at 7:08 PM (the most common puck drop).
Why Are Hockey Intermissions 18 Minutes?
Hockey intermissions are 18 minutes long because that is the amount of time needed for the zamboni to flood the ice, as well as for the water to freeze.
If you don’t give the water enough time to freeze, two bad things will happen:
- The puck will not slide on the ice:
- Pucks that come in contact with water on the ice end up sticking to the ice, due to a suction-like force.
- They can be unstuck from the ice with minimal force, but this makes actions such as stick-handling and passing almost impossible.
- The ice will be ruined:
- Skating on ice immediately after a flood – before the water freezes – will cause the ice to freeze unevenly. For the ice to freeze properly, there has to be an even distribution of water across the entire surface of the ice.
- If players immediately jump on the ice after a flood, they will push the water around with their stick, skates, and puck. They will also create deep grooves in the soft ice, that will cause the ice to become “choppy” later on.
- It is a common occurrence for hockey teams to argue amongst each other at the beginning of practice as to whether to get on the ice or wait.
How Long Is NHL Intermission Before Overtime?
There is no intermission preceding overtime in regular-season NHL games. There is also no cleaning of the ice before the overtime. If the game continues to shootout, the same rules hold: no intermission, no cleaning of the ice.
Regular season overtimes have no preceding intermission because they are only 5 minutes long. Flooding the ice usually takes 10-15 minutes and so the cost outweighs the benefit.
Playoff overtimes, however, are 20 minutes long and thus feature an intermission and ice flood prior to commencement. Intermissions preceding NHL playoff overtimes are 18 minutes long.
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