Embark on a journey through the heart of NHL hockey as we dissect the duration of these intense matchups. From regulation battles to potential overtime drama and shootouts, we explore the ticking clock that dictates the pace of every thrilling match.
How Long Is An NHL Game?
On average, NHL games are 2 hours and 29 minutes long.
Additionally, NHL games start roughly 8 min after their scheduled time. So, if the NHL says a game starts at 7 pm, the puck will actually drop at 7:08 pm, and the game will be over at around 9:37 pm.
How Long Is An NHL Game?
On average, NHL games are 2 hours and 29 minutes long. Additionally, all NHL games start roughly 8 minutes later than scheduled. So, if an NHL game starts at 7, it will actually start at around 7:08, and the game will be over at around 9:37 pm.
The length of games can vary depending on the number of commercial breaks, injuries, number of overtimes, etc.
There are of course outliers with some games going much longer. The maximum length of a game is strongly dictated by whether the game takes place in the regular season or playoffs.
What Is The Longest NHL Game?
The longest regular season games will run about 3 hours long. The longest playoff games, on the other hand, have no real limit.
The longest playoff game ever played took place between the Redwings and Maroons in 1933. The game lasted 5 hours and 55 minutes, from 8:30 pm to 2:25 am.
Longest Regular Season Game 2023
The longest regular season game in 2023 took place between the Tampa Bay Lighting and the Carolina Hurricanes at Amalie Arena. The game began at 7:09 pm and ended at 10:11 pm – a total length of 3 hours and 2 minutes.
The reason the game was so long is that the two teams tied in regulation and went to overtime, and things weren’t decided in overtime so the game ultimately went to a shootout.
Regular season games are more predictable in their length than playoff games because there is only 1 overtime per game (5 min). If neither team scores in the overtime, the game ends in a shootout. This is not the case for playoff games.
Playoff games can go much longer.
Longest Playoff Game 2023
The longest playoff game in the 2023 season took place between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Florida Panthers at the PNC Arena. The game started at 8:10 pm and went till 1:54 am – a total of 5 hours and 44 minutes.
The game went to quadruple overtime (4OT).
Playoff games have the potential to go very long because there is no limit on the number of overtimes that can be played. If the first overtime is played and no one has scored, the game moves on to the second overtime, then the third, and so on.
How Long Are NHL Games On TV?
NHL games on TV are the same length as NHL games in person.
The average NHL game on TV will be 2 hours and 29 minutes from the time the puck drops. There is also an initial delay of around 8 minutes for most NHL games.
So, if a game is scheduled to start at 8 pm on TV, the puck will actually drop at around 8:08 pm, and the final whistle will blow at around 10:37 pm.
The TV program itself may last longer with pregame and postgame shows adding commentary and analysis to the game. It is rarely the case, however, that the game takes up the entirety of the allotted time.
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