Ice hockey locally known simply as "hockey", is a team sport that is played on a special ice rink surface. The aim of each team is to pass the puck (a disk made of vulcanized rubber) and to score in the opponent's goal.
A match has three periods of 20 minutes each. The clock runs only when the puck is in play. The teams change ends for the second period, again for the third period, and again at the start of each overtime played (playoffs only; same ends as the odd periods otherwise). In case of a tie at the end of regulation time, a procedure in accordance with the specific rules of each championship will be applied.
One can have an overtime period in sudden death to determine the winner. If at the end of extra time there is still no winner, sudden death penalty strokes shall
occur in alternate succession. In case of a tie, there will automatically sudden death because after 2006, all games must designate a winner.
Chamonix Hockey Club is a French ice hockey team based in Chamonix playing in the Ligue Magnus. The team was known as "Chamois de Chamonix" (Chamonix Chamois).
Now the team changed its name and is called The Pioneers.
With more than 30 championship titles, Chamonix is the most successful French club. If you never watched one of their match, you should it as soon as possible.
The team
For the ice hockey, the team includes six players:
- a goaltender
- two defensemen (creating the defense line)
- three forwards (one center, one left and one right) creating the attack line
Ice hockey teams usually consist of four lines of three forwards, three pairs of defence men, and two goal-keepers. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take the puck and score a goal against the opposing team. Each team has a goal-keepers who tries to stop the puck from going into the goal.
The equipment
Since ice hockey is a full contact sport and body checks are allowed, injuries are a common occurrence. Protective equipment is mandatory and is enforced in all competitive situations.
This includes:
- a helmet (cage worn if certain age);
- shoulder pads;
- elbow pads;
- mouth guard;
- protective gloves;
- heavily padded shorts (also known as hockey pants) or a girdle;
- athletic cup (also known as a jock);
- shin pads;
- skates;
- and (optionally) a neck protector.
In addition, goal-keepers use different gear, a neck guard, chest/arm protector, blocker, catch glove, and leg pads.
The Ice rink
From the moment of its creation, ice hockey has evolved, from a simple game on the ice of a pond in a complex game that is practised now on well-organized rinks, which must meet the set federations...
Hockey rinks in most of the world follow the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) specifications, which is 61 metres (200 ft) × 30.5 metres (100 ft) with a corner radius of 8.5 metres (28 ft). The distance from the end boards to the nearest goal line is 4 metres (13 ft). The distance from each goal line to the nearest blue line is 17.3 metres (57 ft). The distance between the two blue lines is also 17.3 metres (57 ft).
Ice hockey is from Canada and was developed in the late nineteenth century in North America, so that in 2013 it became familiar all over the worlds. The fastest hockey teams in the world can have sometimes a violent and dangerous match, but what show...
