Eastern Women's Hockey Hub

Professional hockey has set overtime rules to ensure that games are decided on the ice and not in a shootout. In the NHL, overtime is played for five minutes in regular season games and for 20 minutes in playoff games. During overtime, teams are allowed to have three skaters on the ice instead of the usual five. If the game is still tied after overtime, then a shootout is used to decide the winner. Overtime rules in other professional hockey leagues may differ from the NHL, but the goal is always the same: to decide the game on the ice.

Hockey is often associated with fights between players. However, it is important to note that fighting is not an accepted part of the game. In the NHL, players are allowed to fight under certain conditions; if both players drop their gloves and sticks, the referee will intervene and separate the players. Penalties for fighting can include suspensions, fines, and game misconducts. In addition, players can face criminal charges if the fight is considered excessive. Ultimately, fighting is not condoned in hockey and players are expected to respect the rules.