Hockey is rightly called the game of the century. It embodies the brightest, most exciting and impressive features of modern sports: passionate fighting, whirling speed, courage in forceful combat, lightning change of game situations. It leaves no one indifferent, uniting many of its fans regardless of their age and interests.
Hockey has become one of the symbols of modern life. This game, distinguished by the speed, dynamics, temperament and drama, is fully consistent with the time in which we live. One of the reasons for the great popularity of hockey is its ability to give the viewer a quick change of situations. A hockey fan can enjoy both the individual skill of the players and the way different schemes are realized – in defense and offense.
The first rules
In the beginning, matches could be played according to different rules, everything depended on specific cases. Several students from the local University of Montreal managed to fix a number of laws of the game. Seven simple points became fundamental to the further development of the competition. Soon the first rubber puck was developed, a couple of years later, several teams created a common sports association. The rules gradually became more perfect, they were able to streamline and print only in 1886.
The following players were on the field at the same time:
3 forwards.
2 defenders.
1 goalkeeper.
1 rover (a strong athlete who moved all over the field and scored the most goals).
The teams played the first time without substitutions. It was realistic to make adjustments to the lineup only because of an injury to one of the athletes.
The modern rules of the game of ice hockey define the following important points:
- The match in ice hockey consists of three periods, each period lasts 20 minutes;
- Each period begins by throwing in the puck, and ends with the referee’s whistle;
- the throw-in of the puck is carried out by the referee;
- between periods there are 15 minute breaks, which are accompanied by a goal change;
- Six players can be on the field at the same time, a full hockey team in this case consists of 20-25 people;
- Replacement of players takes place both at pauses and during the game;
- In hockey power wrestling is allowed;
- In power wrestling is prohibited: tripping, delaying the opponent, elbows, as well as attacking a player who does not have possession of the puck;
- the main time of the game may end in a draw and an extra time will be scheduled, which may be followed by a series of shootout;
- For infractions athletes are sent to the penalty bench.