Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
ice hockey
Table of Contents
References & Edit History Related Topics
Images & Videos
2018 Stanley Cup finals Stanley Cup Gordie Howe James Craig at the 1980 Olympics Wayne Gretzky and Denis Potvin Figure 1: Professional ice hockey rink. Ice hockey clothingDefensemen and forwards wear the same protective equipment underneath their uniforms. A goaltender’s uniform may weigh 40 pounds (18 kg) more after the addition of leather guards on the legs, thicker padding around the chest and shoulder areas, special gloves, a mouth guard, and a face mask. Ice hockey equipmentThe equipment shown is used by defensemen and forwards. Goaltenders use a skate with a flatter blade and a hockey stick with a wider blade and a shaft that widens near the heel. Ice hockey goal area. Player positions in ice hockeyThe modern game consists of a goaltender, two defensemen, and three forwards. The relative positions of each player at the beginning of a game are shown.
For Students
ice hockey summary
Quizzes
Serena Williams poses with the Daphne Akhurst Trophy after winning the Women's Singles final against Venus Williams of the United States on day 13 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 28, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (tennis, sports)
Great Moments in Sports Quiz
Cricket bat and ball. cricket sport of cricket.Homepage blog 2011, arts and entertainment, history and society, sports and games athletics
Sports Quiz
Assorted sports balls including a basketball, football, soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball and others.
American Sports Nicknames
St. Louis Blues defenseman Erik Johnson carries the puck up the ice during a recent game against the Boston Bruins in Boston, Massachusetts; date unknown. (ice hockey)
Quick Quiz: On The Ice
Volleyball match
Sports Fun Facts Quiz
Related Questions
Read Next
Men's Giant Slalom Italy's Alberto Tomba on the way to retaining his gold medal at Val d'Isere France 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics
The Origin of the Winter Olympics
Car with a pickle design in the Zagreb Red Bull Soapbox Race, Zagreb, Croatia, September 14, 2019. (games, races, sports)
10 Unusual Sports
Banff National Park. Aerial view of Lake Louise in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Aerial perspective.
Canada: 10 Claims to Fame
IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation) World Championship. Quarterfinal game between Russia and Canada. Russian win 5:2. April 20, 2010 in Cologne, Germany
Pro and Con: Fighting in Hockey
Ice Sledge Hockey, Hockey Canada Cup, USA (left) vs Canada, 2009. UBC Thunderbird Arena, Vancouver, BC, competition site for Olympic ice hockey and Paralympic ice sledge hockey. Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Vancouver Olympics
10 Best Hockey Players of All Time
Discover
Rural Irish landscape, Sligo, Ireland.
Why Is Ireland Two Countries?
New Zealand. Political/Physical map. Includes locator.
Where Is “Old Zealand”?
Ahura Mazda - relief of the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda at the ancient ruins of Persepolis in Iran. Also known as Ormazd Zoroastrianism,
Which Religion Is the Oldest?
Two chicks near an egg with a white background (poultry, chick, chickens, birds).
What Do Eggs Have to Do with Easter?
Lusitania sinking, illustration from The War of the Nations (New York), December 31, 1919. World War I, WWI. This image is one of three on the page. (See source file for the other two.)
7 of the World’s Deadliest Shipwrecks
Fish. Lionfish. Lion-fish. Turkey fish. Fire-fish. Red lionfish. Pterois volitans. Venomous fin spines. Coral reefs. Underwater. Ocean. Red lionfish swims by seaweed.
10 of the World’s Most Dangerous Fish
Illustration for Demystified "How Dangerous is Quicksand"
How Deadly Is Quicksand?

ice hockey: Related Content

verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/facts/ice-hockey
Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

News •

How Alex Ovechkin became the top goal-scorer in NHL history • Apr. 6, 2025, 6:26 PM ET (AP)

Photos and Videos

2018 Stanley Cup finals
Stanley Cup
Gordie Howe
James Craig at the 1980 Olympics
Wayne Gretzky and Denis Potvin
Figure 1: Professional ice hockey rink.
Ice hockey clothingDefensemen and forwards wear the same protective equipment underneath their uniforms. A goaltender’s uniform may weigh 40 pounds (18 kg) more after the addition of leather guards on the legs, thicker padding around the chest and shoulder areas, special gloves, a mouth guard, and a face mask.
Ice hockey equipmentThe equipment shown is used by defensemen and forwards. Goaltenders use a skate with a flatter blade and a hockey stick with a wider blade and a shaft that widens near the heel.
Ice hockey goal area.
Player positions in ice hockeyThe modern game consists of a goaltender, two defensemen, and three forwards. The relative positions of each player at the beginning of a game are shown.
How to play ice hockey
See All Videos and Images →

Related Topics and References

Topics

Key People

Jagr, Jaromir
Jaromir Jagr
Czech hockey player
Willie O'Ree
Willie O’Ree
Canadian hockey player
Sidney Crosby; Nicklas Lidstrom
Sidney Crosby
Canadian ice hockey player
Wickenheiser, Hayley
Hayley Wickenheiser
Canadian hockey player
Jonathan Toews
Jonathan Toews
Canadian hockey player
Alex Ovechkin in the Stanley Cup playoffs
Alex Ovechkin
Russian hockey player
Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux
Canadian ice hockey player
“The Great One”
Wayne Gretzky
Canadian ice hockey player
Dominik Hašek
Czech hockey player
Steve Yzerman
Steve Yzerman
Canadian hockey player and manager
Joel Quenneville
Canadian hockey player and coach
Martin Brodeur
Martin Brodeur
Canadian ice hockey player
Nicklas Lidstrom
Nicklas Lidstrom
Swedish hockey player
Slava Fetisov
Russian hockey player
Gordie Howe
Gordie Howe
Canadian hockey player
Scotty Bowman
Scotty Bowman
Canadian ice hockey coach
Bobby Hull
Bobby Hull
Canadian hockey player
James Craig at the 1980 Olympics
Jim Craig
American hockey player
Vladislav Tretiak
Vladislav Tretiak
Soviet hockey player
Maurice Richard
Canadian ice hockey player

Related Quizzes and Features

Quiz
Bobby Riggs (bottom) and Billie Jean King during the "Battle of the Sexes" match at the Houston Astrodome, Texas, September 20, 1973. (tennis)
Sports Moments Nicknames Quiz
St. Louis Blues defenseman Erik Johnson carries the puck up the ice during a recent game against the Boston Bruins in Boston, Massachusetts; date unknown. (ice hockey)
Quick Quiz: On The Ice
Serena Williams poses with the Daphne Akhurst Trophy after winning the Women's Singles final against Venus Williams of the United States on day 13 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 28, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (tennis, sports)
Great Moments in Sports Quiz
Volleyball match
Sports Fun Facts Quiz
Cricket bat and ball. cricket sport of cricket.Homepage blog 2011, arts and entertainment, history and society, sports and games athletics
Sports Quiz
Assorted sports balls including a basketball, football, soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball and others.
American Sports Nicknames
List
Car with a pickle design in the Zagreb Red Bull Soapbox Race, Zagreb, Croatia, September 14, 2019. (games, races, sports)
10 Unusual Sports
Ice Sledge Hockey, Hockey Canada Cup, USA (left) vs Canada, 2009. UBC Thunderbird Arena, Vancouver, BC, competition site for Olympic ice hockey and Paralympic ice sledge hockey. Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Vancouver Olympics
10 Best Hockey Players of All Time
Banff National Park. Aerial view of Lake Louise in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Aerial perspective.
Canada: 10 Claims to Fame