Ice hockey is a famous winter sport which is played on ice skates on an ice rink. It is played by both men and women. It is also played as a Professional Event. The world of Hockey in an Interesting game in itself with lots of Techniques and traditions. This game is played between two teams with 6 players each and the whole team consists of 20 players. This game has a huge fan following especially in North America. The National Hockey league is a Canadian league which players play for the Stanley Cup.
33 Interesting Facts about Ice Hockey
1.In early times the hockey puck was made from fecal matter and the legends have played ice hockey where the pucks were made from the cow dung. Patty were made from cow dung and were frozen. After it was frozen it was used as a Hockey puck. The pucks made from cow dung were frozen every time before the game so that it does not bounce.
2. In today’s time the hockey pucks are made up of rubber which is approximately 170 grams in weight that is 6 ounces. Even today these hard black rubber pucks are frozen to prevent from bouncing during the game. The diameter of the puck is three inches.
3. It is said that ice hockey was played in 1700’s by French and Irish people But it is believed that is was originated by Canadians in mid-1800’s. It is also celebrated as the national sport in Canada.
4. In Ice hockey only one timeout of 30 seconds is allowed to take. In these 30 seconds the player has to make a smart move of how can they change the game. Or else they have to wait till the other teams take a break or any other commercial break.
5. In the game 12 pucks is the average number of pucks used. As it is frozen and melts after a certain point the pucks are supposed to be changed. The maximum number of Pucks used were 22 pucks. In 1979 only one puck was used.
6. Ice Hockey is an Indoor sport which is mostly conducted during Heavy January winters, where people come and watch it in the most comfortable manner. It is also known as the most popular winter sport.
7. Hockey is considered to be one of the fastest sport where the players run on the speed of 100 miles per hour. The game is divided into three quarters of 20 minutes each. The average number of games played in a year are 82 games by a team.
8. It is said that Ice hockey is a game where a player loses a lot of water weight approximately 5 to 10 pounds of water weight. And hence players are asked to stay hydrated and intake a lot of proteins and liquids which is also made available to them during the game on the bench.
9. Since the National Hockey League was formed, the Montreal Canadians have won the trophy 23 times. The last win of the team was in the year 1993. After that Toronto Maple leaf won the trophy for 13 times.
10. Hockey Hall Of Fame is a famous museum which is dedicated to the history of Ice hockey. It is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It holds all the records and memorials about the best NHL teams and its players and also the Stanley Cup.
11. The Stanley Cup initially was seven Inches tall and was awarded to the top ranked hockey team. In today’s time the Cup is thirty five inches tall and is still awarded to the best teams.
12. The cow dung was used as puck during 1800’s.
13. The standard size of ice rink is 200 feet long and 85 feet wide. The layer of the Ice in professional rink is on ¾ inches that is 1.90 cm thick and the temperature is -9℃ (16℉).
14. These layers are kept thin so that the surface water gets frozen faster and harder. The softer the ice the slower the game.
15. The Stanley cup is kept with each player for twenty four hours and they use it as a snack bowl. Some of the treats include champagne, chicken wings, cereal and ice cream. The cup is also known as the punch bowl.
16. If both the teams goalies get injured then any fan can step in the game to help the team and play for them.
17. The National Hockey league was founded 100 years ago, that is 22nd November 1917.
18. The Fastest slap shot in the history of ice hockey was recorded by Bobby Hull which was 118 miles per hour. It was the fastest recorded slap shot.
19. Till 1927- 28 season forward passes were not allowed in ice hockey during the game.
20. The first self-propelled ice cleaning machine was invented by Frank Zamboni in the year 1949, and these machines can still be found in use.
21. It’s a game filled with contact which wouldn’t be recommended to the weak people. As players need to be ready to get thrown into the board also some ice checks headed in their direction. Well they also need to keep themselves prepared to or breaking some bones or losing some teeth in the game.
22. On two occasions the ice hockey takes place outside the indoor arena that is the winter classic and heritage classic. The winter classics started back in 2008 and had twice the normal amount of spectators.
23. The team owners and executives have a special place in ice hockey as 12 of such women have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup trophy.
24. Andy Brown was the last goalie to play the game without a mask in 1974. This year was the end of maskless ice hockey.
25. It is said that the game has a Canadian origin. The hockey hall of fame which is in Toronto, Ontario is evidence of this notion.
26. The hockey sticks are commonly made up of carbon fiber material. It is ideal for the sport due to its lightweight and good mechanical features.
27. The average number of spectators in the year 2018-19 was 17,456. But the succeeding year the number was cut short a little due to the COVID restitution.
28. The NHL has a massive social media following with 6.3 million followers on Twitter and 4.64 million on Facebook.
29. The game between Canada and the USA in 2010 was the most popular moment in the history of ice hockey. Facts show that about 16.6 million Canadians which make up half of their population was busy watching the game.
30. A team is named after the Disney movie Anaheim Ducks which traces its name back to the 1992 movie Mighty Ducks. Where the team members come up with all the difficulties to succeed.
31. Wrist shot is the most common shot in hockey. This is the basic one that is taught to the kids at the very beginning.
32. Bob Orr has been paid million dollars for playing a game with the Boston Bruins.
33. Only 43 players have been successful in scoring five or more goals during one single game. Where as Joe Malone has a record of smashing seven goals in a single game.
Ice Hockey is one of the most dynamic sport with lots of traditions and culture and holds a lot of dynamics. It is one of the most enjoyed games by the players as well as the ones who see it. Hope you enjoyed reading about it.
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