How Long Are NHL Games? Average Length Explained

Updated Sept. 21, 2026

How long are NHL games? A game is 60 minutes of playing time, split into three 20-minute periods. In real time it takes about two and a half hours from puck drop to final horn.

The gap comes from two intermissions and the clock stopping on every whistle. Plan on 2 hours 20 minutes to 2 hours 40 minutes for a game that ends in regulation.

NHL Game Length: Quick Facts

Part of the game	Length
One period	20 minutes on the clock
Periods per game	3
Total playing time	60 minutes
Intermissions	2, about 18 minutes each
Clock plus intermissions	96 minutes minimum
Typical real time	About 2 hours 30 minutes
Regular season overtime	5 minutes, 3-on-3
Shootout	3 rounds, then sudden death
Playoff overtime	20-minute periods, no limit

How Long are NHL Games in Real Time?

Most NHL games last about two and a half hours from the opening faceoff to the final buzzer.

Here is the simple math. Sixty minutes of hockey plus two intermissions of roughly 18 minutes gives you 96 minutes. Everything on top of that is stoppage time: whistles, faceoffs, penalties, goal reviews and TV breaks.

So if the puck drops at 7:00 PM ET, you are usually looking at a finish somewhere between 9:20 and 9:40 PM ET. A game that goes to overtime and a shootout adds another 15 to 25 minutes.

How Long is Each Period in Hockey?

Each period is 20 minutes long. There are three of them.

The clock only runs while the puck is in play. It stops on every whistle, so a 20-minute period takes roughly 35 to 40 minutes of real time to finish.

Teams switch ends after each period. That means each side defends the far end twice, in the first and third, which is why the third period often looks more open.

How Long are NHL Intermissions?

Intermissions run about 18 minutes, the league standard. There are two of them, after the first period and after the second.

The break is not just for the players. The ice crew resurfaces the sheet, which takes most of the window. Broadcasters use the same slot for their studio shows.

Two intermissions add 36 minutes to the night. That is more than half an hour of the gap between the 60-minute clock and the two and a half hour reality.

Why Does a 60-Minute Game Take Over Two Hours?

Because the clock stops constantly and the breaks are built into the broadcast.

These are the main things that stretch a game:

• Two intermissions. About 36 minutes total
• TV timeouts. Three per period, two minutes each, taken at the first stoppage after the 14, 10 and 6 minute marks while both teams are at even strength
• Faceoffs. Every whistle means a new faceoff and the clock sits still until the puck drops
• Penalties. The referee has to announce the call and the player has to reach the box
• Goals. Play stops for the celebration, the announcement and the next faceoff at center ice
• Video review. Goal reviews and coach’s challenges can each take several minutes

Those TV breaks are skipped in some spots. There is no commercial timeout right after a goal, during a power play, or when the whistle came from an icing. That is part of why two games with the same score can finish 15 minutes apart.

Hockey still moves faster than most sports on this measure. Sixty minutes of live action inside a two and a half hour window is a better ratio than football or baseball.

How Long is NHL Overtime?

Regular season overtime is five minutes, played three skaters per side.

It is sudden death. The first goal ends the game. The 3-on-3 format has been in place since the 2015-16 season, and the open ice means many overtimes end well before the five minutes run out.

There is a one-minute rest before overtime starts, and teams reverse the direction they attack. In real time a full five-minute overtime adds roughly 8 to 10 minutes to the night.

How Long Does a Shootout Take?

A shootout usually takes 5 to 10 minutes.

Each team gets three shooters. If the score is still level after that, it goes to sudden death rounds, one shooter per team at a time, until someone wins. Every skater must shoot before anyone shoots twice.

Long ones happen. The record shootout went 20 rounds on Dec. 16, 2014.

How Long are Playoff Overtime Games?

Playoff overtime has no time limit. Teams play full 20-minute periods, five skaters a side, until someone scores.

There is no shootout in the playoffs. A full intermission comes between each overtime period, so a game that reaches double overtime can run past four hours.

This is why playoff start times matter. A 9:00 PM ET puck drop that goes to triple overtime finishes after 1:00 AM ET.

What is the Longest NHL Game Ever?

The longest game in NHL history was played on March 24, 1936, between the Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Maroons.

It went to six overtime periods. Mud Bruneteau scored at 16:30 of the sixth to win it 1-0 for Detroit. That is 116 minutes and 30 seconds of overtime on top of regulation, or 176:30 of playing time in all. The game ended at 2:25 AM on March 25.

Detroit goaltender Normie Smith made 92 saves for the shutout.

What I’m Watching

The third period is where game length gets decided. A tight one-goal third brings more whistles, more timeouts and a goalie pulled for the extra attacker, and that last two minutes of clock can eat 10 minutes of real time.

A blowout third runs clean and the horn comes early. If you are trying to catch the end of a late game before bed, the score at second intermission tells you more than the clock does.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long are NHL games? Sixty minutes on the clock, about two and a half hours on your evening. Three 20-minute periods, two intermissions of roughly 18 minutes, and a clock that stops every time the whistle blows.

Planning your night around a game? Every puck drop time is on our NHL games today page.