Hockey, sometimes known as ice hockey or just hockey, is a team sport that is played on ice skates on a surface that has been specially marked out for the activity. It is a member of the hockey family of sports. A closed, vulcanised rubber disc called a “puck” is controlled, advanced, and shot into the opposing team’s goal in ice hockey by two opposing teams using ice hockey sticks. One point is awarded for each goal.
The simple stick and ball sports bandy, hurling and shinty, which were popular in Britain, Ireland and other countries in the 18th and 19th centuries, are thought to be the ancestors of ice hockey.
The winning team is the one with the most goals scored. In a formal game, each side has six skaters on the ice at once, with the goaltender being one of them, barring any penalties. Ice hockey is one of the most physically taxing team sports because it is a full-contact activity.
The sport is simply referred to as “hockey” in North America and some regions of Europe. However, “hockey” typically refers to hockey in other nations. The designation of hockey as the national winter sport of Canada was made official in 1994.
The first indoor game of ice hockey was played on March 3, 1875, in Montreal, which is considered to be the birthplace of the current game. The length of the ice rink and the use of a puck are two elements of the game that have persisted to this day.
