Ice Hockey Trivia Questions

Ice hockey originated in Canada, not the United States. The first organized game was in Montreal in 1875, and the sport developed there.

Ice hockey games are divided into three 20-minute periods, not four. This is a standard rule at all levels of the sport.

Vulcanized rubber is durable and provides the right bounce and hardness. This has been the standard material since the late 1800s.

They're against the rules but not illegal—players get a 5-minute major penalty, not ejection, unless things get violent or a third man jumps in.

The NHL was established on November 26, 1917, in Montreal, Canada, as a successor to the National Hockey Association.

Freezing reduces the puck's bounce and friction, making it slide predictably. This practice has been standard since the early days of the sport.

The first organized indoor ice hockey game took place at Montreal's Victoria Skating Rink on March 3, 1875. This is a documented historical fact.

The record is 108.8 mph, set by Zdeno Chara in 2012 at the NHL All-Star Skills Competition.

It wasn't awarded in 1919 due to the Spanish flu pandemic, and in 2005 due to the NHL lockout. Two cancellations total.

Pucks are standardized worldwide. This myth probably comes from confusion with Olympic ice size, which is slightly wider than NHL rinks.

Frank Zamboni was an American inventor from New York who ran an ice rink. He was not a hockey player—he just hated slow manual resurfacing.

A goal is disallowed if the puck is intentionally kicked into the net. Only a stick may legally propel the puck for a score.

Hand passes are allowed in a team's defensive zone but illegal in neutral and offensive zones, causing a stoppage. Thus the absolute statement is false.

Until that season, forward passes were legal only in the defensive and neutral zones. The 1929-30 rule change permitted them in the attacking zone, opening up offensive play.

The NHL mandates helmets for all players. A grandfather waiver existed for those who signed before 1979, but it no longer applies to any active player. Goaltenders cannot simply request to play without a helmet.

The 1875 game at Montreal's Victoria Skating Rink used a wooden puck, as rubber pucks were not yet standard.