Ice-Hockey games are among the most exciting and fun sports to see live! The speed, the action, the momentum changes, all these make it worthy for you to leave the sofa and support your favorite team in the arena. But if you’ve never attended one before, one question might be glued to your mind: What should I wear? Well, that’s pretty simple! Stick to something comfy, warm, and layered.
What Should I Wear For an NHL Game?
If the game takes place indoors, the Purehockey advises fans to dress in a T-shirt, a loose, cozy long-sleeved shirt over it, and your beloved hockey jersey on top of that. Usually, NHL games have the necessary technology to keep the ice frozen, while the rest of the rink stays warm, so you shouldn’t have to worry!
However, if you tend to get cold easily, don’t be shy to bring a hoodie or a lightweight jacket with you. This way, whether you’re cold or hot, you will have plenty of choice about what to wear. Just make sure you keep your hockey jersey visible! It’s always a good idea to show you are a true fan!
How About An Outdoor Game Or One That Takes Place In a Local Arena?
If the game is taking place outside or in a local arena, you might want to prepare more thoroughly in order to put up with all the freezing cold! Unfortunately, many recreational hockey games don’t afford the appropriate technology to keep the room temperature warm and the ice proper for skating. Some of the must-have items are a hat, a scarf, a pair of mittens, and some extra-shirts under your cushy winter coat.
Even if you’re in love with your skinny jeans, it’s a pretty bad idea to count on them when attending a hockey game. A wise choice would be loose pants backed up with leggings, tights, or long Johns. Remember, it’s a hockey game, not a fashion show!
Keep in mind that your extremities, meaning your hands and feet, will almost always get cold the fastest. For this reason, other items that you wouldn’t want to leave at home are those warm, furry socks, the good old winter boots, and a cushion to keep your bottom warm.
Metal seats can get really cold! Also, a thermos with your favorite warm beverage might do wonders in helping you fight with the low temperatures.
How cold are hockey games?
The temperatures of a hockey game highly depend on what type of game you are attending. According to Hockey Answered, if you go to a professional game, the ambient air temperatures are fairly pleasant, varying around 65F (18C), even though the ice temperature is of only 25F (-4C). However, games held at a recreational or local arena tend to be cooler, so the temperature reaches 55F (12C) at best. Comparatively, the website Brave Stick Hockey states that indoor hockey games usually have an ambient temperature of 50-60F (10-15C). In case the game is taking place outdoors, prepare for freezing or below-freezing temperatures.
A great thing to keep in mind is that the closer your seat is to the ice, the cooler the atmosphere will be. Similarly, the further you are from the ice and the higher from the ground, the warmer you’ll be.
Usually, large rinks will have an increased temperature due to the many people in the rink emitting body heat. Although, even in the case of a huge rink, the lower level will be much cooler than the upper level, mainly because the hot air rises and you’ll be placed further away from the ice.
It’s also possible for the inside temperature of a rink to be influenced by the weather outside. This is only true for certain for some indoor arenas but make sure you bring some extra clothes if you are attending a hockey game during winter or a really cold day.
Another factor that might influence how warm or cold you will feel during a hockey game is how close your seat is to air ducks and other people. If you are unlucky enough to sit under a vent or in a more exposed area, it’s highly likely you’ll feel much colder.
On the contrary, if you are placed in a fully packed area, between rows, the numerous bodies in front of and behind you will make a great guard against the cold air rising from the ice level.
If during indoor games, the temperatures might rise until the end, this is definitely not the case for the hockey games held outside. The lack of movement and activity among the audience will definitely make you feel colder, so have some extra clothing items at hand so you can enjoy the game whatever the weather!
How long does a hockey game last?
A hockey game lasts between two and two and a half hours. In a standard game, the sportsmen will be playing for 60 minutes, divided into three 20-minute periods.
These intermissions, meant to give players time to rest, usually last for 17 minutes. During this time, the ice is cleaned by a Zamboni to make sure the surface is proper and safe for the players to continue their game and the audience to enjoy it.
Bear in mind there are different overtime rules in regular seasons compared to playoffs. The regular season NHL overtime is only 5 minutes. In case neither team scores during this period, the winner of the game will be decided by a three-player shoot-out.
In NHL playoffs, shoot-outs are nowhere to be found! Here, the players are given a 20-minute overtime period with a 15-minute intermission. If no team scores during this time, the overtime period is played again, and again, until a team scores a goal! It’s easy to see why many times a hockey game might last longer than you might have thought in the beginning!
What You Should Know Before Attending Your First Hockey Game
Obviously, any firsts can be nerve-wracking! And they might be even more so if you plan to watch a professional hockey game live for the first time! Sports Where I Am blog has a really useful list of tips you should definitely know before you attend your very first hockey game.
- As you might have guessed, the first piece of advice concerns the dress code! If you want to enjoy a hockey game to the fullest, don’t forget to follow the suggestions mentioned in this article. The last thing you’d want is to freeze or forget your favorite hockey jersey home!
- Arrive early! You might not know this, but the pregame warmups can be really fascinating. You can see the players preparing mentally and physically for the game. It’s just like sneaking behind the scenes at a theater performance, but in this case, no one will kick you out, frowning. There’s also a special effect you can only get from watching the Zamboni cleaning the ice. All this will put you in the right mindset to enjoy the game to the fullest!
- Don’t eat at home! The experience of watching a hockey game is not complete unless you have a taste of the local food, whatever it might be. So do yourself a favor and arrive hungrily and hungrily!
- Set your eyes on a player! If you’d like to get a better grip on how the game works, it’s a great idea to follow specific players along with the game. If you already have a few favorites, that’s even better!
- Don’t forget to stand during the national anthem and take off your cap!
- Don’t leave your seat unless there is a break! There’s nothing more annoying for true fans than missing important moments in the game because someone in the front rows stands up.
- Be encouraging to injured players by cheering when they get up!
- If you’re lucky enough to have a puck come your way, be nice and give it to a kid! They will definitely love it!
- Throw your hat onto the rink if a player scores three times in a row!
- Put your phone aside!
Final words
These being said, you’re ready to attend your first hockey game! Make sure you wrap up to fight the low temperatures, get the right information about what kind of hockey game you are attending, prepare for at least 2 and a half hours of action, arrive early, and enjoy the experience to the fullest! If you still have unanswered questions, make sure you check out the referenced sources in this article and surf the Web for more information from professionals.
And one last tip! Take someone with you! It’s always more fun to have someone by your side if you’re attending a hockey game for the first time. Maybe a veteran is willing to give out some precious secrets about how to enjoy your experience to the fullest!
