Hockey periods are usually 20 minutes each, with three periods in a standard game (60 minutes of regulation time).

Quick Scoop

  • Most organized ice hockey (including NHL, AHL, many pro leagues):
    • 3 periods × 20 minutes stop-time.
* Two intermissions of about 15–18 minutes between periods.
  • Because the clock stops for whistles, plus intermissions and commercials, a full NHL game typically takes about 2.5–3 hours in real time.

Variations you might see

  • Youth, rec, and some amateur leagues often use shorter periods, like 3 × 12 or 3 × 15 minutes, to fit tighter rink schedules.
  • If the game is tied, many leagues add overtime (for example, NHL regular season uses a 5‑minute 3‑on‑3 overtime, then a shootout if still tied).

Simple HTML table of period length

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Level / Type</th>
      <th>Number of periods</th>
      <th>Length per period</th>
      <th>Notes</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>NHL / top pro</td>
      <td>3</td>
      <td>20 minutes stop-time</td>
      <td>2 intermissions ~17–18 minutes; total 2.5–3 hours real time [web:1][web:3][web:5]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Most other pro leagues</td>
      <td>3</td>
      <td>20 minutes stop-time</td>
      <td>Similar structure to NHL, may have slightly different intermission lengths [web:7][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>High school / youth (example)</td>
      <td>3</td>
      <td>12–15 minutes</td>
      <td>Shorter periods and intermissions to fit ice time; varies by league [web:8][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

If you’re just planning your night: expect about 2.5–3 hours at the rink from puck drop to final buzzer for a typical pro game.

TL;DR: Regulation hockey uses three 20‑minute periods; real‑world game time runs around 2.5–3 hours with stoppages and intermissions.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.