Found primarily in very cold areas, the quite demanding physical sport of hockey is popular throughout parts of the United States, Canada, Russia, Norway, Scandinavia, Sweden, and other parts of Europe. Rotating 6 players at a time, the game has a total of 22 players. These players play a game that is divided into three twenty minute periods. The NHL does not allow any tied end games, so this system helps to break up any tied scores in the last period.
Having changed a lot since its origins in Europe, hockey is a sport which has grown to include many regulations, and is nothing like the sport that it was back when the referee was in the audience instead of on the field. The referee’s home these days is on the ice, where skates next to the players, and confers with the other referee (there are two) and the league officials, watching from the sidelines. Another difference that grew out of the additional regulations in the league is the penalty box. This means a player that’s committed a move on the ice or some play that wasn’t a part of the league-mandated rule book is kicked off the ice and will have to sit out the rest of the period or game depending on what the referee decides.
Any player that has a problem with getting ‘called out’ too many times in a game will wind up causing ‘penalty’ shots. While today’s numbers are lower, what we do see a lot of recently in the sport is an incredible amount of aggression between players. Not only do the rival team members fight each other, but so do fellow players, and the referee can wind up in the midst of a fight as well. This usually happens while the referee is busy trying to break them up, since some of the brawls can bet bloody to the point of fist fights. Many hockey players fight so intensely that they end up breaking the rink side protective glass.
Cuts, bruises, and other injuries are often the result of the fist fighting that goes on in hockey. Brawling on the ice can start over calls made on plays, perceived to be unfair, and from the heckling from the other team. Sometimes, as a measure to bring down the intensity and anger of a fight, players are sent to the locker room to calm down. It isn’t surprising, given the immense amount of energy involved in hockey, that tempers flare so easily. In fact it can be very difficult not to get angry, but when it comes to the referee fighting, well, that’s a whole separate ballgame.