How long does an NHL game actually last? (including OT, intermissions, and TV time)
Updated · Tested by DailyStash editors
Regulation time
Three periods of 20 minutes of game clock. The clock stops for face-offs, whistles, penalties, video review, and TV timeouts, so 20 minutes of clock time is usually 35-45 minutes of real time.
Overtime
Regular season: one 5-minute sudden-death period, 3-on-3, followed by a shootout if still tied. Playoffs: 20-minute sudden-death periods, 5-on-5, repeating until someone scores. No shootouts in the playoffs.
Intermissions
Two intermissions of roughly 18 minutes each between periods — enough for ice resurfacing and the halftime-style broadcast segments.
TV broadcast padding
National broadcasts (Hockey Night in Canada, ESPN/TNT in the US) add pre- and post-game shows that push the total on-air window closer to 3 hours even for a regulation game.
Real-time length by scenario
| Scenario | Approx. real-time |
|---|---|
| Regulation, no OT | ~2h 20m [VERIFY] |
| Regular-season OT + shootout | ~2h 40m [VERIFY] |
| Single-OT playoff | ~3h 00m [VERIFY] |
| Double-OT playoff | ~4h 00m+ [VERIFY] |
NHL game length FAQ
How long is an NHL game with commercials?
About 2 hours 20 minutes on TV, on average [VERIFY]. Regulation is 60 minutes of game clock split into three 20-minute periods, with two intermissions of about 18 minutes each, plus TV timeouts inside each period.
How long is NHL overtime?
Regular-season overtime is a single 5-minute sudden-death period played 3-on-3. If nobody scores it goes to a shootout. Playoff overtime is 20-minute sudden-death periods, 5-on-5, with no shootout — games have famously stretched past midnight.
Are NHL playoff games longer than regular-season games?
Yes — noticeably. Playoff intermissions are longer, TV timeouts are more generous, and overtime is unlimited 20-minute periods instead of a 5-minute 3-on-3. A tight playoff game routinely runs 2h 45m; a double-overtime game can pass 4 hours.
Why do NHL games take longer than the 60-minute game clock?
The game clock only counts play — not stoppages. Face-offs, icing resets, penalties, video reviews, and TV timeouts all pause the clock. Add two intermissions and you get roughly a 2h 20m real-time broadcast for a game with no overtime.