Ice Hockey -Knowledge And Facts

The modern game of hockey, as you recognize it today, was invented in the mid-1850s by British soldiers that were on duty in Canada. In 1879, some students at McGill University in Montréal gave the game a set of rules. By the late 1880s, many amateur clubs and leagues had sprung up.  On March 3, 1875, the first organized indoor game was played at Montreal's Victoria Skating Rink between two sides of nine-player teams. The goals were goal posts 6 feet apart, and the game lasted 60 minutes.  The game is believed to have been 1st played in the USA in 1893.  The game is played between two teams with six players (five skaters and a goalie) on the ice.  The NHL is the most important league in the world and this National Hockey League comprises teams from the United States and Canada. The winning team of NHL is awarded the Stanley Cup trophy. The original Stanley Cup was only seven inches high. The cup and base now stands more than 35 inches high. The Montreal Canadiens have won the most Stanley Cups . Bernie Geoffrion is credited with bringing the slapshot to the NHL in 1951. He was given the nickname “Boom Boom” because his shot was so hard and fast. The first player to accumulate more than 300 penalty minutes in one season was Philadelphia Flyer Dave “The Hammer” Schultz, who had 348 in 1974. The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Canada. There is also a U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame for players, coaches, etc. that are American-born. There are 13 people that are members of both halls of fame. Ice Hockey became an Olympic sport in 1920 and is 1 of the most popular events at the Winter Olympics. The International Federation was created in 1924. While there are 72 total members of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), 162 of 177 medals at the IIHF World Championships have been taken by these seven nations: Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden and the United States. All 12 Olympic and 36 IIHF World Women's Championships medals have gone to one of above given seven countries, and every gold medal in both competitions has been won by either Canada or the United States. The McGill University Hockey Club, the first hockey club, was founded in 1877 followed by the Montreal Victorias, organized in 1881. In Europe, it is believed that in 1885 the Oxford University Ice Hockey Club was formed to play the first Ice Hockey Varsity Match against traditional rival Cambridge in St. Moritz, Switzerland.