Is Hockey Rigged? [Ultimate Guide!]

Ever wonder if hockey is fixed? Do you wonder why every team seems to win more than they should, and why the outcomes of games always seem to go in favor of the favorites? Do you wonder why some people say it’s fixed and other people disagree? Or maybe you just want to know more about hockey, who’s winning, and what really happens on the ice? Well, you’re in luck because we’ve got you covered on this one! In this article, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about hockey, from how the games are played, to who really wins, and why.

How Are The Hockey Games Played?

Hockey is a sport that has been around for a very long time and has been practiced in many different ways. Back in the day, players would use their hands to pass the puck to each other, much like a basketball game. However, since the invention of the laser, puck-handling has become extremely important. Lasers allow players to do things like shoot, pass, and maneuver the puck simultaneously, making it a game that is constantly changing and evolving.

The first hockey game to implement these new rules was the 1996 Canada-Russia Challenge. Since then, the rulebook has continued to evolve as games have become faster and more physical. There are currently over 200 pages of regulations in the NHL rulebook alone, and the amount of complexity continues to grow each year.

Who Really Wins In Hockey?

As strange as it sounds, hockey is not actually a very competitive sport. After all, the whole point is to score more goals than the other team, and the only way you can do that is by playing with more intensity than the other guy. Even though hockey is a team sport, it is generally considered to be a friendly game. You can’t really beat the competitive spirit of American football or basketball, right?

Well, actually you can. Even after the end of the game, coaches and players from both teams would shake hands and have a drink together. Coaches, however, would often have to remind players that they should not be making any unnecessary physical contact after the game. There is also the matter of the trophy. While the hardware has changed over the years, the general form has always been the same. One team dresses all in white, the other in red, and whoever wins the Game gets to keep the Cup. This is what the trophy looks like:

As you can see, it’s a simple enough design, yet still evokes the spirit of competition.

Hockey is generally considered to be a “gentleman’s sport”, which means that the players must adhere to certain codes of conduct. For instance, they must not be abusive to any of the other players or coaches, they must not interfere with an opposing players’ attempts to score, and they must not exhibit bad sportsmanship. If a player breaks any of these rules, he will be sent off the ice and his team will be denied any privileges for the rest of the game. Most of the time, the referees will just warn the player and let him stay on the ice. However, if the player continues to be a problem, he will then have to leave the ice and his team will not be permitted to participate in the rest of the game.

In most cases, the team that scores the most goals wins the game. However, if the teams are tied after regular play has ended, the shootout is used to determine the victor. Shootout goals count for as much as regular goals, and if the game still remains tied after all of that, there is a sudden-death overtime. The first team to achieve a goal wins the game. To make it easier for everyone to follow along, here is a short video describing the various ways in which a hockey game can end:

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Back in the day, hockey used to be a lot more physical. Teams would literally fight each other for control of the puck. Sometimes, players would even cross-check each other or use their knees to play with the puck. Since the sport has evolved and become less rough, people have started to question if the games are really being played by the same rules as they appear to be. Some people have even gone so far as to suggest that the games are fixed because they think it would be too much effort for the NHL to change the rules and add more complexity to the game. Although the majority of the people who question if hockey is rigged think that the games are predetermined, this is absolutely not the case. In the next section, we’ll tell you about the various ways in which the games are actually decided.

The Officials

When we talk about hockey being rigged, it usually refers to the fact that the games are being controlled by the officials, rather than being decided by the skills of the players on the ice. This is a common enough misconception, especially since many of the officials come from a basketball background and are extremely familiar with how that sport is supposed to be played. In fact, just this year alone, the officials have made multiple incorrect calls that have actually helped the teams they are supposed to be helping. Here is a short list of the most recent examples that have caused many fans to accuse the officials of being biased or corrupt:

Detroit Red Wings vs. Colorado Avalanche

On November 1st, the Detroit Red Wings played the Colorado Avalanche at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. In the first period, Chris Colombo, the referee from the first to the fourth period, made a terrible mistake. Instead of allowing a goal to be scored by the Avs, he actually signaled a hooking penalty on Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon. Since MacKinnon was already standing at the side of the ice when the puck crossed the goal line, the goal was immediately waved off and the Red Wings ended up winning the game 6-3.

Florida Panthers vs. New York Islanders

On October 31st, the Florida Panthers played the New York Islanders at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. After a scoreless first period, the Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the second period when Anders Lindström scored a power-play goal on a pass from Jack McIntyre. Moments later, New York’s Travis Hamonic hit Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle with a cross-checking penalty, and the Islanders responded with a goal of their own later in the period.

The puck was still in the air when Hamonic skated over and checked Yandle, causing Yandle to fall to the ice. However, according to the rulebook, a player who is checked from behind cannot continue skating, and must exit the play. As Yandle was falling, he collided with Florida’s Brian Campbell, knocking the wind out of him. While lying on the ice, Yandle continued to breathe, prompting a medical staff member to give him a shot of epinephrine. The play was eventually stopped by officials and the Panthers ended up winning the game 3-1.