ICE HOCKEY

ICE HOCKEY

Ice hockey (hockey in countries where it is the most popular form of hockey) is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a puck into the opposing team's goal.It is a fast-paced physical winter sport.Ice hockey is most popular in areas of North America particularly northern Unites States and Canada also northern and western Europe.It is popular in areas that are sufficiently cold for natural reliable seasonal ice cover, such as Canada, the Czech Republic, Latvia, the Nordic countries (especially Finland and Sweden), United States, Russia, Slovakia, and Switzerland. With the advent of indoor artificial ice rinks it has become a year-round pastime in these areas. 

Ice hockey is believed to have evolved from simple stick and ball games played in the 18th and 19th century United Kingdom and elsewhere. These games were brought to Canada and the United States and several similar winter games using informal rules were developed, such as "shinny" and "ice polo". Ice hockey is one of the four major North American professional sports. Worldwide the National Hockey League (NHL) is the highest level for men and both the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL) and the Western Women's Hockey League (WWHL) are the highest levels for women. It is the official national winter sport of Canada, where the game enjoys immense popularity.

 

There are total of 74 members: 54 full members, 18 associate members and 2 affiliate members of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), 177 of 201 medals at the IIHF World Championships have been taken by seven nations: Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Slovenia, Sweden and the United States.Of the 64 medals awarded in men's competition at the Olympic level from 1920 on, only six did not go to the one of those countries. All 12 Olympic and 36 IIHF World Women Championships medals have gone to one of those seven countries, and every gold medal in both competitions has been won by either Canada or the United States.