Ice hockey is one of the most intense and fascinating sports we will see at the Winter Olympic Games. Speed, physical contact and tactics meet on a rectangular sheet of ice that hides the laws of physics and technical dynamics that make this sport unique. At the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, hockey – on stage at the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena and at the Rho Fiera Milano Ice Hockey Arena – will be the protagonist not only for the competitiveness of the national teams that will compete, but also for the highly anticipated return to the Games of the NHL players, the top North American professional league in which the best players in the world, who have been absent from the 5-ring event for 12 years, play.
Because hockey is a physics laboratory
On a purely physical level, ice hockey is a great mix of forces at play. It all starts from the surface, the ice, which is not “magically” slippery, but becomes so because the pressure of the skate blades creates a very thin layer of water which reduces the friction between blade and ice, allowing players to slide with great ease. This mechanism is the reason why an athlete can reach high speeds even with minimal push, because the energy imparted by his muscles is quickly transformed into kinetic energy, and the low resistance offered by the ice allows the athlete to maintain speed until another external force intervenes such as a change of direction, a tackle or braking.
The disk (puck) in vulcanized rubber, only 2.5 cm high, is the central element of the game and obeys the same laws of physics that govern projectiles on a surface with little friction. When a player hits it with the cue, the applied force translates into acceleration, causing the puck flights at speeds that can exceed 150 km/h. Part of this energy comes from the elasticity of the cue, able to flex and store energy that is then transferred to the disc, in the same way that a drawn bow releases its arrow.
How long does a hockey game last: basic rules
An ice hockey match lasts 60 minutes, divided into three periods of 20 minutes each. Simply, the team that scores the most goals by trying to put the puck in the opponent’s goal wins. If at the end of 60 minutes the result is tied, we proceed with extra time, which ends when one team scores. If at the end of extra time neither team has scored, the match is decided on penalties, except in the case of the Olympic final, in which extra time will continue until one team scores.
Each team can have up to 25 players on its roster in the men’s tournament and 23 in the women’s tournament, but there are six athletes on the ice per team at a time: five field players and a goalkeeper. Substitutions can happen on the go, without stopping play, which helps keep the game fast-paced and constantly evolving.
Where is the tournament played and how is it structured in Milan-Cortina
The Milan-Cortina ice hockey tournament will be played on two rinks set up in Milan: one at the Rho Fair, one in the new Santa Giulia arena, in what will be the largest indoor arena in Italy, capable of hosting 12 thousand spectators during the Games and over 16 thousand during concerts.
Both facilities comply with international standard dimensions, compliant with IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation) regulations, which however are slightly different than the typical surfaces of NHL championships. This has caused several controversies in recent weeks, because the agreement to bring NHL players back to the Olympics provided for the tournament to be played on a rink same size as those used in North America.
The women’s tournament began on February 5, even one day before the opening ceremony of the Games, while the men’s tournament will start on February 11. The competition includes a group phase in which the teams compete against each other round robinwith the best ones going through to the direct elimination stages up to the final.
The two super favorite nations are the United States and Canada, followed, according to bookmakers, by the European nations in which hockey is most followed and practiced, i.e. the Czech Republic, Sweden and Finland (reigning men’s champion).
Italy will participate in both tournaments as host nation, the last participation in fact dates back to the 2006 Turin Games, where it was also qualified as host. The real goal for both teams is to win at least one match in the round robin.
