Key NHL terms to know during Panthers-Oilers Stanley Cup Final

The Stanley Cup Final is getting more intense.

The Florida Panthers grabbed a 2-0 series lead Monday and have put all the pressure on the Edmonton Oilers not to lose Game 3 at home on Thursday.

But if you're just getting into hockey, there may be some areas of the sport that leave you confused.

From the periods to goal terminology, here's some Hockey 101 to get you prepped for the rest of the final series:

How many periods are there in hockey?

NHL games have three periods that are 20 minutes each.

Why are there no quarters in hockey?

In similar leagues like the NBA, games are played in four 12-minute quarters. The NFL operates with four 15-minute quarters.

But the NHL has not used typical quarters since the 1910s. That's when games were played in two 30-minute halves, but constant buildup of snow and ice on the rink led to injuries and delays.

The 15-minute intermissions before the second and third periods see Zamboni machines improve the ice quality before play resumes.

How many games to win the Stanley Cup?

The first team to four wins will claim the Stanley Cup Final trophy. So, if the Panthers win two more games, regardless of completing a rare sweep, they'll be champions.

How many Stanley Cups have the Panthers won?

The Panthers have not yet won the Stanley Cup. This is their third appearance in the final having previously lost to the Colorado Avalanche in 1996 and Vegas Golden Knights in 2023.

What are four goals in hockey called?

Two goals is usually a brace. Evan Rodrigues scored one in Game 2. Three is a hat-trick. But what if a player nets four in a game? Then it's called a "haul." The most recent to score a haul was Buffalo Sabres' Tage Thompson on March 29, 2024.

What are five goals in hockey called?

After the haul, if a player scores five goals in a game it's called a "glut." Six is a double hat-trick.

The last player to score a glut in the league was Minnesota Wild's Marian Gaborik on Dec. 20, 2007.