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14:15 on 4th December 2007

At the Olympic Winter Games, women compete in an eight-team tournament whereas men compete in a 12-team tournament.

Each country may have one men’s and one women’s team. Men’s teams have 23 players (20 players and three goal keepers, while women’s teams have 20 players (18 players and two goal keepers), with a maximum of six players - including the goalie - permitted on the ice at any given time. Players may be substituted at any time during the game.

Among the team of six players on the ice are one goalkeeper, two defenders, two wings and one centre. Fewer players can be on the ice as a result of penalties: a goalkeeper can be replaced by a skater during a delayed penalty, or at any other time of the game, at the team's risk.

A regular game consists of three 20-minute periods, with a 15-minute intermission after the first and second periods. Teams change ends for each period. If a tie occurs in a medal-round game in which a winner must be determined, a five-minute sudden-victory overtime period is played. In the gold medal game, a 20-minute sudden-victory period is played subsequent to another 15-minute intermission. In the case of a tie after any sudden-victory period, a game-winning penalty shoot competition takes place to determine the winner.

Canada are the defending champions for both men and women. Surprisingly the United States have not won the men's tournament since Lake Placid 1980.

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