Hockey Stat Showdowns

A Stat Showdown is a Would You Rather question with two cards of real hockey stats. Read the cards out loud, let everyone pick, then reveal what the numbers say. It is a fun way to get a young fan backing up an opinion with facts.

Stat Showdown #1

Would you rather play on an NHL rink or a bigger Olympic-size rink?

A · NHL RINK

  • 200 feet long and 85 feet wide
  • Less room means quicker decisions and tighter puck battles

B · OLYMPIC-SIZE RINK

  • Some international rinks have been about 100 feet wide
  • More room for skating and passing
Make your pick, then reveal what the numbers say

It's a tie

For better hockey: TIE. A wider rink gives more room; a narrower one makes space tighter. Pick your style.

Stat Showdown #2

Would you rather block a shot or make a clean poke check?

A · BLOCK A SHOT

  • Players use their protective pads to block a shot
  • Learn safe shot-blocking technique from a coach

B · POKE CHECK

  • Knock the puck away with your stick
  • Lets you stay on your feet
Make your pick, then reveal what the numbers say

B wins

For preventing the shot: B, if the poke check wins the puck before the shooter fires.

Stat Showdown #3

Would you rather be captain or the team's best scorer?

A · CAPTAIN

  • Wears the C and talks to the referees
  • Chosen for leadership

B · BEST SCORER

  • Leads the team in points
  • Helps create the team's goals
Make your pick, then reveal what the numbers say

It's a tie

For which matters more: TIE. Great teams need both, and sometimes it is the same player.

Stat Showdown #4

Would you rather play in a game delayed by a power outage or by a broken pane of glass?

A · POWER OUTAGE

  • Arenas have had to stop games when lights failed
  • A long loss of cooling can soften the ice

B · BROKEN GLASS

  • A hard shot can shatter a pane
  • Crews keep spare panes ready
Make your pick, then reveal what the numbers say

It's a tie

For a quick restart: TIE. Glass repairs and power failures can take different amounts of time.

Every verdict names what it is judging, and when the cards cannot settle it, the answer is a tie. That is the point: the best debaters use their gut and the facts.

Play 50 free hockey Quick Fire questions →