acta facultatis educationis physicae universitatis comenianae

Differences in game performance parameters of winning and losing ice-hockey teams
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DIFFERENCES IN GAME PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS
OF WINNING AND LOSING ICE-HOCKEY TEAMS
Miroslav Huntata, Ludmila Zapletalová
Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia
Summary: The purpose of the research was to ascertain game performance parameters in ice
hockey that make the difference between the winning and losing teams. Game performance
was assessed based on digital records of matches taken at 2010 Winter Olympic Games in
Vancouver. Assessed were 24 selected game performance parameters, including shooting,
saves, power play, penalty kill, effective solution to situations 1v1 and puck carrying. Significance
of differences in selected game performance parameters of teams was tested by means
of non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test. As regards the number of shots and effectiveness of
shooting, save, power play or penalty kill, man-to-man fight and puck carrying in offence,
especially in the attacking zone, there exist significant differences between the winning and
losing teams. The research brought results that can be useful for making the training process
and coaching of teams during a match more effective and enrich the theory of ice-hockey
performance.
Key words: ice hockey, game performance parameters, winning teams, losing teams, 2010
Olympic Games
Introduction
Identification of parameters, crucial for the match result, is an important part of the
game performance analysis. Those parameters are called by Hughes and Bartlett (2002) as
performance parameters and defined as variables or their combinations, directed to determination
of effective game performance aspects or result. Identification of performance parameters
in team sports is rather complex because the game performance of a team is based
on many strategic, tactical and technical dimensions as well as on time and space aspects
(Psotta, 2009). Reasonable long-time attention has been paid to search for coherences between
the game performance parameters and match results, or search for differences in game
performance parameters of winning and losing teams. This has been processed relatively
comprehensively in net games thanks to relatively schematic chain of game situations as
well as resulting game skills and combinations of individuals. However, invasive games,
where the number and variability of game situations are high, mainly lack a more complex
sight of the issue and the search for predictors of victory has often only a partial character.
Out of works dealing with the issue of victory predictors in a more complex way, it is worth
to mention the work of Hianik (2010). He confirmed that from the aspect of offence a match
result in top handball significantly depends on effective quick attacks and counter-attacks,
Acta Facultatis Educationis Physicae Universitatis Comenianae LII/I