You almost certainly won't see fighting in Olympic hockey matches because international rules have harsh penalties.

Ice hockey is one of the most popular events each Winter Olympics cycle. Check out information on the format, scoring, rules, and more now.

The 2026 Olympic Winter Games take place February 6-22 in Milan, and you can watch them all on Peacock. Anywhere. Any time. Every event in the Games — yes, every one! — is streaming live and on-demand on Peacock. And with features like Multiview and Rinkside Live , you're not just watching the competition: You're experiencing it.

IIHF regulations, penalties, roster sizes, rink dimensions, overtime, and differences from NHL play for men's and women's tournaments.

Hockey fans may be used to the NHL's overtime format. Here is more on how the Olympics handle overtime.

The United States men's hockey team will try to win its first Winter Olympics gold medal since 1980 at the Milan Cortina Games.

Get to know the basics of Olympic hockey — learn how the men’s and women’s tournaments are structured, how games are scored and decided, what rules differ from the NHL, and who the top medal contenders are for Milan Cortina 2026.