Ice hockey nutrition

Hockey is played in hard shifts of about 30 to 60 seconds, then a couple of minutes on the bench. Games usually run three periods of 12 to 20 minutes, often with a running clock in rec leagues. Those shifts are close to all-out, which burns through muscle carbohydrate quickly. Short benches make it harder: with only one or two lines, you are back on the ice before you have caught your breath. And many adult leagues play at 9, 10 or even 11 at night.

Before the game

Late ice times are the big challenge. If you skate at 10 pm, eat a normal carb-based dinner around 6 or 7, then have a light snack 30 to 60 minutes before you go on. That keeps you inside the 1 to 4 g of carbohydrate per kg guidance without going to bed on a huge meal. For an early morning skate, a small breakfast like toast with honey or a banana is enough if you cannot face more.

During

The breaks between periods are short, so keep fuel simple. Water is enough for most rec games under an hour of running time. If your bench is short, the game is fast, or you have a second game in a tournament, sip a sports drink on the bench or between periods. Long weekend tournaments with two or three games a day are where carbs during and between games make a difference: aim for about 30 to 60 g of carbohydrate per hour of play when the day gets long.

After

After a late game, you still want protein and some carbs, about 20 to 40 g of protein, but keep it light enough to sleep on. Chocolate milk, Greek yogurt or a turkey sandwich work well. The post-game beer is part of hockey culture: alcohol can slow rehydration and recovery, so if you have one, drink water and eat real food with it.

• Chocolate milk in the dressing room
• Greek yogurt with berries before bed
• Turkey and cheese sandwich
• A bowl of oatmeal with milk and a banana

Hydration

A cold rink fools people into drinking less. Under full gear you sweat a lot, and many hockey players lose more than 2% of their body weight in a game. Weigh yourself before you dress and after you undress a few times to learn your number. Drink about 1.25 to 1.5 L for every kg lost in the hours after. Heavy, salty sweaters, the ones with crusty white marks on their jersey, can use a sports drink with sodium during play and salty food after. Sweat rate calculator.

Tips

• Fill your bottle before you lace up. Getting off the bench to the fountain is not happening mid-game.
• Do not skip dinner for a late game. Eat at your usual time and snack before you skate.
• Caffeine late at night can keep you up after the game. If sleep suffers, skip the pre-game energy drink.
• Air your gear and check your sweat: soaked pads mean your fluid needs are bigger than you think.
• For tournaments, pack a cooler: sandwiches, fruit, chocolate milk and a few bottles of sports drink.

Questions

Sources

1. Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. American College of Sports Medicine joint position statement: nutrition and athletic performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48(3):543-568.
2. Kerksick CM, Arent S, Schoenfeld BJ, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:33.
3. American College of Sports Medicine, Sawka MN, Burke LM, Eichner ER, Maughan RJ, Montain SJ, Stachenfeld NS. American College of Sports Medicine position stand: exercise and fluid replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;39(2):377-390.
4. Herrmann SD, Willis EA, Ainsworth BE, et al. 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: a third update of the energy costs of human activities. J Sport Health Sci. 2024;13(1):6-12. Activity lists at pacompendium.com.