Hockey grew up in Canada in the 1800s. Long before there were big arenas, families played on frozen ponds, rivers and lakes whenever they froze hard enough to skate on. To this day, many Canadian children learn to skate before they can ride a bike.
A hockey game has two teams of six players each (including the goalie). They try to score by sliding the puck into the other team's goal. The puck is small, hard, and can travel up to 160 km/h - faster than most cars on a motorway. That is why everyone wears helmets and lots of padding.
Hockey is famous for being tough but also very team-based. A great pass is celebrated as much as a great goal. Most communities in Canada, even tiny ones, have an outdoor rink that gets flooded by volunteers every winter so the kids can play.
The biggest hockey prize is called the Stanley Cup. It is over 130 years old and has the name of every winning team engraved on it. Each player on a winning team gets to keep it for one day - and they often take it home to their family.