Hockey vs. Shinty — What's the Difference?

A team sport played on ice or a field, aiming to score goals by hitting a puck or ball.

A Scottish team sport, aiming to score goals with a ball and sticks called camans.

Field hockey is widely played globally, especially in Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Less protective gear is used compared to hockey.

Ice hockey is especially popular in countries like Canada and Russia.

Primarily an amateur sport with a passionate community.

Known for its fast pace and physical play.

Played outdoors on grass fields, reflecting its ancient origins.

Involves strategies like power plays and penalty kills (in ice hockey).

Emphasizes endurance, skill, and teamwork.

Hockey is a sport in which two teams play against each other by trying to manoeuvre a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick. There are many types of hockey such as bandy, field hockey, ice hockey and rink hockey.

Shinty (Scottish Gaelic: camanachd, iomain) is a team game played with sticks and a ball. Shinty is now played mainly in the Scottish Highlands and amongst Highland migrants to the big cities of Scotland, but it was formerly more widespread in Scotland, and was even played in northern England into the second half of the 20th century and other areas in the world where Scottish Highlanders migrated.While comparisons are often made with field hockey the two games have several important differences.

A team game played between two teams of eleven players each, using hooked sticks with which the players try to drive a small hard ball towards goals at opposite ends of a field. In North America it is called field hockey to distinguish it from ice hockey.

A game derived from hurling, and resembling hockey, played in Scotland.

Variant spelling of oche

The stick used to strike the ball in this game, similar to a hockey stick.

Ice hockey.

A Scotch game resembling hockey; also, the club used in the game.

Field hockey.

Street hockey.

(Commonwealth) Field hockey, a team sport played on a pitch on solid ground where players have to hit a ball into a net using a hockey stick.

(North America) Ice hockey, a game on ice in which two teams of six players skate and try to score by shooting a puck into the opposing team's net, using their sticks.

A variation of hockey, such as roller hockey, street hockey, shinny, or ball hockey.

Senseid|en|darts}} {{alternative form of oche.

A game in which two parties of players, armed with sticks curved or hooked at the end, attempt to drive any small object (as a ball or a bit of wood) toward opposite goals.

The stick used by the players.

Hockey played on a field; two opposing teams use curved sticks to drive a ball into the opponents' net

A game played on an ice rink by two opposing teams of 6 skaters each who try to knock a flat round puck into the opponents' goal with hockey sticks

While shinty has a strong Scottish identity, it has also been played in other regions, albeit less frequently.

Hockey can be played on ice or synthetic surfaces with specific protective gear, while shinty is traditionally played on grass with less protective equipment.

No, hockey uses a puck (ice hockey) or a hard ball (field hockey), while shinty uses a small, hard ball specific to the sport.

Sticks, a puck or ball, and protective gear, including helmets, are essential for hockey.

While there are similarities, the unique skills and rules of shinty require adaptation by hockey players.

Field hockey enjoys global popularity, especially in countries with limited ice hockey facilities, unlike shinty, which is more niche and culturally specific to Scotland.

Strategies in hockey include offensive plays like breakaways and defensive setups like the penalty kill.

Yes, helmets have become mandatory in shinty to prevent head injuries.

Hockey is played on ice or artificial turf, depending on the variant, while shinty is played on a grass field.

A caman is the wooden stick used in shinty, similar to the sticks used in hockey but with differences in design and construction.

Hockey games typically consist of three periods, while shinty matches have two halves, but the total duration can vary.

Yes, both sports have women's teams and leagues, promoting inclusivity and competition.

The NHL is the premier professional ice hockey league, representing the highest level of the sport globally.

Shinty is more than a sport in Scotland; it's a cultural heritage that fosters community and tradition.

Yes, physical contact is a part of shinty, though there are rules to ensure safety.