Simulated Game-Based Ice Hockey Match Design (Scrimmage) Elicits Greater Intensity in External Load Parameters Compared With Official Matches

Per Thomas Byrkjedal; Live Steinnes Luteberget; Thomas Bjørnsen; Andreas Ivarsson; Matt Spencer

doi:10.3389/fspor.2022.822127

Simulated Game-Based Ice Hockey Match Design (Scrimmage) Elicits Greater Intensity in External Load Parameters Compared With Official Matches

Front Sports Act Living. 2022 Feb 17:4:822127. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2022.822127. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Per Thomas Byrkjedal¹, Live Steinnes Luteberget^{1

2}, Thomas Bjørnsen¹, Andreas Ivarsson^{1

3}, Matt Spencer¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Sport Science and Physical Education, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway.
² Department of Physical Performance, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
³ Center of Research on Welfare, Health and Sport, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden.

Abstract

Objective: A limited number of studies have explored the external load experienced in indoor sports such as ice hockey, and few the link between training and match performance. As a paucity exists within this topic, this study explored whether a simulated match design (i.e., scrimmage) could be representative of official match demands and elicit similar external loads as in official matches in a group of elite youth male ice hockey players.

Methods: A total of 26 players were monitored during eight official and four simulation matches using a Local Positioning System. Total distance, max velocity, slow (0-10.9 km/h), moderate (11-16.9 km/h), high (17.0-23.9 km/h), and sprint (>24 km/h) speed skating distance, distance per min, PlayerLoad^TM, PlayerLoad^TM per min, high-intensity events (HIEs) (>2.5 m/s^-2), acceleration (ACCs), decelerations (DECs), and change of directions (CODs) were extracted from the tracking devices. A two-level regression analysis was conducted to compare the difference between match types when controlling for time on ice, match day, and position.

Results: Between match-type results showed a credible difference in all variables except max velocity and ACCs. Distance per min was 27.3% higher during simulation matches and was explained by a 21.3, 24.1, and 14.8% higher distance in sprint-, high-, and moderate speed skating distance, while slow speed-skating distance was 49.2% lower and total distance only trivially different from official to simulation matches. Total PlayerLoad^TM was 11.2% lower, while PlayerLoad^TM per min was 8.5% higher during simulation matches. HIEs, CODs, and DECs were 10.0, 11.9, and 22.3% higher during simulation matches.

Conclusion: The simulated match design is related to official match demands with comparable match-time, playing time, number of shifts, and shift duration. However, simulation matches provoked a higher external load output compared with official matches, possibly explained by a more continuous movement design. A game-based simulation match design can therefore be utilized when match-related actions at high intensity are warranted.

Keywords: Local Positioning System (LPS); athlete monitoring; game-based training; inertial measurements units (IMU); team sports.