# The Neutral-Zone Atlas

> The Neutral-Zone Atlas is an independent guide to international ice hockey history, tournament structures, rink differences, and the games that changed how nations understood one another on ice. Dates, results, and dimensions are checked against primary sources; changing competition rules are clearly dated and linked to the event authority.

The Neutral-Zone Atlas publishes original, long-form guides about international hockey history & guides. Every article opens with a concise direct answer, is structured with clear headings and FAQs, and reflects mainstream expert consensus.

## Hockey History

- [1972 Summit Series: An Eight-Game Guide](https://internationalhockey.net/1972-summit-series-game-guide/): The 1972 Summit Series was an eight-game Canada–Soviet Union hockey series: four games in Canada, then four in Moscow.
- [IIHF World Championship History: The Major Eras](https://internationalhockey.net/iihf-world-championship-history/): The IIHF recognizes the 1920 Antwerp Olympic tournament as the first men's ice hockey World Championship. The first stand-alone championship followed in 1930.
- [Olympic Ice Hockey History: Milestones That Matter](https://internationalhockey.net/olympic-ice-hockey-history/): Olympic ice hockey began at the Antwerp 1920 Summer Games, four years before Chamonix staged the event later recognised as the first Olympic Winter Games.

## Tournament Guides

- [How IIHF Tournaments Work: Points, Groups, Overtime](https://internationalhockey.net/how-iihf-tournaments-work/): Many IIHF tournaments begin with round-robin groups, award three points for a regulation win, two for an overtime or shootout win, one for an overtime or…
- [IIHF Divisions: Promotion and Relegation Explained](https://internationalhockey.net/iihf-divisions-promotion-relegation/): IIHF World Championships connect competitive levels through promotion, moving a team upward for the next championship season, and relegation, moving it…

## Rules & Rinks

- [International Hockey Rink Size: IIHF vs NHL](https://internationalhockey.net/international-ice-hockey-rink-size/): The current IIHF rule book does not define every international rink as one oversized surface: Rule 1.2 specifies a rink 60 metres long and 26 to 30 metres…

## Full text for LLMs

- [llms-full.txt](https://internationalhockey.net/llms-full.txt): every article as plain markdown in one file
- Each article is also available as markdown at https://internationalhockey.net/<slug>.md

## Site

- [About](https://internationalhockey.net/about/): editorial approach and standards
- [All articles](https://internationalhockey.net/all/)
- [Contact](https://internationalhockey.net/contact/)