What is the primary objective of an ice hockey game?

The primary objective of an ice hockey game is to score more goals than the opposing team. This fundamental goal defines the essence of the sport, where teams compete against each other to hit the puck into the opponent's net while simultaneously defending their own. The excitement of the game stems from the effort to outscore the opponent through teamwork, skill, and strategy. Winning is determined by the final score, making goal scoring the central focus of each game.

While keeping the puck out of one’s own net and maintaining team discipline are important aspects of gameplay and strategy, they’re ultimately means to achieve the main objective of scoring. Performing better than previous games is more of a long-term goal regarding overall team performance and improvement rather than a specific objective for a single game. Thus, while all these aspects contribute to the game, scoring the most goals remains the primary aim.