The origins of the sport of ice hockey are unclear, but it is pretty certain that it began as an organized sport in Canada in the early to mid-1800s. The first organized indoor game took place in Montreal, in the Victoria Skating Rink, on March 3, 1875. There were nine players on each side, including several students from McGill University. The game lasted one hour and the goals consisted of two goal posts standing 6 feet apart.
