Youth hockey players set outdoor, indoor longest game records (maybe)

World history may have been made on Tuesday night at the Nanaimo Curling Club in British Columbia.

As of 5:45 p.m., a group of 35 youth hockey players ended their game, which started days earlier. The final tally for game time was 105 hours and 44 minutes, the longest hockey game in history if Guinness World Records validates it – a good 27 minutes longer than the previous mark.

The final score? Team University Village Mall 1,728, Team Coastal 1,381.

(Crap … we took the under.)

Even more amazing: It could be the second world record for hockey longevity this group of players has set, as they have a “pending world record” for the longest indoor hockey game set last year: 52 straight hours.

Seriously, you lil’ rink rats: Grab a Gatorade and some orange slices and take 20 …

All that said, your reaction to this news is a litmus test about what you consider “hockey.”

To wit: “Youth hockey players set two world records for longest game played?” Awesome, impressive and inspirational, right?

“Youth BALL HOCKEY players set two world records for longest game played?” So … no skates? No dead-tired legs or groin muscles that are about to explode with the fury of 1,000 burning suns?

The two records are ball-hockey records, which no doubt knocks this down a notch in prestige for some. But consider this: The players attempted to set the mark in 2011, but could only manage 55 hours of consecutive play before players started dropping out en masse. So yeah, it’s a war of attrition, and they won.

Plus, it’s all for a good cause: Their sponsors are pledging to donate funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Vancouver Island, Canuck Place Children's Hospice and a new hockey and lacrosse box for the Greater Victoria Area.

A CHILDREN’S HOSPICE, YOU GRINCHES!

Congrats to the youth players for setting this record (maybe) again (maybe). You didn’t hit the ice, but you had a ball.

Lead photo via Ian Holmes.