NHL 2K7 demo slapped on XBL

The puck has officially dropped in the hockey wars. Yesterday, Electronic Arts released an Xbox 360 demo for NHL 07 that showed off the game's shoot-out mode, only hours before 2K Sports announced that its own hockey game, NHL 2K7, had gone gold.

Now, Xbox 360-owning goons in North America can also try out NHL 2K7 before the game is released next week. A demo for the game is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace. Those that want to take to 2K Sports' rink better make sure they have enough hard disk space--the file weighs a healthy 1.01GB.

Unlike the demo for NHL 07, the trial for NHL 2K7 gives gamers a chance to check out regular gameplay. The demo reportedly limits gamers to one five-minute period and four teams--the Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks, and Buffalo Sabres.

NHL 2K7 for the Xbox 360 and Xbox will be available early next week, and a PlayStation 2 edition is expected to hit shelves later this month. The current-gen versions will retail for $19.99 and the Xbox 360 version will sell for $59.99. For more information on the game, read GameSpot's previous coverage.