Hockey Overtime Rules: Regular Season, Playoffs and Shootouts

When a hockey game is tied after three periods, overtime decides it. The format depends on the league and whether it is the regular season or the playoffs. Here is how the NHL does it.

NHL regular season

1. Overtime: five minutes of sudden-death hockey played 3-on-3 (plus goalies). The first goal wins.
2. Shootout: if still tied, each team takes three shots, one shooter at a time against the goalie. If still tied after three rounds, it goes to sudden-death rounds.

Penalties in 3-on-3 overtime give the other team an extra skater rather than reducing the penalized team below three.

Standings points

Result	Points
Win (regulation, overtime or shootout)	2
Loss in overtime or shootout	1
Loss in regulation	0

NHL playoffs

No shootouts. Teams play full 20-minute periods of 5-on-5 hockey, with normal intermissions, until someone scores. That is how famous multi-overtime games happen, sometimes lasting well past midnight.

Other leagues

International, college and minor leagues use their own formats, such as different lengths of 3-on-3 overtime or shootout rounds, and international tournaments may change formats for medal games. Check the specific competition's rules.

More on the game: hockey rules explained and how long is a hockey game.