NHL overtime rules
In the NHL regular season, a game tied after regulation goes to one sudden-death overtime of up to five minutes, played three skaters plus a goalie per side.1 In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, a tied game continues with full 20-minute sudden-death periods after a 15-minute intermission, changing ends each period, until someone scores.1 A tie after regulation earns each team one standings point; the team that wins in overtime or the shootout gets one more.1 (NHL Rule 84)
The details
In 3-on-3 overtime, a penalty makes it 4-on-3, and a two-man advantage becomes 5-on-3. A team never has fewer than three skaters. (Rule 84)1
A team may pull its goalie for an extra skater in overtime, but if it loses while the net is empty it gives up the point it earned for the regulation tie, unless the goalie was pulled on a delayed penalty. (Rule 84)1
Teams switch ends for overtime and defend the same ends as in the second period. (Rule 84)1
If still tied after overtime, the regular-season game goes to a shootout: each team gets three shooters, and if it is still tied after three rounds it goes to sudden death. (Rule 84)1
The home team chooses whether to shoot first or second, and the teams alternate. Shots follow penalty-shot rules. (Rule 84)1
Every player is eligible unless serving a 10-minute misconduct or ejected with a game misconduct or match penalty. No one shoots twice until everyone eligible has shot. (Rule 84)1
The shootout winner is credited with one more goal than the opponent in the final score; the deciding shooter does not get a goal in his stats, and the losing goalie is not charged with it. (Rule 84)1
Playoff overtime is played at full strength, five skaters a side unless there are penalties, and there is no shootout.2
An overtime or shootout loss is worth one point, a win two points, and a regulation loss none.3
AHL regular-season overtime is one five-minute, 3-on-3 period, with penalties adding a skater for the other team.2
The AHL gives two points for any win, one for an overtime or shootout loss, and none for a regulation loss (league announcement from 2004).4
NCAA regular-season overtime is one five-minute, 3-on-3 period for both men and women; conference policy decides whether a shootout follows.5,6
NFHS caps a sudden-death overtime period at 8 minutes and leaves the format to state associations.6
USA Hockey recommends a 5-minute rest, then a 10-minute sudden-victory period with at least three skaters per side, repeated if still tied; a shootout may be used too, and local bodies may set their own format.7
In IIHF round-robin and preliminary games, overtime is up to five minutes of 3-on-3 sudden death after a 3-minute break. If still tied, five different shooters per team take alternate shots, then a tiebreak shootout.8
In IIHF championships, a regulation win is worth three points, and an overtime or shootout result gives two to the winner and one to the loser.8
IIHF playoff and bronze-medal games use a sudden-death overtime of up to 10 minutes, 3-on-3.8
An IIHF gold-medal game uses 3-on-3 sudden-death overtime periods, each after a 15-minute intermission and resurface, repeated until a goal is scored.8
More hockey rules
How the NHL points system works · How many periods are in hockey? · How long is a hockey game? · All hockey rules
Sources
- NHL Official Rules 2025-26 (league) · accessed 2026-10-23
- Wikipedia: Overtime (ice hockey) · accessed 2026-10-23
- NHL.com (Seattle Kraken): Standings Tall, understanding NHL standings and points (2020) · accessed 2026-10-23
- TheAHL.com: AHL announces standings, shootout formats (2004, updated 2016) · accessed 2026-10-23
- NCAA.org: Cut-resistant equipment approved in ice hockey for DI men, NC women (July 23, 2026; 2026-27 rule changes) · accessed 2026-10-23
- USA Hockey / NFHS Playing Rules Committees: USAH-NFHS-NCAA Rules Comparison 2026-27 (updated 9/30/2026) · accessed 2026-10-23
- USA Hockey Official Playing Rules 2025-29 (linked from usahockey.com/rulesandresources) · accessed 2026-10-23
- IIHF Official Rule Book 2026/27 · accessed 2026-10-23
Rules are paraphrased, not quoted; the rulebook wins wherever wording matters. NHL rules unless a league is named.