Olympic Ice Hockey Overtime and Shootout Rules

Ice Hockey Overtime Rules: How Olympic Games Are Decided

No Olympic hockey game can end in a tie — every game must produce a winner. But how that winner is determined depends entirely on the tournament stage. The IIHF’s overtime rules create different formats for preliminary-round games versus elimination games, generating some of the most intense moments in the Winter Olympics.

Preliminary Round Overtime

If the score is tied after three 20-minute regulation periods in a group-stage game:

1. Five-minute overtime: played 3-on-3 (three skaters and one goalie per side). Sudden death — the first goal wins.
2. If still tied: shootout. Five players from each team take individual penalty-shot-style attempts. If still tied after five rounds, the shootout goes to sudden death (one shooter per team, alternating, until one scores and the other doesn’t).

Points awarded:

• Regulation win: 3 points.
• Overtime/shootout win: 2 points.
• Overtime/shootout loss: 1 point.
• Regulation loss: 0 points.

The 1-point consolation for an OT/shootout loss matters enormously in tight group standings. A team that loses in overtime still gains something, incentivizing aggressive play in regulation rather than sitting back for the OT point.

Elimination Round Overtime

In quarterfinals, semifinals, bronze-medal, and gold-medal games:

1. Twenty-minute overtime periods: played 5-on-5 (standard). Sudden death.
2. No limit on overtime periods: if the first OT produces no goal, a second 20-minute period begins after an ice resurface. Then a third, fourth, etc.
3. No shootout: the game continues until someone scores.

This format produces extraordinary drama. The 2010 Vancouver gold medal game — Sidney Crosby’s overtime goal for Canada against the USA — remains one of the most iconic moments in Winter Olympic history.

Intermissions Between OT Periods

Between regulation and overtime, a standard 15-minute intermission occurs (with ice resurfacing). Between additional overtime periods in elimination games, a shorter intermission with ice resurfacing is applied. The ice condition degrades with each period, affecting play quality.

Roster and Substitution Rules in OT

All roster rules remain the same in overtime — teams can use their full bench, make unlimited substitutions, and call their one timeout (if not already used). Penalties carry over from regulation: if a team is serving a penalty when regulation ends, they begin overtime shorthanded.

The 3-on-3 Format

Preliminary-round 3-on-3 overtime (borrowed from the NHL’s regular-season format) creates wide-open hockey. With only three skaters per side on international-size ice (60 × 30 m), there’s enormous open space. Turnovers become scoring chances instantly. Teams typically deploy their most skilled forwards and best-skating defensemen.

If a penalty occurs during 3-on-3 OT, the offending team drops to 2-on-3 (or even 2-on-4 if both players are penalized). Conversely, the power play goes to 4-on-3. These situations produce goal-scoring probabilities well above 50%.

Shootout Procedure

The shootout in preliminary rounds follows this structure:

1. Each team selects five shooters (not necessarily pre-announced).
2. Teams alternate: Team A’s first shooter, then Team B’s first shooter, etc.
3. A shooter takes the puck from center ice and tries to score on the opposing goaltender.
4. After five rounds, the team with more goals wins.
5. If tied after five: sudden-death rounds (one shooter each, alternating) until one team scores and the other doesn’t.

Goaltenders may be changed between rounds but not during a round. Shooters may not repeat until all eligible players have shot (rare in practice, as five rounds almost always produce a winner).