The Olympic hockey overtime rules came into play as the United States battled Canada for the men’s gold medal. It is a bit complicated for fans as the Olympic overtime rules for hockey vary by the stage of the tournament.
For the gold medal game, overtime is a three-on-three game for one 20-minute period, but the first goal wins if scored before the period ends. In other words, the gold medal game operates by sudden death (aka golden goal).
Here’s how NBC explains the overtime rules for the USA-Canada gold medal hockey game.
“If the game is tied at the end of regulation in the gold medal game, the two teams will play a 20-minute period of 3-on-3 hockey,” NBC detailed.
“If the game is tied after overtime, then the teams will keep playing until the winning goal is scored. There is no shootout. Between each period, there will be a 15-minute intermission during which the ice will be resurfaced.”
Here’s what you need to know about the hockey overtime rules for how the United States defeated Canada to win the gold medal.
Olympic Hockey Overtime Rules: USA Won OT With ‘Golden Goal’ vs. Canada
This means that if a team scores an early goal, the gold medal game ends. If there is no winner after the first overtime period, a second overtime will be played where the first goal wins as well.
During regulation, each team has six players on the ice with one goal keeper and five skaters. For overtime, it is shortened to three players for each squad.
The United States were able to win the gold medal by scoring an early goal.
What Are NHL Overtime Rules?
The Olympic overtime rules are similar to the NHL. Here’s how overtime works in the NHL.
“If two teams are tied at the end of regulation in the regular season, the game goes to a sudden-death overtime period lasting up to five minutes, and the first team to score wins,” ESPN explained.
“Unlike in the postseason, each side features just three skaters (plus a goalie) on the ice in a regular-season overtime period — down from the typical five-on-five setup in regulation. If neither team scores in the sudden-death overtime period, the game goes to a shootout.”
The United States Won the Country’s 1st Gold Medal Since 1980
The United States were able to win the country’s first gold medal in men’s hockey since the “Miracle on Ice” in 1980. Ahead of the gold medal match, United States forward Matthew Tkachuk discussed the opportunity to make history.
“Anytime you’re in this position, you’re not playing for yourself, you’re playing for your country,” Tkachuk explained on February 21, per NHL.com. “You’re playing for the guys that have come before you. You’re playing for the generation that will be coming after that.
“Might not be hockey players or wanting to play hockey right now, but you never know, we could do something, hopefully special tomorrow, and there’s a new crop of athletes that want to be hockey players. That’s how it works with teams that have won in the past.”
Olympic Hockey Overtime Rules: How OT Works to Decide USA-Canada Gold Medal Winner