Latest News About Nhl Playoff Overtime Rules

Updated 2026-04-21 21:02

The latest reports confirm that the NHL playoff overtime format returned to a true sudden-death setup in 2025, with playoff games continuing overtime periods until a goal decides the game (no regular-season 3-on-3 or shootouts in the playoffs).[1][3][4]

Key points you may find helpful:

For quick context, you can see these summaries from outlets covering the 2025 postseason OT rules and examples from series where multiple OT periods occurred. If you’d like, I can pull the most recent game-by-game overtime outcomes or build a brief timeline of notable OT games from the current playoffs.[1][3]

Sources

NHL Overtime Rules Explained

NHL games tied after regulation are decided by overtime, but the rules after different for the regular season and Stanley Cup playoffs.

www.si.com