NHL overtime rules, explained: How the OT format works in hockey for regular season, playoffs
After three periods, there are different sets of rules for the regular season and playoffs in the NHL.
www.sportingnews.comThe 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:
- Overtime is a full 20-minute period, five-on-five, with the first goal ending the game; if no goal, additional overtime periods are played until someone scores.[3][1]
- Intermissions between overtime periods are 15 minutes, and teams switch ends for each OT; the long-change rule applies in the first overtime as players return to the bench.[1]
- This format has led to several games extending into double overtime or longer in recent playoffs.[3]
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]