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NHL playoff overtime rules: Postseason hockey bracket brings major change to OT
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- NHL playoff overtime rules: Postseason hockey bracket brings major change to OT
The NHL Stanley Cup playoffs are back and with that comes a major change in the overtime format.
No more three-on-three play, no more shootouts after five minutes of scoreless play, both staples of regular-season overtime. There is sudden death, but it could last a very long time.
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Witness last season's playoffs. The Florida Panthers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final in a game that lasted nearly a full four overtime periods . It came close to going to a fifth overtime, but Florida's Matthew Tkachuk scored the winner with 12.7 seconds left in the period. It was the sixth-longest playoff game in NHL history.
So far, 15 playoff games in 2024 have gone to overtime, including four double-overtime games. Here's a primer on playoff hockey overtime:
Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid celebrates his goal during the second overtime of Game 1 against the Dallas Stars.
NHL playoff overtime rules
If the score is tied after three periods, the teams go to the dressing room for 15 minutes while the ice is resurfaced. Overtime periods last 20 minutes or until someone scores. It's five-on-five play (barring penalties). If no one scores in the first overtime, the process repeats and continues until someone scores. The teams change sides for each overtime period.
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The NHL Situation Room reviews all goals to make sure they are legally scored. In Game 6 of this year's Stars-Avalanche series, the league upheld a no-goal call on an apparent score by Dallas ' Mason Marchment because referees ruled Matt Duchene had interfered with Colorado goalie Alexandar Georgiev . Duchene later scored the winning goal.
Longest NHL playoff games
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1 - Six overtimes(116 minutes, 30 seconds of overtime) in the 1936 semifinals, March 24, 1935. Detroit 1, Montreal Maroons 0. Mud Bruneteau scored the winner.
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3 - Five overtimes(92 minutes, 1 second of overtime) in the 2000 conference semifinals. Philadelphia 2, Pittsburgh 1. Keith Primeau scored the winner.
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4. Five overtimes(90 minutes, 27 seconds of overtime) in the 2020 first round. Tampa Bay 3, Columbus 2. Brayden Point scored the winner.
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5 - Five overtimes(80 minutes, 48 seconds of overtime) in the 2003 conference semifinals. Anaheim 4, Dallas 3. Petr Sykora scored the winner.
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6 - Four overtimes(79 minutes, 47 seconds of overtime) in the 2023 conference finals. Florida 3, Carolina 2. Matthew Tkachuk scored the winner .
Which 2024 NHL playoff games have gone into overtime?
March 26: Rangers 5, Panthers 4. New York's Alex Wennberg scored at 5:35 of overtime.
March 24: Rangers 2, Panthers 1. New York's Barclay Goodrow scored at 14:01 of overtime.
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March 23: Oilers 3, Stars 2. Edmonton 's Connor McDavid scored at 32 seconds of the second overtime.
March 17: Stars 2, Avalanche 1 . Dallas' Matt Duchene scored at 11:42 of the second overtime.
May 10: Oilers 4, Canucks 3 . Edmonton's Evan Bouchard scored at 5:38 of overtime.
May 9: Rangers 3, Hurricanes 2 . New York's Artemi Panarin scored at 1:43 of overtime.
May 7: Avalanche 4, Stars 3. Colorado's Miles Wood scored at 11:03 of overtime.
May 7: Rangers 4, Hurricanes 3 . New York's Vincent Trocheck scored at 7:24 of the second overtime.
May 4: Bruins 2, Maple Leafs 1. Boston's David Pastrnak scored at 1:54 of overtime.
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April 30: Maple Leafs 2, Bruins 1 . Toronto's Matthew Knies scored at 2:26 of overtime.
April 28: Canucks 4, Predators 3 . Vancouver 's Elias Lindholm scored at 1:02 of overtime.
April 27: Stars 3, Golden Knights 2. Dallas' Wyatt Johnston scored at 16:23 of overtime.
April 27: Islanders 3, Hurricanes 2. New York's Mathew Barzal scored at 1:24 of the second overtime.
April 24: Kings 5, Oilers 4 . Los Angeles ' Anze Kopitar scored at 2:07 of overtime.
April 23: Panthers 3, Lightning 2 . Florida's Carter Verhaeghe scored at 2:59 of overtime.
Which players in the 2024 postseason have the most playoff overtime goals?
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5 - Corey Perry , Oilers; Verhaeghe, Panthers
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4 - Joe Pavelski , Stars
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3 - Matthew Tkachuk , Panthers; Brad Marchand , Bruins; Brayden Point, Lightning ; Jordan Staal , Hurricanes; John Tavares , Maple Leafs ; Kopitar, Kings; Duchene, Stars
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL overtime rules in playoffs: Hockey bracket changes OT format
