There won't be any more 3-on-3 play. It is 5-on-5 instead, just like in regulation play. There won't be any more shootouts after five minutes of scoreless overtime play. There is sudden death, and it could last a very long time.
This postseason, there have been 17 overtime games, including three double-overtime games.
Here's what to know about playoff hockey overtime, including the format, longest games and 2026 results.
The NHL has announced the winners for the Hart Trophy and the other major awards. Here's who won plus vote totals:
(Ethan Miller, Getty Images)
Hart Trophy (MVP) winner: Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov, 1,436 points
(Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images)
Hart runner-up: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, 1,426 points
(Sean M. Haffey, Getty Images)
Hart finalist: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, 1,297 points
NHL awards winners: Vote totals for 2025-26 regular season awards
Masterton nominee: Philadelphia Flyers left wing Garrett Wilson
(Robert Edwards, Imagn Images)
48/57
NHL awards winners: Vote totals for 2025-26 regular season awards
Masterton nominee: Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Anthony Mantha
(Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images)
49/57
NHL awards winners: Vote totals for 2025-26 regular season awards
Masterton nominee: St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington
(Connor Hamilton, Imagn Images)
50/57
NHL awards winners: Vote totals for 2025-26 regular season awards
Masterton nominee: San Jose Sharks goalie Laurent Brossoit
(Walter Tychnowicz, Imagn Images)
51/57
NHL awards winners: Vote totals for 2025-26 regular season awards
Masterton nominee: Seattle Kraken right wing Jordan Eberle
(Matt Blewett, Imagn Images)
52/57
NHL awards winners: Vote totals for 2025-26 regular season awards
Masterton nominee: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh
(Keito Newman, Imagn Images)
53/57
NHL awards winners: Vote totals for 2025-26 regular season awards
Masterton nominee: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson
(Stan Szeto, Imagn Images)
54/57
NHL awards winners: Vote totals for 2025-26 regular season awards
Masterton nominee: Utah Mammoth right wing Clayton Keller
(Stephen R. Sylvanie, Imagn Images)
55/57
NHL awards winners: Vote totals for 2025-26 regular season awards
Masterton nominee: Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen
(Bob Frid, Imagn Images)
56/57
NHL awards winners: Vote totals for 2025-26 regular season awards
Masterton nominee: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Akira Schmid
(Stephen R. Sylvanie, Imagn Images)
57/57
NHL awards winners: Vote totals for 2025-26 regular season awards
Masterton nominee: Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin
(Danny Wild, Danny Wild-Imagn Images)
How does OT work in NHL playoffs?
If the score is tied after three periods, the teams go to the dressing rooms for 15 minutes while the ice is resurfaced. Overtime periods last 20 minutes or until someone scores. It's 5-on-5 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. The first overtime is the long change to get back to the bench.
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The NHL Situation Room reviews all goals to make sure they are legally scored, such as the goal that ended Game 4 of theAnaheim-Edmonton series or the overturned goal in Game 4 of theVegas-Utah series.
May 12:Golden Knights 3, Ducks 2:Pavel Dorofeyevscored the winning goal just over four minutes into the first overtime period to give Vegas a 3-2 series lead over Anaheim.
April 21:Avalanche 2, Kings 1:Nicolas Royscored the winning goal at the 12:16 mark of the first overtime, giving Colorado a 2-0 series lead.
April 21:Lightning 3, Canadiens 2:J.J. Moserscored at 7:12 in the first overtime to tie up the series at a game apiece. It was Moser's first career NHL playoff goal.
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.
2 - Six overtimes (104 minutes, 46 seconds of overtime) in the 1933 semifinals. April 3, 1933.Toronto1,Boston0. Ken Doraty scored the winner.
3 - Five overtimes (92 minutes, 1 second of overtime) in the 2000 conference semifinals. May 4, 2000.Philadelphia2,Pittsburgh1. Keith Primeau scored the winner.
4 - Five overtimes (90 minutes, 27 seconds of overtime) in the 2020 first round. Aug. 11, 2020. Tampa Bay 3, Columbus 2.Brayden Pointscored the winner.
5 - Five overtimes (80 minutes, 48 seconds of overtime) in the 2003 conference semifinals. April 24, 2003. Anaheim 4, Dallas 3. Petr Sykora scored the winner.
Eight Stanley Cup Final games have gone to the third overtime. The Edmonton Oilers were part of the longest game when Petr Klima scored at 15:13 of the third overtime for a 3-2 win against the Boston Bruins in the 1990 Final.
Which players in 2026 postseason have the most playoff overtime goals?
