April 18, 2026, 11:00 a.m. ET
The NHL‘s Stanley Cup playoffs are getting underway, which means a serious change in the overtime format.
Unlike the Olympics, the place 3-on-3 overtime is performed even in the gold medal game, the NHL switches issues up in the postseason when the games matter extra.
There will not be any extra 3-on-3 play. It’s 5-on-5 as a substitute. There will not be any extra shootouts after 5 minutes of scoreless overtime play. There is sudden loss of life, and it may final a really very long time.
In the 2025 Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers, three of the first four games went to overtime, together with one double-overtime game. Overall in the 2025 NHL playoffs, 20 games went to overtime, together with 4 double-overtime games.
Here’s a primer on playoff hockey overtime:
How does OT work in NHL playoffs?
If the rating is tied after three durations, the groups go to the dressing rooms for quarter-hour whereas the ice is resurfaced. Overtime durations final 20 minutes or till somebody scores. It’s 5-on-5 play (barring penalties). If nobody scores in the primary overtime, the method repeats and continues till somebody scores. The groups change sides for every overtime interval. The first overtime is the lengthy change to get again to the bench.
The NHL Situation Room critiques all objectives to ensure they’re legally scored.
What are the longest NHL playoff overtime games?
- 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. Toronto 1, Boston 0. Ken Doraty scored the winner.
- 3 – Five overtimes (92 minutes, 1 second of overtime) in the 2000 convention semifinals. May 4, 2000. Philadelphia 2, Pittsburgh 1. Keith Primeau scored the winner.
- 4 – Five overtimes (90 minutes, 27 seconds of overtime) in the 2020 first spherical. Aug. 11, 2020. Tampa Bay 3, Columbus 2. Brayden Point scored the winner.
- 5 – Five overtimes (80 minutes, 48 seconds of overtime) in the 2003 convention semifinals. April 24, 2003. Anaheim 4, Dallas 3. Petr Sykora scored the winner.
- 6 – Four overtimes (79 minutes, 47 seconds of overtime) in the 2023 convention finals. May 18, 2023. Florida 3, Carolina 2. Matthew Tkachuk scored the winner.
Longest Stanley Cup Final games
Eight Stanley Cup Final games have gone to the third overtime. The Edmonton Oilers have been a part of the longest sport when Petr Klima scored at 15:13 of the third overtime for a 3-2 win in opposition to the Boston Bruins in the 1990 Final.
Which gamers in 2026 postseason have essentially the most playoff overtime objectives?
- 5 – Corey Perry, Lightning
- 4 – Leon Draisaitl, Oilers (all in 2025 playoffs, an NHL file for one postseason)
- 3 – Brayden Point, Lightning; Jordan Staal, Hurricanes; Anze Kopitar, Kings; Artemi Panarin, Kings; Matt Duchene, Stars
