Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but these days, with social media, it seems that everyone, regardless of whether they cover hockey, has an opinion about three-on-three overtime to decide the gold medal at the Olympics.
I haven’t watched much of the Olympics, and I’m obviously late this time. But 3 v 3 overtime to get a medal, even a gold medal, is crazy.
– Gareth Wheeler (@GarethWheeler) February 19, 2026
3-on-3 overtime to decide who the devilish trophies are
– Shayna (@shaynagoldman_) February 19, 2026
3 on 3 overtime for the gold medal is not easy
— David Dwork (@DavidDwork) February 19, 2026
Big Debate: Should the NHL Extend 3v3 Overtime to 10 Minutes?
The debate resurfaced after Team USA defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime to win the gold medal in the women’s hockey tournament. This was the fifth straight overtime game at the Olympics to be decided by a three-on-three overtime format. Three men’s quarterfinals, plus a bronze medal and a gold medal in the women’s competition.
Well, let’s be honest, the same people who are complaining about three and three overtimes could be the same ones who were complaining about the gold medal being decided by a shootout. This is why the IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation), not the IOC (International Olympic Committee), changed its rules governing International Hockey.
Back in 2019, the IIHF changed its overtime rules, introducing three-out-of-three overtime in all games. Five minutes in all preliminary matches, and the time increases to 10 minutes in the quarterfinals and semifinals.
Prior to that, all Internationals consisted of three-on-three first-leg matches, with the playoffs being an extra period of four-and-one before advancing. The idea of going to 20-minute extra time three times against three was to end the Gold Medal Games from being decided by a shootout.
Commissioner Gary Bettman Says No To Extending 3 v 3 Overtime
And who wants that? A skills competition to decide a Gold Medal, or any playoff, at the Olympics, World Championships, or World Juniors, is not fair. That’s not hockey. Three-on-three overtime is a game of chess. It’s hockey for those who know how to play the roller version of the game.
It’s easy to say, well, the NHL wasn’t going to decide the Stanley Cup winner in three-on-three overtime. That’s true, but the NHL isn’t changing the overtime rules anytime soon. As we’ve seen, the NHL plays five-on-five, continuous, sudden-death overtime to decide the winner of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
It’s fun to watch in the first overtime and even in the second overtime, but after that, the game really falls apart. Those looking for a highlight reel goal can go back to the women’s gold medal game between Canada and Team USA, where Megan Keller scored a rare Golden Goal. Generally, a bad goal is when the puck comes off a stick, leg, skate, or other body part.
So doing that in the Olympics will be difficult given the schedule. Remember, the semifinals and the Bronze Medal match are played back-to-back, so asking these qualifiers to play continuous overtime in the back-to-back rounds would be difficult. Not to mention that the Gold Medal Game is played on the closing day of the event.
Canada and Finland’s Most Dangerous Player in the Olympics
Some of the NHL players will want to attend the event before returning to their teams to continue the season this week. Ideally, the IOC would change the games schedule and have the bronze medal and gold medal games played on the same day, just like in women’s hockey. You see it in other IIHF tournaments: two medal games are played on the same day.
However, ending the game sooner than extending it is the right call. And for those who cover the game and even casual fans who watch every four years and do not watch the whole season or only parts of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, watch the World Juniors, the World Championships on the women’s and men’s sides, because these rules will not be unusual for you.
Since the rule change in 2019, four gold medals have been decided this way, including Team USA ending a 92-year drought at the IIHF Men’s World Championship, defeating Switzerland 1-0 on Tage Thompson’s goal in three-on-three overtime.
In addition, three gold medals at the Women’s World Championships, and three Gold Medal Games at the World Junior Championships, including Team USA in 2025, have been decided. And let’s not forget that this would be the format if the NHLers went to the Olympics in 2022.
Most Dangerous Player of Team USA and Slovakia
And before anyone brought up the Four Nations Faceoff Gold Medal Overtime Game between Canada and the USA, that tournament was an NHL tournament with no IIHF or IOC. That will be the same story with the 2028 World Cup of Hockey.
Three-on-three overtime is more exciting than five-on-five overtime. Five of five can draw, especially late in overtime, as teams look to reset the next overtime rather than trying to score.
At least with 3-on-3 overtime at 20 minutes, you know the game is going to end. The IIHF corrected the decision, but no matter how the games end, people on social media will never be happy.
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