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Hockey fans were treated to a couple of incredible games when the men’s and women’s teams representing the United States beat Canada for the gold medal. Both of those contests were decided in overtime, and while the 3-on-3 format led to plenty of grumbling, the organization that oversees the tournament doesn’t have any plans to switch things up.
NHL fans who tuned into the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina had to adjust to some minor changes while watching games that were played by rules dictated by the International Ice Hockey Federation, the Switzerland-based organization that serves as the governing body on the international stage.
That included the IIHF’s approach to determining how a tournament champion is crowned if the gold medal game needs to be decided in overtime, which differs from the one the NHL harnesses when the Stanley Cup Playoffs roll around.
That was the situation that unfolded when both the men’s and women’s teams for the United States in Canada found themselves knotted at one goal apiece while vying for the top spot on the podium, which led to them entering a sudden-death 3-on-3 overtime situation with 20-minute periods until someone scored.
Megan Keller and Jack Hughes ended up emerging as American heroes by netting game-winners for Team USA, but many fans were less than thrilled to see those games decided through what is a bit of a gimmick as opposed to traditional 5-on-5 play.
However, anyone who’s hoping to see a change when 2030 rolls around will probably end up disappointed.
The IIHF has no plans to adopt a 5-on-5 overtime at the Winter Olympics after the 3-on-3 format garnered plenty of criticism
The NHL introduced a 3-on-3 overtime format in the regular season ahead of the 2015-16 campaign, as both teams get five minutes to score before the game is decided in a shootout. However, that is not the case during the postseason, which sticks with a 5-on-5 arrangement until someone scores.
In 2019, the IIHF decided to switch things up after multiple gold medal games were decided in a shootout (it was previously 20 minutes of 4-on-4 before going to one), and its pivot to a 3-on-3 showdown when a championship is on the line was certainly an upgrade.
However, it still left a bit to be desired for many fans who don’t view that format as “real” hockey, including some who have gone as far as to question the legitimacy of a win under those circumstances.
That includes plenty of Canadians who needed a sizeable dose of copium after the men’s team that outplayed the United States for the bulk of their gold medal game ended up with the silver, and head coach Jon Cooper made it very clear he’s not a fan of using 3-on-3 to decide a winner in the wake of the loss.
According to The Athletic, the IIHF has heard some of those complaints but has no plans to tinker in the immediate future, with president Luc Tardi saying:
“It’s the best rules to fit in a tight schedule. We have to figure out 30 games in 11 days for men and for the women 28 games in 13 days — 58 altogether— in 16 days. Huge challenge.”
The most notable time constraint involves the gold medal game for the men, which has historically been held on the same day as the closing ceremony. There have been multiple situations where NHL teams have played the equivalent of two full games (and even longer) before breaking a deadlock in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, so it’s hard to blame the IIHF for sticking with 3-on-3 even if it’s not the perfect solution.