Latest News About Stanley Cup Overtime Rules

Here’s the latest I can provide right now.

• The NHL playoff overtime format in 2025-26 remains three-on-three for the 20-minute periods, with sudden-death goals ending the game. This applies through the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including the Final, and eliminated the prior shootout for deciding playoff games.[4][7]
• In recent Stanley Cup Finals, overtime has continued to be a defining feature, with multiple games going beyond regulation and contributing to historic overtime totals in finals history. For example, the 2025 Final between Edmonton and Florida featured several overtime periods and was noted for potential records related to overtime games in a Cup Final.[1][3][6]
• If regulation and the first overtime don’t yield a winner, the format continues with additional 20-minute periods of 5-on-5 play until a goal is scored, rather than switching to shootouts in the postseason.[5][7]

Illustration: In recent finals, an overtime goal has decided games in the later stages, underscoring the drama of three-on-three periods that can extend well beyond regulation time.[3][6]

If you’d like, I can pull the very latest articles from specific outlets or summarize any particular game in the current playoff run with timestamps and key overtime moments. Please tell me which teams or games you’re most interested in.[7][3]