Overtime — and particularly the shootout — has produced some of the most memorable moments in Olympic hockey history. Quarterfinals and semifinalsIn the preliminary round, overtime games featured five minutes sudden-death, three-on-three overtime, followed by a five-round shootout if necessary. The men’s preliminary round featured one overtime game — Switzerland beat Czechia 4-3 — while the women’s tournament had two games: Germany’s 2-1 overtime win over France and Switzerland’s 4-3 shootout win over Czechia. Now that teams have reached the knockout stage of the tournament, the sudden-death, three-on-three overtime extends from five minutes to 10 minutes. That overtime was played at four-on-four, so if one of this year’s gold medal games reaches overtime, there will be more open ice.

Source: International New York Times February 19, 2026 19:57 UTC