NHL playoff overtime drama: How overtime rules create iconic hockey moments

NHL playoff overtime is not simply a prolongation of game action—it's a pressure-packed, sudden-death struggle where heroes are born. Contrary to the compressed schedule of the regular season, NHL playoff overtime produces endurance-testing hockey that has defined unforgettable history in the sport's legacy. From five-overtime thrill rides to landmark game-winners, the NHL playoff structure guarantees that the pressure never lets up and seconds are all that matter.
NHL playoff overtime: A different creature from season-long rules

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When the clock ticks after the third period during a tied playoff game, the war is barely beginning. Overtime kicks in if both teams are still tied at the end of the fourth quarter. The NHL playoff regulations dispense with the three-on-three regular-season style and shootout approach for traditional, hard-fought five-on-five action. Overtime sessions continue for an entire 20 minutes, with the cycle reiterated endlessly in case of no score, with a 15-minute timeout in between until a goal can be scored.
In contrast to the regular season, where overtime is a short five-minute dash, the playoffs demand that teams reach deep. The system favors stamina, ability, and clutch shots. Power plays roll over from regulation, and player matchups change continuously due to the home team's benefit of making the last line change after stoppages.
Overtime glory: How the Stanley Cup has been won in sudden death
Sudden-death overtime has not only determined games—it's determined champions. It means the game ends instantly when a goal is scored.
The Stanley Cup has been won 17 times by an overtime goal. Maybe no instance was as iconic in 2014 when Alec Martinez struck for the Los Angeles Kings in double OT of Game 5 against the New York Rangers to win their second Stanley Cup in three seasons.
The tradition started in 1933, when New York Rangers' Bill Cook registered the first overtime Cup-winner in the final against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The longest game in NHL history occurred way back in 1936. During Game 1 of the national semifinal (beforeconferences), the Maroons played host to the Red Wings in a long thriller.
2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Overtime drama at its best
During the 2024 NHL playoffs, audiences enjoyed 16 overtime matches. Twelve were resolved during the first overtime, and four reached double overtime. A highlight was when Sam Reinhart of the Florida Panthers edged Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers in a thrilling Game 4 conclusion to the Eastern Conference Final—an image now ingrained in this year's playoff narrative.
Also read: “A goal is a goal”: Alex Ovechkin marks first overtime playoff goal with a reminder
The theatre, suspense, and physical nature of NHL playoff overtime render it among the most electrifying parts of professional sports. From breathtaking saves to joyous goals, the format provides unparalleled entertainment and makes history at the moment. As the playoffs go on, spectators can merely wish for more of these unforgettable overtime situations, which have come to characterize the very essence of the Stanley Cup pursuit.