Here are the overtime rules for World Cup of Hockey

The World Cup of Hockey tournament is just a few weeks away, and we’re all still discovering what we like and dislike about its format, now that we’re all close enough to give a crap about it.

When it comes to overtime, the NHL and the NHLPA pretty much nailed it.

According to NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio, the World Cup of Hockey will have two different overtime formats.

In pool play, “it will be as if it’s a regular season overtime game in the National Hockey League,” he said, “five minutes of 3-on-3 followed by a shootout.”

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Which means points will be awarded to the teams in the pool play preliminary games as they are in the NHL regular season. But while “playing for the regulation tie” makes sense in an 82-game season, it’s probably not what teams are aiming for in the World Cup. Think of it this way: If you’re Team Czech or Team Europe, you can’t allow the U.S. or Canada to snag a charity point by reaching overtime. Taking two points, and shutting them out, dramatically increases your chances of making the semifinals in such a short tournament.

OK, we’re burying the lede here: Five minutes of 3-on-3 overtime with motivated All-Star teams.

We’re basically cheering for overtime in every pool play game.

Now, the even better news: The semifinals and the best of three games final are going to be played under Stanley Cup Playoffs overtime rules, i.e. multiple overtimes of 5-on-5 hockey until we get a winner, i.e. the World Cup will not be awarded in a shootout. No prefabricated conclusion to a prefabricated tournament. Huzzah!

“If it’s multiple, it’s multiple overtimes,” said Daly.

Looking forward to overtime in that USA/Canada final. Probably not as much as Sidney Crosby is, however.

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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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