As the regular season winds down, many teams are looking to make up for lost time spent on the ice. With 40 games remaining on the slate for the Western Conference, it’s time to find out how these players — and their teams — are going to accomplish such a feat.
Here’s a look at what happens after double overtime in hockey.
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What Is Double Overtime In Hockey?
Also known as a shootout, double overtime in hockey is a term used when teams are tied at the end of regulation time and then they have to go onto another period and another round of play. The first team to score wins the game.
The most famous double overtime game is probably the 1997 Stanley Cup final between the Nashville Predators and the Washington Capitals. It ended in a 4-4 tie after 120 minutes of regulation play and then it required another 40 minutes of overtimes to determine who would be going onto the next round.
How Does Double Overtime In Hockey Work?
Well, if you’re scoring at home, then the first team to get three points wins. However, if you’re looking for a little more detail, here’s how the Nashville Predators beat the Washington Capitals in the 1997 Stanley Cup final.
After 120 minutes of regulation play, the score was 4-4. At that point, the officials immediately took the ice and the players headed off the bench to get their sticks. After 20 minutes of shootouts, Mike Green got the winning goal for the Predators.
Then, the officials blew the whistle to end the game and the celebration began. Green had managed to score a pivotal goal in the final moments and his team capitalized on that chance. It was a close, nerve-wracking game that lasted until the very end. The officials did an excellent job of keeping everything settled so that neither team left the ice without a win.
Now, after more than two hours of game time, both teams had to get off the ice and prepare for the next round. The players warmed up, the coaches checked the strategy and the spectators got thirsty as they watched two teams that had worked hard all day try to figure out which one was going to be better prepared for the next round. That’s the beauty of hockey. You never know when a game is going to be decided in the final minutes – and who knows, maybe it will be one of these very games.
In some tournaments, such as the NHL All-Star Game, the skills challenge and the NHL draft, there are three points awarded for a win, two points for a tie and one point for an OT loss. In the event of a shootout, either there are no points or all three are awarded to the winning team.
The Rise Of The Shootout
Hockey has always been a game of inches. A well-executed minor move can lead to a goal or an easy save for your goalie. One mistake could spell disaster. That’s why goals often change the course of a game. Even if the final score doesn’t suggest it, there’s always a lot of drama involved in a game of hockey.
Shootouts have become popular in part because they add another layer of excitement to games. Everyone likes a good shootout. Fans get to see the best players showcase their talents, while the players get to express their competitive nature. What’s not to like?
There have been some incredible showdowns in hockey, but none more incredible than the 2011 Western Conference Finals between the Vancouver Canucks and the Calgary Flames. In Game 7 of that series, the teams played a total of 15 minutes of tie ball after a full 120 minutes of regulation play had ended in a 3-3 tie. Then, it was down to 10 players each for an overtime period, which was followed by a shootout.
That’s when everything changed. In the shootout, the Flames got two quick goals and then they scored once more in the first five shots. The Canucks answered with a goal and two more in the next five shots. The final score was 6-3 and the Flames won Game 7, 4-3 on the road.
In the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs, there was only one game went to a third overtime. Otherwise, all of the games went to a shootout, including the finals. There was a total of 17 goals scored in five overtime periods and 52 goals scored in 19 shootouts. That’s a whole lot of excitement in a short amount of time. After the last whistle blew, everyone ran to the bench to celebrate with their team while fans headed to the exits in search of fresh air. It was an incredible moment for the game – and for those who were there to witness it.
As exciting as shootouts are, they don’t always have to end in a game-winning goal. Sometimes, a spectacular play can lead to a memorable goal that decides the game. Take Game 7 of the 2017 Western Conference Final for example. The Vegas Golden Knights and the Dallas Stars were tied 1-1 after two periods of regulation play ended in a 1-1 tie. Then, it was sudden-death overtime.
After 70 minutes of play, the score was still tied and then it was Denis Gurianov’s turn to strike. The Russian forward took a pass from center ice and then he fired a shot past goaltender Antti Niemi. The puck hit the crossbar and then dropped into the net for a 2-1 win and a spot in the Stanley Cup for the Golden Knights.
With only one game remaining in the conference finals, you would think that both teams would rest up for one last hurrah. However, rest is not something that hockey players — or coaches — need. They want to go out there and prove that they’re the best. That’s why, when the season finally comes to an end, many teams look to make up for lost time by playing a few more games than they normally would. If they don’t, then they might not be ready for next season. They have to find a way to win these games, no matter what. Sometimes, that means finding a way to score in the shootout.
As the season continues to wind down, there are still some incredibly exciting games to be played. Fans should keep their eyes peeled for game-changing goals and incredible saves. They might just decide the fate of the game on a whim. You certainly can’t count out a team that went undefeated during the entire regular season and managed to make it all the way to the Stanley Cup finals. You never know what can happen in hockey – or if it’s even possible to predict a winner.