How's that for a start to the 2025 Stanley Cup Final?
The first two games of the Florida Panthers versus Edmonton Oilers Cup Final rematch have required overtime to determine a winner.
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WATCH HEREThe opening contest in Edmonton saw the Oilers erase a 3-1 deficit before Leon Draisaitl completed a comeback win with a goal inside the final minute of overtime. Then, Game 2 actually went to a second overtime.
The Oilers got some late heroics again, this time in regulation, as Corey Perry tallied an equalizer inside the final 20 seconds of the third period. But, after a goal-less first OT, trade deadline acquisition Brad Marchand saved Florida from another crushing defeat with a breakaway score in double overtime.
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SIGN UP BRAD MARCHAND WINS GAME 2 IN @ENERGIZER DOUBLE OVERTIME 🙌 #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/gJPpH215U4
— NHL (@NHL) June 7, 2025
As the Cup Final continues, here's what to know about the postseason overtime rules:
Are there shootouts in the NHL playoffs?
Unlike the regular season, there are no shootouts in the playoffs.
What are the NHL playoff overtime rules?
If a playoff game is tied after three periods, it goes into overtime.
In overtime, 20 minutes are put on the clock and the teams play at five-on-five until a goal is scored.
How many overtimes are there in the NHL playoffs?
If the game remains tied after the first OT, then a second 20-minute overtime at five-on-five follows. This repeats until a goal is scored.
Is NHL overtime sudden death in the playoffs?
Yes, the first team to score in OT wins the game.
What are the overtime rules in the Stanley Cup Final?
The Cup Final has the same OT rules as the other postseason series.
What are the NHL overtime rules in the regular season?
Overtime hockey is different in the postseason compared to the regular season. OT in the regular season is a sudden-death period that's five-minutes long and played at three-on-three. If a goal isn't scored in the five minutes of extra time, then the game moves to a shootout.
What's the longest NHL playoff game ever?
The longest game in NHL playoff history came back in 1936, when it took until the sixth overtime to decide a contest between the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Maroons. Detroit scored the game's only goal at the 176:30 mark.
Editor's note: The original version of this story was published in May 2024.
