High School Hockey and College Overtime Rules

The high school hockey game lasts about one and a half hours to two hours. There are three 15 to 17-minute periods in high school hockey games. 12 to 15-minute intermissions are taken between these periods.

The match's total time depends on the period's length and intermission.

There are no specific rules regarding the length of high school hockey games. The school committee and authority set the length of the period for their school tournament.

Usually, most high school tournaments are played for 15 to 17 minutes with a 15-minute intermission.

As discussed earlier, the school committee and authority decide the hockey period length. Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) is one of the most prominent and prestigious leagues.

In the MSHSL, each period of 17 minutes is played. Players get breaks for about 15 minutes after the completion of each period. The athletes go to their dressing room, rest and make strategies for the upcoming periods during the intermission. Zamboni levels the ice in the middle of the field.

With 17 minutes for three times and two intermissions of 15 minutes, the actual game length becomes around 1 hour 20 minutes. The game will be longer if overtime, shootout, and unintentional stops occur during the match.

Reasons that Increase the Length of the High School Hockey Game

The primary reasons that increase the length of high school hockey games are intermissions, overtime, shootouts, playoffs, and accidental breaks.

1. Intermissions: It is near to impossible for high school students to play continuously for 50 minutes. Two breaks of 15 minutes extend the match 30 minutes longer.

2. Overtime: The period for overtime in high school hockey varies from league to league. However, usually, a time of 5 minutes of overtime is played between the teams. The overtime is followed by the sudden-death policy making the team that scores the first goal win the game.

3. Shootout: If the game is tied after the completion of the regular period, the shootout round will take place to determine the winning team. 3 players from both teams take part in the shootout. The team scoring higher in the shootout is declared the winner.

Shootout needs additional time, resulting in an extended total time.

4. Playoffs: Some leagues directly go to the direct 20 minutes playoff after a shootout phase without following an overtime policy. A sudden death rule may be followed to cut the playoff time.

5. Accidental Breaks: Following types of accidents or events extend the time of the high school leagues:

• Injuries 
• Goal celebration time 
• Penalty or shootout taking time by a team 
• Fights between two teams  
• Goalie holds the puck for more than 3 seconds 
• The puck leaves the field for an extended period

High school hockey section playoffs include quarterfinals, semifinals, and final games.

The quarterfinal and semifinal competing teams are decided by random draw. Total 4 games are played in the quarterfinals. The winners of the quarterfinals will battle for the semifinals. The two semifinal-winning teams will be competing for the championship.

The winner of the final match will become the champion team. Whereas, the losing team in the final will get the second position.

The two teams who lost in the semifinals will fight for the 3rd position.

The given diagram shows the pattern of the 2023 State Class AA Hockey, Boys Tournament. It will help you to understand the high school playoff style.

High School Hockey Rules Regular Season

Some newly modified high school rules are adjustments in the length of a period and penalty rules.

• The teams will play three 17 minutes periods. The length of the period can be adjusted by mutual agreement of the schools.
• The player or the coach shall be removed from a game for misconduct in the game. They shall be ejected for the next game.
• A game misconduct policy is under the league policy.
• If a penalty occurs at the end of a period, the penalty time will carry over to the next period. A student is allowed to be replaced in the penalty box for the next period in order to prevent the use of an ineligible student if the next period would be the 5th period.
• A student can't be replaced in the next period to preserve his future eligibility. The player must serve the penalty if the next period is going to be his 5th period.

Rules For The Overtime

The frozen four overtime rule for high school hockey is to play an 8-minute overtime period under sudden death style.

• Teams must remain in the bench area
• A three-minute intermission period is taken
• The teams shall switch the ends
• An 8-minute overtime period followed by sudden death will be played
• If the match still ties after the 8-minute overtime period, a shootout to will be conducted to determine the winner
• The game will be officially recorded as a tie, where a shootout is used to determine a winner
• The score after playing the 8-minute overtime period will be the official score for the match

The NCAA hockey overtime rule is to play an overtime period of 5 minutes under the sudden-death policy.

NCAA hockey rules are close to the NHL rulebook. The big 10 key differences between NCCA rules over the NHL are outlined here.

1. Overtimes and tie games: Regular-season overtime periods are of five minutes. A sudden death policy is followed and is played 3-on-3. Teams switch ends for overtime.

NCAA games can end in ties. However, after playing an initial five-minute overtime, conferences may go through a three-person shootout to award points in league standings. Non-conference games tied after the initial five-minute overtime will end as ties.

2. Goal scored during delayed penalty: If a team scores a goal during a delayed penalty call, that goal will be valid.

3. Contact to the head: If a player makes direct contact with the head or neck of an opponent, it is considered a major penalty and game misconduct at a minimum.

4. No trapezoid: A goaltender can handle the puck anywhere behind his goal line.

5. Player shooting the puck directly out of play in the defensive zone: Automatic penalty is waived for clearing the puck over the glass in the defensive zone. Still, a delay of game penalty can be called if the officials find the action intentional.

6. Hand passes in the defensive zone: No hand pass is allowed in the defensive zone in NCAA games.

7. Fighting: The offending player is out of that game and cannot play the next round.

8. Face shield: The players must wear an approved face mask or shield.

9. Sticks: All players can use sticks up to 65 inches in length in the NCAA games. A goaltender may use a paddle up to 28 inches long.

10. Faceoffs: The defending team will put their stick down first for the faceoff. The visiting team puts their stick down first in every neutral-zone faceoff. A linesman shall conduct all faceoffs.

College Hockey Overtime Rules Playoffs

College hockey overtime rule for playoffs is to play a five-minute overtime period of 3-on-3 hockey under a sudden-death style.

The rules for the playoffs for college hockey are described here:

• The teams will play a five-minute overtime period of 3-on-3 hockey if they tie after playing the regular period.
• The overtime period falls under the sudden-death style. This means the team to score first will win the game.
• If no team scores at the end of overtime, the teams will go to a shootout. 
• For a shootout, both teams will select three shooters to play three rounds of the shootout. A team shoots once per round.
• The team scoring the most goals after completing the three rounds will be declared the winning team.
• If the score is tied again in the shootout, it continues until a team wins.