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How many overtimes in hockey before a shootout?

By / 24 May 2023 11:11 AM

Kuznetsov from the Capitals, scoring a shootout goal against the goaltender of the Maple Leafs.
Source : instagram

There is one overtime before a shootout in hockey (NHL). The shootout is played to break the ties in pre-season and regular season but not in playoffs.

The overtime before a shootout lasts 5 minutes. The OT period is played with three skaters in each team in the regular season.

Unlike the pre-season and regular season, an overtime period of 20 minutes will be played to break the tie in the playoffs until a winner is decided. Each overtime period will begin after an intermission changing the ends.

In IIHF World Championship's preliminary and robin-round, the overtime rule is the same as the regular season in NHL. However, in playoff games, a 10-minute sudden-death overtime period is played.

If the goal is not scored during an OT period, there will be a Penalty shootout. There will not be a shootout in the final game of the Championship.

The overtime rules of NCAA hockey, NHL, and IIHF World Championship may differ.

Is There A Shootout In Playoff Hockey?

No, there is not a shootout in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The winner of the game is decided by sudden-death overtime period only.

However, the rules may differ in other hockey championships. In the IIHF World Championship, except for the Gold Medal Game, there will be a Penalty-Shot Shootout if the game is not decided after the sudden-death overtime period.

Why is there no shootouts in playoff hockey?

There are no shootouts in the hockey playoffs because the NHL playoff intends to end the game with the worthy victor.

Both the audience and the teams won't be satisfied by the outcomes of the shootouts in intense playoff matches.

NHL Playoffs break the tie by 20-minute 5-on-5 games, which are played until the winner is decided.

Such matches may sometimes lead to longer games, which makes the game more intense and fun to watch. Unlike Shootouts, this type of tie-breaker ensures that the winning team truly deserves the advancement.

In NHL Playoff, the ties are broken by following the procedure;

  • Tied teams will play an overtime period after a short intermission
  • Overtime is played with five skaters on each team.
  • The period will be 20 minutes long.
  • The first team to score will be the winner.
  • Additional overtime periods are played until the champion is decided.

What Is The Longest Shootout In NHL History?

Bjugstad scored the game winning goal for the panthers in 2014 in the longest shootout in NHL history.
Source : twitter

The longest shootout in NHL history is 20 rounds between the Florida Panthers and the Washington Capitals. Finally, the Panthers won a 2-1 against the Capitals.

The longest shootout in 2014 broke the record of 15 cycles between the Capitals and the New York Rangers in 2005.

Each team used all 18 skaters and had to start over again. All three skaters from both were empty-handed for the first three rounds.

After the three rounds, the shootout went to sudden-death mode. The Capitals scored for the first time in the fourth round. The Panthers would have lost the game if they didn't hit back.

The teams played three more rounds with only one goal against each other. The Capitals again scored another goal but were nullified again by the Panthers in the same round.

After two more rounds, the Capitals scored the third goal but were balanced by the Panthers. The Capital adds another in the next round.

The teams played six rounds without scoring another goal until the Capitals scored their 5th. The scores were tied at five goals each when the Capitals didn't score in the 20th round.

Then in the 20th round, Nick Bjugstad (#72) scored the game-deciding goal, and the Panthers won by a sudden victory.

When Does A Shootout Happen In Hockey?

A shootout occurs in hockey when the winner is not decided by a 5 minute 3-on-3 overtime period. The format is followed in NHL's pre-season and regular season.

Shootout in NHL pre-season and regular season occurs following the procedure:

  • Teams play a five-minute overtime period 
  • Each team will have three skaters 
  • Overtime is played in a sudden-death format
  • If the game is tied in overtime, the team will play rounds of shootout games.

Shootout in hockey is played by three skaters from each team per round. The team will try to score one-on-one against the opponent's goalie. The team having the highest number of goals per round wins the game.

If the score is a tie, another round with a different set of skaters will repeat the procedure. But, the team will play the shootout in sudden-death style.

If the first team scores, the second team must score to play another round otherwise loses the game.

Do Shootout Goals Count As Goals In Hockey?

No, Shootout goals do not count as goals in hockey. The shootout goals are registered separately.

The NHL rulebook states that the goal scored during the shootout will not be added to the personal statistics of scorers.

Also,  the losing goaltender will not be charged with the extra goal-against to his records.

Rules of Hockey Shootout

Rules of hockey shootout in NHL regulation season are:

  • Goalkeepers shall occupy the net closest to their Teamm's bench
  • The home team shall have the choice of shooting first or second.
  • The teams should alternately take shorts.
  • Eligible players without having 10-minute misconduct, match penalty, or game misconduct should participate in the shootout.
  • The Stick Measurements guidelines are followed before the shootout attempt
  • After the shootout is commenced, the goaltender cannot be replaced unless he is injured
  • Each team will be given three shots
  • If the score remains tied, the shootout will go to a sudden-death format
  • The player cannot shoot twice until every eligible player has shot
  • If one team has fewer eligible players, both teams can select among the players who have taken a shot already
  • Regardless of the number of goals during the shootout, the winner will only get one point more than the loser.

NHL Shootout Records

The Islanders have held the top position in scoring the most win in the shootout games with 52% of win-rate as of 2023.
Source : twitter

NHL shootout records for most wins are by New York Islanders. The team has participated in 170 shootouts with 89 wins.

Other Records of shootouts are:

  • Highest shootout winning percentage: Colorado Avalanche
  • Most shootout games played: Florida Panthers
  • Highest Game Deciding Goal: Frans Nielsen
  • Most shootout goals: Jonathan Toews

Shootout Team Records

Most Shootout Game Wins

The top 5 NHL teams to win the most shootout games of all time are:

  • New York Islanders: 89/170
  • Pittsburgh Penguins: 87/149
  • New York Rangers: 87/161
  • Buffalo Sabres: 87/167
  • Nashville Predators: 84/130

Highest Shootout Winning Percentage

The top 5 NHL teams to have the all-time highest shootout winning percentage of all time are:

  • Colorado Avalanche: 63.9%
  • Pittsburgh Penguins:  58.4%
  • Dallas Stars: 55.0%
  • Winnipeg Jets: 54.3%
  • Vegas Golden Knights: 54.1% 

Most Shootout Games Played

The top 5 NHL teams to have played the all-time most shootout games as of 2023 are:

  • Florida Panthers: 178
  • New Jersey Devils: 176
  • New York Islanders: 170
  • Buffalo Sabres: 167
  • Anaheim Ducks: 164

Shootout Player Records

Game Deciding Goals

The top 5 NHL players to score the all-time highest game-deciding goals (GDG) in a shootout are:

  • Frans Nielsen: 23
  • Patrick Kane: 21
  • T.J. Oshie: 21
  • Jonathan Toews: 20
  • Sidney Crosby: 19

Most Shootout Goals

The top 5 NHL players to score the all-time highest number of goals in a shootout are:

  • Jonathan Toews: 52
  • Patrick Kane: 49
  • Frans Nielsen: 49
  • T.J. Oshie: 48
  • Joe Pavelski: 47

Patrick Kane Shootout Percentage

Patrick Kane is traded to the New York Rangers in 2023 after long career in his drafter the Blackhawks.
Source : instagram

Patrick Kane shootout percentage of all time is 38.9%. Kane has the highest shootout percentage of 77.8% in the first season of his career.

Kane has appeared in shootouts in almost all seasons except the 2020-21 and 2022-23 seasons. In his career, Kane has attempted 126 shoots, where 49 shots turned into a goal.

Patrick Kane's all-time shots stand second on the list of most puck shots taken in a shootout after Joe Pavelski. Pavelski has taken 127 shootouts. 

Till now, he has scored 21 Game Deciding Goals. Kane comes second to have got the most GDG after Frans Nielsen in NHL history. Nielsen scored 23, who is not active as of 2023, so Kane will be on the top of the list very soon.

Patrick Kane has played most of his career with the Chicago Blackhawks. He was recently traded to the New York Rangers in exchange for a situational second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Entry draft, Andy Welinski, and a fourth-round pick.

Patrick Kane in New York Rangers hasn't participated in the shootout. 

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