Clear message sent to hockey fans after gold medal drama

Days after the Olympic gold medal was decided in three-on-three overtime between Canada and USA, the debate is still raging across the hockey world.

Some fans loved the open ice and dramatic finish. Others argued that a gold medal game deserves five-on-five hockey: not the same format used in regular-season NHL overtime.

But if you’re hoping for a change, don’t hold your breath.

According to Chris Johnston on TSN’s Insider Trading, the IIHF has no plans to adjust the format moving forward.

“No, get used to it,” Johnston reported Tuesday night. He added that IIHF President Luc Tardif pointed out that all 30 men’s games at the Milano Cortina Olympics were decided without a single shootout.

From the IIHF’s perspective, that’s a win.

The organization believes three-on-three overtime is preferable to the alternative, a shootout, particularly in high-stakes international tournaments. If the goal is to end games with actual hockey plays rather than skills competitions, they see the current format as the best compromise.

That means future World Championships and Olympic tournaments will likely stick with the same system. Whether fans agree is another matter entirely.

The gold medal may have been settled, but the format debate clearly isn’t over. For now, though, the message from the IIHF is simple: three-on-three overtime is here to stay.