NCAA modifies overtime proposal; three-on-three, shootouts are options again

By @MichaelCaples –

On June 14, the NCAA announced that the Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey Rules Committee had approved a proposal that would forbid anything more than a five-minute overtime period of five-on-hockey.

Still tied after the old-school overtime set-up? Game’s a tie.

Yesterday, however, the committee backpedaled on the idea, after “receiving membership feedback.”

A new proposal allows for college hockey conferences to use one of two alternative formats for awarding points in their standings after the mandatory five-on-five period. The rules committee voted to authorize conferences to use either a five-minute three-on-three overtime period followed by a shootout or only a shootout to determine which team gets more points in the standings.

During nonconference games, those alternative options will not be permitted.

The proposal still has to be formally voted on; that will take place next week.

“The process has always allowed for reconsideration,” said committee chair Joe Bertagna, commissioner of the Hockey East Association, in a press release. “The membership was given the chance to comment after our initial work was made public. The committee had the benefit of time to consider all ramifications of its work. In short, the system worked.”

If the original proposal had been approved, college hockey would have been the lone institution in the elite hockey landscape (juniors, pros, etc.) that would have games ending in ties of that fashion.