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What Happens If USA vs. Canada Goes to Overtime? 4 Nations Face-Off Rules

A quick look at the rules for the NHL's new tournament.

Mike Kadlick

USA vs. Canada is coming down to the wire.
USA vs. Canada is coming down to the wire. / Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

It's coming down to the wire in Thursday night's 4 Nations Face-Off final between Team USA and Canada, as the game is tied 2–2 following three periods of play.

So what happens now with the championship heading to overtime? Here's a look at the rules.

4 Nations Face-Off Overtime Rules

The 4 Nations Face-Off started with a round-robin tournament between the United States, Canada, Sweden, and Finland. If any of those first-round games were tied following regulation, the contest went to a three-on-three, sudden-death 10-minute period—followed by a three-round shootout if a goal was not scored.

The rules for the final, however, are different. If the championship match between Team USA and Canada is tied after 60 minutes, the contest heads to full-strength, sudden-death hockey through successive 20-minute periods until one team scores.

Both Team USA and Team Canada have tallied two goals through two periods—with Nathan MacKinnon and Sam Bennett scoring for the team up north, and Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson finding the back of the net for the red, white, and blue.

May the best team win.

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Mike Kadlick
MIKE KADLICK

Mike Kadlick is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the New England Patriots for WEEI sports radio in Boston and continues to do so for CLNS Media. He has a master's in public relations from Boston University. Kadlick is also an avid runner and a proud lover of all things pizza.

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