{"id":470877,"date":"2026-02-25T07:54:21","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T07:54:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/470877\/"},"modified":"2026-02-25T07:54:21","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T07:54:21","slug":"iihf-keeps-olympics-3-on-3-format-despite-canada-coach-jon-coopers-complaints","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/470877\/","title":{"rendered":"IIHF keeps Olympics 3-on-3 format despite Canada coach Jon Cooper’s complaints"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Team Canada<\/a> men\u2019s hockey coach Jon Cooper may not like the Olympics\u2019 three-on-three overtime format, but it doesn\u2019t matter at all.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s staying in place.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) president Luc Tardif told The Athletic that, despite Cooper\u2019s complaints following his team\u2019s gold-medal loss to Team USA<\/a> on Sunday, they will continue using the format in future tournaments.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\"Jon <\/p>\n

Canada coach Jon Cooper answers to the media during a press conference following the Ice Hockey Men’s Final between the United States and Canada on day sixteen of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 22, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Jean Catuffe\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s the best rules to fit in a tight schedule,” Tardif told the outlet.<\/a> “We have to figure out 30 games in 11 days for men and for the women 28 games in 13 days \u2013 58 all together in 16 days.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Huge challenge.”<\/p>\n

The IIHF wanted to introduce the three-on-three format the NHL<\/a> uses during its regular season to prevent the use of the shootout. However, the NHL does make the change to five-on-five hockey during the playoffs with no shootouts \u2013 only the game-winning goal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cooper, though, couldn\u2019t help himself when he ripped into the overtime format after watching Jack Hughes snipe the gold-medal goal past his goalie, Jordan Binnington.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You take four players off the ice, now hockey\u2019s not hockey anymore,” Cooper said, per the New York Post.<\/a> “There\u2019s a reason overtime and shootouts are in play \u2013 it\u2019s all TV-driven to end games, so it\u2019s not a long time. There\u2019s a reason why it\u2019s not in the Stanley Cup Final<\/a> or playoffs.”<\/p>\n

\"Jon <\/p>\n

Head coach Jon Cooper of Team Canada speaks to his players after the team’s 3-2 victory in the Men’s Semifinals Playoff match between Canada and Finland on day fourteen of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 20, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Jamie Squire\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Overtime in the preliminary rounds of the Olympics lasted five minutes, with a five-round shootout transpiring if a game-winning goal wasn\u2019t scored in that time. For the quarterfinals and semifinals, the overtime was boosted to 10 minutes, followed by 20 minutes in the gold-medal games.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Canada didn\u2019t get as clean a look at the net as Hughes did on his game-winning shot, but they did have tons of chances during the three periods. In the end, the U.S. was able to keep the game notched at one apiece through 60 minutes, with tremendous saves by goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who was dubbed the “Secretary of Defense” by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth for his performance.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After the game, Cooper wasn\u2019t the only Canadian showing some bitterness about the result. Assistant captain Nathan MacKinnon, who missed a wide-open net in the third period that could\u2019ve been the game-winner for Team Canada, made an interesting comment to the press.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You be the judge of who was the better team today,” he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Jon <\/p>\n

Head coach Jon Cooper of Team Canada takes part during training on day two of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 8, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Gregory Shamus\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

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While Cooper, MacKinnon, and the rest of Team Canada think about the what-ifs, Team USA took Air Force One to visit President Donald Trump on Tuesday prior to his State of the Union Address. The team was spotted in the Oval Office, where Trump congratulated every player in person on their tremendous accomplishment.<\/p>\n

The United States won its most golds in a single Winter Olympics (12), which included the women\u2019s ice hockey team also beating Team Canada in overtime thanks to the heroics of Megan Keller.<\/p>\n

Follow Fox News Digital\u2019s\u00a0sports coverage on X<\/a>\u00a0and subscribe to\u00a0the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Related Article \"Team<\/a> <\/p>\n

Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n