IIHF retains Olympics 3-on-3 format regardless of Canada coach Jon Cooper’s complaints

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Team Canada males’s hockey coach Jon Cooper might not just like the Olympics’ three-on-three time beyond regulation format, but it surely doesn’t matter in any respect.

It’s staying in place.

The Worldwide Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) president Luc Tardif informed The Athletic that, regardless of Cooper’s complaints following his group’s gold-medal loss to Team USA on Sunday, they may proceed utilizing the format in future tournaments.

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Canada coach Jon Cooper solutions to the media throughout a press convention following the Ice Hockey Males Ultimate between United States and Canada on day sixteen of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Video games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Area on Feb. 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Jean Catuffe/Getty Photographs)

"It’s the very best guidelines to slot in a decent schedule," Tardif informed the outlet. "Now we have to determine 30 video games in 11 days for males and for the ladies 28 video games in 13 days – 58 all collectively in 16 days.

"Enormous problem."

The IIHF needed to introduce the three-on-three format the NHL makes use of throughout its common season to stop the usage of the shootout. Nonetheless, the NHL does make the change to five-on-five hockey through the playoffs with no shootouts – solely the game-winning aim.

Cooper, although, couldn’t assist himself when he ripped into the time beyond regulation format after watching Jack Hughes snipe the gold-medal aim previous his goalie, Jordan Binnington.

"You are taking 4 gamers off the ice, now hockey’s not hockey anymore," Cooper stated, per the New York Post. "There’s a motive time beyond regulation and shootouts are in play – it’s all TV-driven to finish video games, so it’s not a very long time. There’s a motive why it’s not within the Stanley Cup Final or playoffs."

Head coach Jon Cooper of Crew Canada speaks to his gamers after the group's 3-2 victory within the Males's Semifinals Playoff match between Canada and Finland on day fourteen of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Video games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Area on Feb. 20, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Jamie Squire/Getty Photographs)

Time beyond regulation within the preliminary rounds of the Olympics lasted 5 minutes, with a five-round shootout transpiring if a game-winning aim wasn’t scored in that point. For the quarterfinals and semifinals, the time beyond regulation was boosted to 10 minutes, adopted by 20 minutes within the gold-medal video games.

Canada didn’t get as clear a have a look at the web as Hughes did on his game-winning shot, however they did have tons of probabilities through the three intervals. In the long run, the U.S. was in a position to maintain the sport notched at one apiece via 60 minutes, with great saves by goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who was dubbed the "Secretary of Protection" by Secretary of Warfare Pete Hegseth for his efficiency.

After the sport, Cooper wasn’t the one Canadian displaying some bitterness in regards to the outcome. Assistant captain Nathan MacKinnon, who missed a wide-open web within the third interval that might’ve been the game-winner for Crew Canada, made an attention-grabbing remark to the press.

"You be the choose of who was the higher group right now," he stated.

Head coach Jon Cooper of Crew Canada takes half throughout coaching on day two of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Video games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Area on Feb. 8, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Photographs)

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Whereas Cooper, MacKinnon, and the remainder of Crew Canada take into consideration the what-ifs, Crew USA took Air Drive One to go to President Donald Trump on Tuesday previous to his State of the Union Deal with. The group was noticed within the Oval Workplace, the place Trump congratulated each participant in individual on their great accomplishment.

America gained its most golds in a single Winter Olympics (12), which included the ladies’s ice hockey group additionally beating Crew Canada in time beyond regulation due to the heroics of Megan Keller.