Hockey gets underway in Milan this week. Here’s a reminder of the Olympic rules.

MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 09: Players of Team United States pose for photographs during training on day three of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 09, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Hockey will get underway this week at the Milan Olympics featuring NHL players for the first time in more than a decade.

Here’s a reminder and refresher that the rules at the Olympics will be a bit different than when you watch your typical NHL game.

During the preliminary rounds of the Olympic hockey tournament, if games are tied after regulation, there will be a five-minute 3-on-3 overtime, followed by a five-player shootout if the tie isn’t broken.

In the quarterfinals and semifinals, the overtime period will be extended to ten minutes.

In the gold medal game, there will be no shootout, but the overtime period will be played as 3-on-3.

During the Olympics, fighting is not allowed and the penalty for doing so is ejection. Playing without a helmet subjects players to a minor penalty.

Roster sizes allow teams to have a maximum of 23 players, consisting of 20 skaters and 3 goalies.

Teams are allowed to dress two more players than allowed during NHL play, meaning that a game lineup can feature 13 forwards and 7 defensemen.

Rink sizes at the Palaltalia Santa Giulia and the Fiera Milano arenas will be NHL-sized, smaller than traditionally used for the Olympics.

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby will also be captaining Team Canada for this year’s Olympics, the same role he served for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.

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