Olympic finals overtime format get criticized by influential insider

Jack Hughes secured Gold for Team USA, while Jon Cooper watched Canada’s dominance evaporate in a controversial overtime format.

Canada owned the puck for nearly the entire extra frame. They cycled with purpose, used the blue line effectively, and looked like the best team on the ice in Milan.

But international hockey rules turn the Gold Medal game into a track meet. The 3-on-3 format prioritizes open ice over the structured, heavy play that wins championships.

One mistimed pinch was all the Americans needed. Jack Hughes jumped on a loose puck, transitioned instantly, and beat Jordan Binnington cleanly on a breakaway.

Game over. Gold for the United States.

Pierre LeBrun didn’t hold back, even before the end of the game.

The insider argued that a game of this magnitude deserves a better finish.

In the NHL playoffs, the standard is 20-minute periods of 5-on-5 hockey. It is a grind that tests a team’s depth and defensive discipline over long stretches.

The Olympics opts for a format that feels more like a skills competition than a battle of wills. It’s an exciting spectacle, but it lacks the weight of true playoff hockey.

Canada’s puck possession during overtime was a masterclass in puck protection. Mitch Marner and Nathan MacKinnon kept the U.S. pinned deep for minutes at a time.

None of that mattered once the ice opened up. The defensive structure Jon Cooper spent weeks perfecting was rendered useless in a wide-open three-man scramble.

LeBrun is right to question why the biggest game on the international calendar isn't played under standard hockey conditions.

The U.S. won’t care about the optics. They have the Gold, and Hughes is a national hero after a clinical finish when it mattered most.

For the fans and insiders, the bitter taste of a 3-on-3 finish lingers. It’s a spectacular way to end a round-robin game, but a poor way to crown a champion.

The debate over IIHF rules will likely rage on until the next puck drop in 2030.

Also read on Blade of steel :
Sidney Crosby breaks his silence after the loss to Team USA and reveals new details