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OTL stands for Over Time Loss – this means that if your team goes into overtime and doesn’t win within 5 minutes, then they lose the game. (There are 20 minute periods during playoffs).
What is Overtime?
Hockey is a game of inches. Every inch matters and can mean the difference between winning and losing, so it’s no wonder that over time has become such an important part of hockey games when both teams are tied after regulation time! In some minor leagues though – like with lower-level competitions below NHL-style play–the shootout may be implemented instead to determine who takes home victory from their opponent by firing shots against goalposts until one team sinks them all before going onto the next period/game, etc.
The game of hockey is all about scoring goals. But what happens if one team can’t find the net? Well, in this case, play continues until somebody does – or something does not happen during sudden death time limits which end any remaining shots by both teams with an automatic win for whoever got there first! If no one scores then things go into shootout mode where each player has one chance against their opponent’s goalkeeper.
Overtime in the Playoffs
The playoff overtime is extended from 5 minutes to 20. There are no shootouts, so if the score remains level at end of the first extra session (or period), then we introduce a new 17-minute break for both teams before proceeding with another 15-minute mini-game. The players are exhausted but it’s still exciting – every play matters more than ever in this final stretch chase for victory or defeat. In overtime during playoffs, it is a ‘sudden death’ situation as well – where the first goal declares the winner. However, teams have all 5 skaters on the ice, rather than 4 like in the regular season overtime.
NHL Overtime Points
The game is tied after each side gets one point. If it’s headed into an overtime situation, both teams will get another for winning (usually none if losing). The team that wins then takes a third bonus fry-up.
The phrase ‘overtime loss’ refers to a team that ties the game but then goes on to lose in overtime. They don’t have any points for their scorecard because they were defeated by another competitor before playing out regular playtime and winning/ tying games simultaneously (and getting one point each).
No matter how you slice it, nobody wants less than two wins at all costs. But if we’re talking about “better” here…it is infinitely better – more valuable even-to give up an opportunity late once your opponent has taken away everything from them already.
What is SOL?
SOL stands for shootout loss and it’s when a team loses in the shootout – after a tied overtime. The shootout winner gets 1 extra point (2 totals) and the loser loses one. The SOL is recorded as opposed to an OTL, which would give them both 0 points before overtime begins.
