(NEXSTAR) - Ice hockey competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics will follow specific overtime and substitution rules as Team USA competes for gold. The sport centers on the objective of scoring more goals than the opponent during three 20-minute periods. While a standard game features six players on the ice at a time, including a goalie, Olympic rules for overtime and player rotations add layers of strategy to the tournament. Overtime formats are determined by the specific stage of the Olympic tournament. During preliminary round-robin games, teams reduce their lineups to three skaters and a goalie for a five-minute sudden-death period. If neither team scores during that time, the game proceeds to a shootout. Playoff games and the bronze medal match follow a similar format but extend the three-on-three overtime period to 10 minutes before moving to a shootout. The gold medal match follows different regulations to ensure the game is decided by a goal rather than a shootout. Teams play 20-minute overtime periods until one side scores. Officials resurface the ice between each of these extra periods. Substitutions in hockey are dynamic and often occur while the game is in progress, a process known as changing "on the fly." Melissa Piacentini, Team USA video coach, explained that players typically rotate off the ice when they begin to feel fatigued. "Subbing is you can change on the fly. So when you start to feel fatigued, maybe you'll get off. There's certain points where you maybe want to stay on the ice or to change," Piacentini said. She noted that if a play is moving into the defensive zone and a tired player is directly involved, they might choose to stay on the ice rather than heading to the bench. Coaches also manage "lines," which are strategic groups of players who are trained to play together. These lineups are often swapped in and out when a whistle blows. Additionally, a team may gain a numerical advantage known as a power play when an opposing player is sent to the penalty box for a penalty. The Winter Olympics are scheduled to begin on February 5, 2026. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by Nexstar. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by Nexstar staff before being published