Canada's Jon Cooper Blasts OT Format After Gold Medal Game: 'There's A Reason Why 3-On-3 Is Not In The Stanley Cup Final'

MILAN, Italy - About an hour had passed since Jack Hughes had scored the "golden goal" for Team USA in the Olympic final when Team Canada coach Jon Cooper was asked for his thoughts on how Canada handled the risk management of a 3-on-3 overtime of this magnitude.

Rather than talk strategy, Cooper blasted the overtime format that the IIHF instituted for the first time at this year's Olympics.

"You take four players off the ice, now hockey's not hockey anymore," said Cooper. "There's a reason overtime and shootouts are in play — it's all TV-driven to end games, so it's not a long time. There's a reason why (3-on-3) is not in the Stanley Cup final or playoffs."

Team Canada coach Jon Cooper said he's not using the 3-on-3 overtime as an excuse for losing the gold medal game. But he said taking four players off the ice made the hockey "not hockey anymore."

thehockeynews.comCanada's Jon Cooper Blasts OT Format After Gold Medal Game: 'There's A Reason Why 3-On-3 Is Not In The Stanley Cup Final' Team Canada coach Jon Cooper said he's not using the 3-on-3 overtime as an excuse for losing the gold medal game. But he said taking four players off the ice made the hockey "not hockey anymore."

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