Apparently not.
 
In the Friday afternoon Icebreaker Cup game in Mariucci Arena, Boston
College and Ohio State were tied 3-3 at the end of regulation time.  So,
what happened?  A two-minute intermission, followed by a five minute
overtime period.  Neither team scored, so there was a 15-minute
intermission, the ice was resurfaced, then a 20-minute second overtime
which only lasted 1:17 as Brian Gionta of BC scored the game-winner.
 
Couldn't someone have bothered to check the rulebook?  My copy of the
1999 NCAA Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations clearly describes what
should have happened.  Here are the relevant parts of Rule 6, Playing
Rules:
 
-----
 
TIED GAMES
SECTION 47
 
a. If the score is tied at the end of three regulation 20-minute
periods, the following shall take place (Exception: 6-48):
 
(1) There shall be a two-minute intermission.
(2) The teams shall not change ends.
(3) A five-minute period shall be played.
(4) The team that scores first wins and the game is ended. If a goal is
not scored in the five-minute period, the game shall be declared a tie.
 
-----
 
TOURNAMENT COMPETITION
SECTION 48
 
a.  Where advancement in a bracket or the determination of a tournament
champion is necessary, any series in a format (e.g., total-goals series,
single game, minigame series) that results in a tie shall be broken by
20-minute, sudden-death overtime periods.   The ice shall be resurfaced
upon completion of regulation play.  The teams shall not change ends
(except as indicated in Rule 6-44-b).  Third-place games may follow the
overtime procedures as described in Rule 6-47.
 
----
 
This seems abundantly clear; the Icebreaker Cup is an elimination
tournament.  Instead, the WCHA officials chose to misapply a combination
of Rules 6-47 and 6-48.
 
I don't know who made the call.  The referee was John Seidel.  I don't
know if WCHA Supervisor of Officials, Greg Shepherd, was there.  Someone
should have managed to get this right.
 
 
-- Erik
 
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