PITTSBURGH — On Monday, July 22, Atlantic Hockey announced that for the 2019-20 season, a 3-on-3 overtime, then a shootout will be the way to decide regular season conference games.

This method is also used by the Big 10, National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA); not to mention the NHL and AHL as well.

In a statement to Atlantic Hockey Online, Atlantic Hockey Commissioner Robert DeGregorio Jr. said, “We’re committed to providing the best overall experience we can for our student-athletes and fans which is why we’re adopting the 3-on-3 and shootout overtime protocol this year. It will be an exciting experiment for us this season as the first league in the east to use this system.”

Along with the new overtime system, Atlantic Hockey has also adopted the point system used by the WCHA, Big 10 and NCHC. A team that wins in regulation will earn three points; if the games go to overtime, both teams will earn one point, and the winner of the overtime will earn one extra point.

Last year, the Colonials played in five regular season overtime games, going 2-1-2.

Interestingly enough, the Colonials are no strangers to the shootout, beating the Ohio State Buckeyes in an exhibition shootout on December 8, 2012. The Colonials won the shootout 2-1, Cody Wydo (‘15) and Zach Hervato (‘13) scored the goals for Robert Morris, while Alex Szczechura scored the lone goal for the Buckeyes.