Three-on-three professional ice hockey league
3ICE
is a professional three-on-three
ice hockey
league based in the United States. It debuted in 2022 and takes place during the
National Hockey League
(NHL) offseason. The league plays one-day tournaments of several 16-minute games in different cities through the season. Rosters consist of mostly
minor league
and some NHL players. Rule changes compared to the NHL keep the
puck
in play more continuously.
History
[
edit
]
The
National Hockey League
(NHL) introduced three-on-three
overtime
in
2015
.
[2]
Reality TV producer
E.J. Johnston
, the son of former NHL goaltender and coach
Eddie Johnston
, observed the new overtime format's popularity among fans, including at a
Pittsburgh Penguins
training camp and as an option in
NHL
video games
, and began conceiving a three-on-three league as early as 2016.
[3]
[4]
Johnston felt the three-on-three format highlighted players' "creativity" and thought the extra spacing allowed shorter "waterbug guys" to thrive.
[2]
[3]
[4]
3ICE was announced on January 13, 2020, along with television broadcast deals with
CBS Sports
in the United States and
TSN
and Quebec's
RDS
in Canada.
[3]
[5]
The
Hockey Hall of Fame
coach
Craig Patrick
was named as the first commissioner.
[3]
Johnston pitched the concept to hockey agents, players, TV executives, and other investors, raising almost
US$10 million
by the end of 2021.
[4]
[6]
[7]
Originally scheduled for the summer of 2021, 3ICE's inaugural season was delayed by a year due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
causing possible attendance restrictions.
[8]
The league's first tournament took place at
Orleans Arena
in Las Vegas on June 18, 2022.
[9]
Joe Mullen
's team won the first 3ICE regular season, and
Brian Trottier
's team won the first Patrick Cup.
[10]
[11]
Format and rules
[
edit
]
3ICE takes place from June to August during the NHL offseason.
[12]
Every week, teams compete in a one-day tournament in a different city, with
US$7,000
awarded to players on the winning team, ending with a four-team tournament for the Patrick Cup and
US$1 million
for the winning team.
[6]
[13]
There are six skaters and one goaltender on each team. In the first season, most players were current or former
minor league
players, but about one third had played in the NHL.
[13]
Games consist of quick eight-minute halves, with the clock stopping only for
penalties
and injuries.
[13]
Unlike in NHL overtime, where penalties create four-on-three
power plays
, penalties in 3ICE lead directly to
penalty shots
; these are "jailbreak" penalty shots, where other players can race behind the shooter after he touches the puck.
[13]
[14]
Intentional
icing
is a penalty, but goalies can play the puck anywhere and have a larger
crease
than in the NHL.
[13]
[14]
Face-offs
are limited to the start of halves; goalies begin with the puck after stoppages.
[13]
[14]
The puck remains in play after hitting the netting and, similar to basketball's half-court rule, may not be taken back across the center line on attack.
[13]
[14]
Teams
[
edit
]
See also
[
edit
]
- Big3
, 3x3 basketball league founded in 2017
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Kennedy, Ian (August 14, 2023).
"3ICE Wraps Up Second Season With Down-to-the-Wire Final"
.
The Hockey News
. Retrieved
November 12,
2023
.
- ^
a
b
Bumbaca, Chris (May 20, 2020).
"New 3-on-3 hockey league, '3ICE,' set to debut in 2021 with star-studded group of coaches"
.
USA Today
. Retrieved
November 12,
2023
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
Birnbaum, Justin (January 16, 2020).
"3ICE's New Media Approach Geared To Attracting Younger Fans To 3-On-3 Hockey"
.
Forbes
. Retrieved
November 12,
2023
.
- ^
a
b
c
DeFabo, Mike (May 20, 2020).
"Craig Patrick, E.J. Johnston among driving forces behind new 3-on-3 hockey league"
.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
. Retrieved
November 12,
2023
.
- ^
Vlessing, Etan (January 13, 2020).
"CBS Sports Nabs U.S. TV Rights to New 3-on-3 Pro Hockey League"
.
The Hollywood Reporter
. Retrieved
November 12,
2023
.
- ^
a
b
Shapiro, Sean (July 5, 2022).
"Three-on-three summer hockey league, 3ICE, up and running with robust prize pool, TV deals"
.
The Athletic
. Retrieved
November 12,
2023
.
- ^
Zucker, Joseph (December 8, 2021).
"3-on-3 Pro Hockey League 3ICE to Debut Next June; Raised Nearly $10M To Date"
.
Bleacher Report
. Retrieved
November 12,
2023
.
- ^
Bumbaca, Chris (February 21, 2021).
"3ICE, 3-on-3 hockey league set to debut this summer, delays start plans until 2022"
.
USA Today
. Retrieved
November 12,
2023
.
- ^
Madden, Mark
(June 22, 2022).
"Debut of 3ICE hockey a raging success, should spark changes to NHL overtime"
.
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
. Retrieved
November 12,
2023
.
- ^
"3ICE Teams"
. 3ICE
. Retrieved
November 12,
2023
.
- ^
"Las Vegas Weekend Recap of the Patrick Cup Championship"
. 3ICE
. Retrieved
November 12,
2023
.
- ^
Wyshynski, Greg (January 13, 2020).
"Visionary 3-on-3 league preparing to showcase skill and speed on ice during the summer heat of 2021"
.
ESPN
. Retrieved
November 12,
2023
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
Wyshynski, Greg (August 18, 2022).
"Inside 3ICE 3-on-3 hockey's revolutionary first season"
.
ESPN
. Retrieved
November 12,
2023
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
McIndoe, Sean; Gentille, Sean; Mendes, Ian (August 31, 2022).
"3ICE is a new league with weird new rules. Would they work in the NHL?"
.
The Athletic
. Retrieved
November 12,
2023
.
External links
[
edit
]