from Kevin Allen of USA TODAY,

NHL coaches are concerned enough about this season's new 3-on-3 overtime format that the league and the NHL Players Association have agreed to allow extra experimenting time during select preseason games.

"We've designated three preseason games per day where they will use 3-on-3 overtime format, regardless of what the score is at the end of regulation," NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told USA TODAY Sports.

By switching from a 4-on-4 format to 3-on-3, the expectation is that the number of shootouts will be significantly reduced. The hope is that about 75% of games that are tied after regulation will be decided by 3-on-3. But so little 3-on-3 hockey has been played in the NHL in recent seasons that no one is quite sure how it will play out.

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