FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. - The Central Collegiate Hockey Association will continue to use shootouts and a three-point system in league play, as determined by a vote at the CCHA Council Meeting in Dearborn, Mich., Aug. 16-17.

In addition, the council voted for the CCHA to begin using standardized media timeouts in all league games and non-conference games hosted by CCHA teams.

In 2008 the CCHA became the first Division I men's ice hockey conference to institute the shootout in league play. For the 2009-10 season, the CCHA adopted a standings format for league play where a team that wins in regulation or overtime receives three points, a team that wins a shootout is awarded two points, a team that loses a shootout gets one point, and a team that loses in regulation or overtime earns no points. This past season 25 CCHA games went to a shootout, with Alaska being the most frequent participant at eight shootouts.

The new standardized media timeout policy states that there will be three timeouts in each period of play. Timeouts will be at the first stoppage with under 14:00, 10:00 and 6:00 minutes on the clock for each period in all games. Teams must be at even strength. A timeout cannot be taken following an icing call following, following a call for shooting the puck out of play, following a goal or during a power-play situation. A timeout can be taken going into a power-play situation.