LAS VEGAS — The NHL plans to play three-on-three in overtime next season.

The league’s general managers and players agreed Tuesday to change the regular-season overtime period from five minutes of four-on-four hockey to three-on-three.

The Board of Governors still must approve the change Wednesday when it meets in Las Vegas. The Board also will consider a recommendation to allow coaches to challenge goals on the basis of goalie interference calls or offside calls.

But the biggest agreement was reached on a fundamental change to overtime, which has been four-on-four in the NHL since 1999. Various minor leagues and European circuits have used three-on-three play with wide success.

“We’ve already seen that it works in the AHL,” Calgary general manager Brad Treliving said. “And when you translate that to the skill level of the NHL players, I think it’s going to be very exciting.”

The NHL adopted the shootout in 2005 to eliminate ties entirely. While Commissioner Gary Bettman and others defend the shootout’s excitement, it has been widely derided for awarding a valuable standings point on the basis of a skills competition.

A shootout will still take place under the new three-on-three format if games remain tied, but the change is expected to reduce the number of shootouts by creating plenty of open ice. The NHL went to 178 shootouts two seasons ago and 170 shootouts this past season.