Shootout
After the lockout the NHL decided to implement the shootout in the regular season to break ties. From what I can determine this was done for two reasons:
A) For some reason, which I still have yet to comprehend, tie games had become vilified in some hockey circles. The shootout would end them for good.
B) To make the game more exciting.
Personally I have no strong feeling either way about the shootout. Although I've never seen anything wrong with a regular season tie, I do appreciate the edge-of-your-seat thrill associated with the shootout.
Today's game might change my mind. The New York Islanders clinched a playoff spot by winning a shootout over the New Jersey Devils and the Toronto Maple Leafs were eliminated from post-season contention. Now don't get me wrong, anything that hurts the Maple Leafs is a good thing in my books, but it does seem like a silly way to determine the last playoff spot.
Shootout detractors point to the fact that hockey is a team game, while a shootout is a battle of individual skills. I tend to agree with this, but always felt that since regular season games weren't as important it was OK. Today's game proved that isn't always the case.
I don't think the NHL should abolish the shootout, it still is very exciting. But I think the points system should be changed. Make a regulation worth three points, an overtime or shootout win worth two and an overtime/shootout loss worth one. That would give teams even more incentive to settle things playing real hockey.
In pool related news, the entry invitations have been sent out. If you somehow stumble on this site and haven't yet gotten one let me know in the comments.
posted by Pete @ 4:31 p.m.
3 comments
3 Comments:
Perhaps the leafs should have taken care of business during the regular season. I don't believe that a shoot-out decided their fate, it was the fact that they blew many opportunities during the rest of the regular season.
Touche. The Leafs could have won their way in earlier in the season.
But the fact remains, the Islanders got the determining point by winning the shootut. If there was no shootout the game would have ended in a tie and the Islanders would be out a point.
There's more of a point to be made about rewarding the mediocrity of an overtime loss with a point. The Islanders had 12 of those this season to the Leafs 11. Of course, not being a Leafs fan, I could care less - but I will say if your playoff fate is being decided while you and the boys are watching with a brewsky than you didn't get the job done in the first place and you shouldn't be whining.
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