Ok, I'm really not a fan of hockey, I'm just here to ask a question on something that has always bothered me. Not enough for me to find out, mind you, but still has bothered me.
When they show a hockey team's standing, they show 4 numbers, as in 1-2-3-1. Now, I know that three of those have to be wins, losses, and ties, but what is the other one? And what order are they in?
The last one is for overtime losses. Teams now get 1 point for those while the winning team gets its two, which COMPLETELY RUINS THE FUCKING GAME worse than the DH ever could for baseball. You shouldn't be rewarded for LOSING. Doesn't matter how freaking tough you play your opponent - if you lose, you lose and get precisely dick for it. I don't see them giving teams in the SCPlayoffs .5 games for losing in overtime - why do it in the regular season? Fuck Bettman and his bunches of stooges.
yeah, but here's the thing. When you only have 5 minutes (and not unlimited overtime) you really wanna see someone win. If a team really needs the 1 point, they have it and they can take risks and try to win the game. This (theoretically, anyway) makes for less actual ties and more actual excitement. I know I'd much ratehr see a winner than a tie game.
Marty doesn't need surgery. This is a great day. I almost feel like I can say, I don't care that the Steelers lost
Its true: giving each team a point at the end of a tied regulation game and putting another point up for grabs has really enlivened OT (as has moving to 4 on 4 in the 5 minute extra period). Before the change teams were so afraid of losing the single point for a tie that OT was a defensive struggle with no one trying to pot a winner for fear of being exposed at the back. Now with a guaranteed single point, teams are free to go on the offensive.
On the other hand, as Jubuki says, it does seem stupid to reward a team for losing.
Overall, though, I think that the excitement created by the wide-open overtimes is worth the price. Far more games are now won in overtime that under the old rules and so fans get what they want--a winner.
"Emotional feedback on timeless wavelengths, bearing a gift beyond price- almost free" -- Rush
What was it that Fleury said...something like "shootouts are about as valid a way of deciding a hockey game as laying a Scrabble board out at centre ice."
With the OT and the extra point, as I understand it, the teams try harder for that extra point when it's an East team vs. a West team, as it doesn't affect playoff standings. But if it's intra-division, they'll play more conservatively.
Really unbelievable in the grand scheme of things. HNIC will survive with someone new, but what really surprises me is they let him go. He was so good for CBC Sports in general. The Olympics, etc...