Shootouts SUCK

[Richard Cabeza]

I watched an AHL game the other night, the Providence Bruins at the Hartford Wolfpack (NYR's AHL team. They play in the Whalers old building, the Hartford Civic Center)

Both teams played a hardfought game for 65 minutes, then it went to a shootout, where Providence lost 2-0. It really struck me a cheesy that a team could play two+ hours as a team in a tight game, only to lose the game on individual skill. Not only that but one Providence B missed the net by a mile and another had the puck hop over his stick because the ice was so chewed up (as did a member of Hartford).

If the NHL adopts this, it's the final straw. They'll go from rewarding teams with a point for losing games (in OT) to punishing teams for playing 65 solid minutes. Bleh.

[cASe SenSiTive]

I could deal with shootouts for the regular season. Never for the playoffs though.

[ken_valyi]

Play-offs do not need any more excitement in them. I would probably go on a murderous rampage if the Leafs lost a Game 7 because the puck skipped over Sundin's stick after he had Brodeur beat on a deke.

As for the regular season, who gives a ****. They have screwed it up so many times, and while the shoot-out is not a fair way to decide games, it sure does get the heart pumping and that is readily needed in the current NHL.

[Richard Cabeza]

It matters late in the season, when teams are fighting eachother for playoff spots. How would you feel if your team missed the playoffs because they lost a couple shootouts in the last few game of the season? Besides, why should a goalie be given a loss because he played 65 solid minutes, and let someone beat him in a penalty shot contest? Blah. The day they added that 4th column into the team record stat was the day they messed up the game. Go back to 2 points for a win, 1 for a tie, 0 for ANY loss.

If they're going to use shootouts, they might as well just skip the 5 minute overtime and go straight to the shootout. Maybe I'm a diehard traditionalist, but so be it.