No they currently have 5mins of 3/3 overtime and a shootout to determine a winner. Winner gets 2 points which is the same as a regulation win and the loser gets 1 point for what is deemed an overtime loss. I actually wouldn't mind this system if they went to a 3 point for a regulation win, 2 for OT win and 1 for OT loss but it is ridiculous to me that a win by gimmick is worth the same as a hard fought regulation victory. It would be like the NBA deciding games by 3 point contest.
I get fans pay good money and don't want to see a tie but last night the leafs essentially won because a player screwed up. He lost control of the puck stickhandling which took him off his line the goalie followed and tried to poke check it away but he got back control just before the poke check and essentially had an open net to shoot at. That tied the shootout and pushed it to extra shots which the leafs won in. Sure maybe the goalie shouldn't have gone for the poke check but these one on one matchups and even when they play 3 on 3 have such a high degree of luck (guessing right or having the puck bounce your way) that I don't think the victory should be worth the same points as a 5 on 5 60 minute regulation win.
I also find the last few minutes of regulation games usually suck now because teams are trying to win but they are also trying not to lose. If you get to OT you get a point and pretty much a 50/50 shot at a second point so you are incentivizing teams to play cautiously in the final few minutes when it is tied to try to get to OT and secure a point.
It would be like the NBA deciding games by 3 point contest.
Some nights it's hard to tell the difference.
Who came up with those overtime rules? Why not just have the next goal win, if they wanted to get rid of ties?
To tie into our flag football conversation, imagine if NFL OT were a 7 on 7 flag football match.
I actually think NBA OT would be much more improved as a first to 11 game of 1-on-1.
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It's true about the 3 point contest. NBA teams were probably underutilizing the 3 for a long time but it seems like the pendulum has swung a bit far in the other direction.
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I actually feel like it's been better this season.
For the life of me, I can't understand why guys in the 80's took so many shots with their foot right on the line. Even as kids, we understood the whole 3>2 thing and tried not to shoot while stepping on the line. It would be like if wide receivers didn't even try to get both feet down inbounds.
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Derozan used to drive me nuts when he played with the raptors. He would take at least 3 or 4 shots a game that were 1 foot from the 3 point line. Guys aren't guarding you there for a reason. They will give you that shot all day.
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