from Mark Madden of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review,
The NHL should change its overtime format. Three-on-three stinks.
Three-on-three OT started out exciting, but coaching ruined it. It used to be played with reckless abandon. Now it’s about endless doubling back with the puck and staying ahead of your foe’s changes. It’s mostly boring. It’s too tactical.
It would be difficult to legislate rules that restore the exhilaration of three-on-three. The 3ICE three-on-three league doesn’t allow retreating with the puck beyond the red line. The penalty is turning over the puck. That would be too radical for the NHL. But a faceoff wouldn’t be suitable punishment and would slow play down.
Three-on-three isn’t the NHL, anyway. It’s too carny, just like the shootout.
The solution? There’s likely isn’t one. How often does the NHL truly solve anything?
But here’s what I’d do:
Go back to four-on-four overtime, which was used from 1999-2015. It produced less winners than three-on-three overtime. But it was less of a parody of hockey. Four-on-four looks like hockey. Three-on-three doesn’t.
Extra puck.
3v3 is dogshit lately with all the regroups.
Agreed, I don't mind the 3v3 but not the constant re-grouping, the first year was much better action. They should consider tweaking the rules where a team can not play the puck back over the opposition blue line "intentionally" once they cross with the possession, and if they do, its like an offside, but it results in a face off in their zone.
Agreed. 3v3 and the shootout are a McDonald's Happy Meal. I have not ever liked it. Please get rid of it. Go back to 5v5 with a ten minute period.. it is really okay to have a tie.
Create an Account
In order to leave a comment, please create an account.