OK, we've discussed several of the formats on this list over the past
year or so, and it's time for me to abuse the ECAC's quarterfinal
format.
First of all, most of us seem to agree that the two-game total goals
format was ridiculous and one of the best things college hockey (DivI
anyway, as it is still used in DivIII) did was eliminate it. I believe
that it is wrong to ask teams to play a different way in the playoffs
than they have in the regular season. To that end, although I would
prefer that Hockey East play a best-of-three, I can live with the
single-game elimination because it maintains the fact that you have to
win a game outright to move on.
Saturday night, RPI and Harvard were tied, 3-3, in the second game of
their series which was led by Harvard, one game to none. Late in the
game, RPI had to pull its goalie and try for the *game-winning* goal
(as opposed to game-tying) because otherwise it would lose the series
despite tying the game. And there is no overtime! Never during the
regular season would a team be asked to pull its goalie when the game
is tied. RPI also had to do this with its best player (Juneau) in
the box. Normally, they could have hung on through overtime (he
would have returned the first minute in).
I think the fact that this had to happen is outrageous and the format
should be changed. At the very least, keep the format - but add
overtime to each of the first two games. During the regular season,
a win in overtime is worth as much as a win in regulation, except
in TCHCR :-). That should be maintained in the playoffs as well.
What if RPI had won all 19 of its games in overtime? Why shouldn't
they be given an equal chance to win again in overtime?
Now, if the first two games are split, then maybe a minigame could be
played (although I would prefer a full-length game). The way it is
done right now, it is really not far from the despised total goals format
in structure because of what it requires teams to do: play a different
game than they played in the regular season.
BTW, I'm not suggesting RPI was done wrong here; you know the format going
in and you can prepare for it. Still, I think the nature of this format
is bad and some changes to it should be made.
- mike
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