IMHO, the coaches are batting .333 :-(
 
>The league's coaches voted in favor of the shootout and now all that
>is necessary is the approval of the league's athletic directors this
>summer.
 
   I dislike this proposed rule for a number of reasons.  First, it
   penalizes the defensive oriented team.  Second, it turns a great team
   sport into a 1-on-1 competition (Shootouts *are* great for
   tournaments, scrimmages and all-star exhibitions!) Third, unless the
   NCAA recognizes the shootout, we will have yet another set of
   standings (league, NCAA and overall).
 
   Too bad our society can't seem to deal with a hard-fought TIE.  Get
   ready for final scores to have three designations (F, OT and SO).
 
>Walsh, who is president of the American Hockey Coaches Association,
>said the nation's college hockey coaches have given a proposal to the
>Ice Hockey Rules Committee to reinstitute four-on-four and three-
>on-three hockey if matching minor penalties are handed out.
 
   I don't like this one either.  College hockey did the *right* thing a
   few years ago by going to the current rule.  I used to *hate* to see
   a trailing team try to "draw" a matching penalty late in the game
   because they perceived a better chance to score with fewer players on
   the ice.  Right now, matching penalties are easy for a referee to
   call, because in general the "teams" are not hurt.  Potential ugly
   situations can and are defused because of this.  If this new rule is
   passed, there will be more players trying to "draw" matching minors
   and fewer penalties called late in the game because (and I hate this
   one too!) referees don't want to give an "unfair" advantage by
   calling penalties (late in the game).
 
>He also said the coaches have the rules committee to pass the word on
>to the referees to crack down on interference next season to open the
>game up more." End of quoted material.
 
   At last, a resolution that gets to the spirit of college hockey.
   You want to "spice up" the game?  Crack down on interference
   (for the entire game and the entire season).
 
>Any thoughts on proposed changes out there?
 
   Seems to me the coaches don't like the current levels of
   similar-strength-teams and participation of players, rather than
   dominance by the few (teams and players).  Too bad.
 
cheers,
 
Wayne (what, me have an opinion?) Smith
The College Hockey Discussion List administrator
Systems Group - CAPS              BITNET/CREN:  wts@maine
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