Since the shootout debate has reared it's ugly head again, allow me to
offer my hypocritical opinion :)
 
I like and hate the shootout.  I like the shootout as long as 'my' team
isn't involved.  I believe I've seen all of BU's shootouts and each one
has left me feeling underwhelmed.  I've only seen one live (BU-UML) and
it really didn't do much for me.  Last weekends BU-Maine shootout left me
just as disappointed as a tie would have.  BU needed the win, not the tie
or the SO win.
 
However...[hypocrite mode on]
 
I think the shootout is great (as long as BU isn't involved :) ).  I've
seen quite a few and think it really does go over well with the crowd. I
admit that I also was strongly opposed to the SO, but now I sit comfortably
on the fence.  I remember seeing the first HE shootout between Maine and
Northeastern and thinking that it added another element of excitement to
the game.  That was the first SO I had seen (I missed the Olympic one).
 
I believe that Hockey East has done a great job in trying to keep everybody
happy.  The change in the point system was done, I believe, more for the
'old' fans since us purists were still cringing a bit at the prospect of
gaining 2 points for a SO win.  I think the new point system allows the
shootout to find it's place in the game without upsetting the 'set in stone'
structure that's been around since the early days.  Now, each game has a
value, 5 points.  A shootout win is recognized as being slightly better
than a tie, but not nearly as good as a win.
 
Ah well, these are just the opinions of a hypocritical purist :)
 
Rich
Boston Univ.