Bob Gross writes: > Following Mike's point and trying to figure out how to break a tie game, why > not allow play to continue with 3 on 3 (not counting the goalies) after the 5 > minute OT? This would still be "real" hockey and would lead to a greater > likelihood of a score. Most folks have said that 3 on 3 is exciting to watch > (and I agree) - this would be 3 on 3 in overtime with the next goal > determining the winner. The play would involve both offense and defense and > of course goaltending. Since different "rules" would be used to decide the > outcome, 2 points for the winner and one for the loser would be appropriate. It's possible to play 3-on-3 for a long time without getting any goals, if teams are playing cautiously enough. I've seen youth hockey tournaments that do 5 minutes of 5-on-5, 5 minutes of 4-on-4, followed by either an indefinite stretch of 3-on-3 until there's a winner or 5 or 10 minutes of 3-on-3 followed by a shootout. A guy I coach with was in the finals of a 13-year old tournament in Sarnia, Ontario (roughly in the Detroit area -- a LONG ride from Boston) and with a 1 goal lead and about 15 seconds to play his son (usually a very good defensemen) pinched inadvisedly, they scored a breakaway goal, and his team had to play about 35 minutes of overtime, 25 of it 3-on-3 before they won it. (Would have been a long trip home for coach & son had they lost.) In another tournament the same team won a shootout after the 5-on-5, 4-on-4, 3-on-3 failed to settle it. The losing team had come to Boston from Central Ontario and their fans felt very disappointed at coming that far to then finish second in a shootout. BTW, these tournaments were at a very elite (AAA) level. I'd expect about half of the US players to go on to Division 1 college, so talent was not a factor in the 3-on-3's failing to produce a lot of scoring. An interesting idea, in any case. I DEFINITELY think a lot more of all the proposed tie-settling schemes that still give a point to the eventual "loser". Happy that my office-mate crashed the loads last night so I can babble away instead of working... ***************************************************** ,-******-, * Dave Hendrickson "Robo" [log in to unmask] * *' ## '* * A Hockey Polygamist and Get-A-Lifer * *## ___##___ ##* * GO BROONS!!! Go Red Wings!! Go LA Kings! * * ##| ___ \## * * GO UMASS-LOWELL!!! Go Maine!! Go BU! * * | |___) | * * --------------------------------------------------* *######| ___ <######* * Although I can't remember ever having an original * * | |___) | * * thought, and am certainly parroting someone who * * ##|________/## * * actually has a brain, these opinions are mine, * *## ## ##* * not Hewlett-Packard's. * *, ## ,* ***************************************************** '-*******-'