Shootout Debate: A Crummy Marketing Ploy

I think I just witnessed one of the best goalie duels today - thus far - this season. And like most great games that go into overtime, the hard work and effort of the players and teams during the previous 65 minutes is decided by foolish shootout.

Alex Auld of the Boston Bruins faced 33 shots today, in a 2-1 SO Loss to the Washington Capitals. Caps net-minder Cristobal Huet got peppered with 40. Both played brilliantly. They both single-handedly kept their teams in the game - standing on their heads at times.

But, Washington and Huet get the "W" and 2-points.

Boston and Auld get the "L" and 1-point.

Oh wait a second. No they don't. They get the "OTL." Well, even though it's a loss, you get a sympathy point for going beyond the 60-plus minutes - and losing.

Sense the sarcasm? (I hope so)

Now, I'm not expressing my opinions on the shootout just because my hometown team lost today. Lets get that cleared-up right now. I'm not coming across as a "homer" in my absolute hatred for this pathetic marketing tool, that they call part of the game.

Before the 1983-84 season, all overtime games were as a regular 20-minute period. Since then, regular season overtime games have become a five minute, 4-on-4 style of play - to open up the ice for the players, and to ensure a five-hard- fought-minutes to get that all needed point, and leaving the loser with a big fat zero.

Then in 1999, the decided to implement the "OTL" (overtime loss) and award the losing team one-point. And from there-on-out, players went from playing to win, to playing to tie and hopefully not lose in regulation

In the 2005-06 season, the got even worse by trying to market its non-hockey fans, and deciding the fate of the game with an asinine shootout.

Sure, it was pretty exciting to see the first shootout. But, that's all that I could handle.

Hockey is not a one-on-one game. It's a team effort. And having six penalty shots (or more) is not a team game, and it's sure as heck not hockey. Like in today's game, Alex Auld played like a stud. Two minutes later he's the loser because he let in more free breakaway goals?

Bogus.

I certainly miss the old-time hockey, now more than ever, during times like these. When a win was a win, a loss was a loss, and a tie was a tie.

The new is a mere novelty. Nothing more. A poor gimmick with this shootout stuff. It's starting to get old with hockey-heads like myself, who feel deceived by this addition to the game.

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