[getbak]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

This is easily provable: The percentage of games decided in regulation was considerably higher when they had ties. When they introduced the loser point, the percentage went down, because teams could go for the tie and still have an opportunity to pick up a second point later. You could play it safe in regulation, and if you won in OT, it didn't cost you anything in the standings. The percentage went down again after the introduction of the shootout.

This post made me curious to see what the actual numbers are...

• For the five seasons before regular season OT was introduced (78/79 - 82/83) : 693/4040 games ended in a tie (17.15%)
  
• For the first five seasons of regular season OT (83/84 - 87/88) : 721/4200 games went to OT (17.17%) and 459 ended tied (63.66%)
  
  
• For the final five seasons before the OTL (94/95 - 98/99) : 957/4929 games went to OT (19.42%), 683 ended tied (71.37%)
  
• The first five seasons with the OTL (99/00 - 03/04) : 1433/6068 games went to OT (23.62%), 774 ended tied (54.01%)
  
• The first five seasons with the SO (05/06 - 09/10) : 1417/6150 games went to OT (23.04%), 808 went to a SO (57.02%)
  
  
• The most recent five seasons (10/11 - 14/15) : 1372/5640 games went to OT (24.33%), 775 went to a SO (56.49%)