Quote:
Originally Posted by Oil Stain
For instance if Calgary is up on Edmonton one point in the standings at game 53 of the regular season and they are tied with 6 minutes left in regulation is there really going to be much incentive for coaches to push their team to gamble for the regulation win?
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At present, they have an incentive to NOT settle the game in regulation. Keep the game tied, take no chances at all, and get the guaranteed point.
When the loser point in OT was introduced, the percentage of games settled in regulation dropped. When the shootout was introduced, it dropped again.
Why would any coach be stupid enough to take risks in a tied game when he can just tell his players to trap away till the clock runs out, and still have an even-money chance of getting two points? But if going to OT meant losing out on the chance of three points, it would take away the incentive to drag the game out.