Baffoe: In Praise Of 3-On-3 Hockey
By Tim Baffoe--
(CBS) This is dangerous territory, I know.
To the hockey purists whose mercury is rising after reading that headline: Please believe me that I concede both your superiority when it comes to knowledge of gameplay and appreciate the investment you have in that which isn't a sideshow.
Nothing has been more sideshowy in pro sports than overtime shootouts, instituted into the NHL in 2005 when nobody but the absolute loyalists were watching the game and knew what channel on their cable The Outdoor Network was. After 65 minutes of strategy and exerted energy, shootouts had the feel of settling a baseball game with a home run derby or a hoops game by a 3-point contest. You'd even see it in the eyes of a skater who'd score the deciding "goal" -- as he'd skate to his tepidly celebrating teammates, his eyes would read, "Well, that was kinda stupid."
Three-on-three overtime, which is in its first season of being used to settle games in extra time before it gets to the shootout, is by no means perfect. It's not "hockey," I know. But it's a far cry from the extremely-not-hockey OK Corral shootouts where the goalie is at a decided disadvantage. Yes, the shootout still remains nowadays, should no team score in the five minutes of overtime, but the likelihood of a game getting to that point has at least been drastically reduced thanks to three-on-three overtime.
Between 2005-'06 and 2014-'15, 56.8 percent of games extended past regulation eventually went to a shootout, per Dan Rosen of NHL.com. Through Wednesday night, 27 games had extended past regulation, and only nine had gone to a shootout, for a shootout rate of 33.3 percent.
So the early returns have the NHL hovering around two-third of games decided in overtime when tied at the end of regulation. When the AHL added a three-on-three overtime format, results jumped from 35.3 percent to 75 percent of games in overtime decided in overtime.
The less shootouts, the better. The glass for three-on-three overtime is fairly half full. And it's almost brimming when you consider its ramifications for the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Blackhawks have played three games beyond regulation entering Thursday night's game against the Winnipeg Jets. In those overtimes, the Hawks have won in 109 seconds, 17 seconds and 51 seconds. I've started calling Hawks overtimes "meth hockey."
Two of those game-winners came off the stick of Jonathan Toews, assisted both times by goalie nightmare scenario triumvirate Brent Seabrook and Patrick Kane. The third was from Kane assisted by Marian Hossa and the currently injured Duncan Keith.
Essentially, overtime now for the Hawks is playing a sadistic slot machine with various combinations of perennial All-Stars, future Hall of Famers and goalie pad disinfectant stockholders.
"So far," Toews said with a rare wry smile Monday when asked if he likes the new format. "I'm not going to complain."
Couple all the nightmare lineups the Hawks can throw at an opponent in extra time with the stellar play of goalie Corey Crawford, who owns the best save percentage and goals against of anyone in the NHL with at least seven starts (geez, when's he getting traded already?), and it's fairly comical how advantageous this new overtime format is for Chicago. I've already found myself treating my viewing experience like childhood sessions of Mortal Kombat when I'd intentionally drag out the game for the fatality move rather than just the simple, clean victory.
Consider, too, that we once again are observing a Hawks team coming off a title that's had to partake in a salary cap-forced roster Jenga game. No doubt, the Blackhawks are a contender, but the roster reshuffling has some believing there stronger, deeper teams across the NHL. A few extra points acquired here and there from the advantage this three-on-three overtime format affords them could certainly line them up better for the postseason.
Yeah, it isn't "hockey," but it beats previous alternatives. And if an impure game helps the Blackhawks, like their captain, we shouldn't complain.
Tim Baffoe is a columnist for CBSChicago.com. Follow Tim on Twitter @TimBaffoe. The views expressed on this page are those of the author, not CBS Local Chicago or our affiliated television and radio stations.
