Three-on-three overtime stinks.
Here’s an excerpt from my TribLive.com column:
Three-on-three OT started out exciting, but coaching ruined it. It used to be played with reckless abandon. Now it’s about endless doubling back with the puck and staying ahead of your foe’s changes. It’s mostly boring. It’s too tactical.
It would be difficult to legislate rules that restore the exhilaration of three-on-three. The 3ICE three-on-three league doesn’t allow retreating with the puck beyond the red line. The penalty is turning over the puck. That would be too radical for the NHL. But a faceoff wouldn’t be suitable punishment and would slow play down.
Three-on-three isn’t the NHL, anyway. It’s too carny, just like the shootout.
To read the entire piece, click HERE.
Making things worse is that the Penguins stink at three-on-three overtime. They look clueless.
The Penguins are 2-8 in three-on-three overtime after losing 2-1 in OT at New Jersey Sunday.
Winning the opening draw in overtime is crucial. Lose it, and you might not ever get the puck.
Teams often use their faceoff specialist to start overtime. (The Penguins don't have one.)
New Jersey started Michael McLeod in OT Sunday. He won the draw, immediately subbed off, and the Devils dominated OT, ultimately winning. (McLeod took 13 faceoffs vs. the Penguins, winning all 13. That’s big credit to him, an indictment of the Penguins who took draws.)
The Penguins used to have specialists in their bottom six, like Erik Christensen for shootouts and Mike Zigomanis for faceoffs. Those guys helped get points.
If the Penguins miss the playoffs, points lost in OT will be a big reason why. Maybe the biggest reason.
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