Are you ready for some 3 on 3?
Coming soon, perhaps, to a rink near you — Overtime 3D. Although that’s unlikely. A more probable configuration is Overtime 2F+1D. Or possibly Overtime 1F+2D. Or, heck, even Overtime 3F.
Then again, the world won’t know how coaches align their pawns for three-on-three action until the National Hockey League approves the notion. If ever.
Last week in Toronto, the league’s general managers batted around the idea of overtime featuring the current four-on-four formation — but, halfway through an eight- or 10-minute extra period, shifting to three-on-three.
“A lot of (positional) variables, but, ultimately, there would be a lot of chances and game-winning goals,” says Calgary Flames winger Lee Stempniak. “I’ve been out threeon-three in overtime, because of penalties, in the NHL. Pretty wideopen. There’s a huge emphasis on winning the faceoff — otherwise you could be chasing the entire shift. A missed net or a rebound, and it’s quickly the other way.”
Adds Joe Colborne: “I certainly wouldn’t be against going to a threeon-three format. That’s really exciting. Think of some of the top skill guys in this league — and in the world — going head to head. That would be unbelievable for any fan to see and experience. It’s something that would help sell the game more.”
With fewer skaters and longer overtimes, the frequency of shootouts, no doubt, could be reduced. Which, of course, would cause little griping.
“It’s a team game,” says Stempniak. “The shootout is great. It’s exciting. It’s fun. I completely understand. If it’s on, you’re going to watch the end of the game. I’d just like to see a little more overtime before reaching the shootout.”
Well, suppose the NHL decided to go old-school?
If it’s a stalemate, it stays a stale- mate. No worries — and no tiebreakers.
“I think those days are long gone,” says Stempniak. “People like knowing that there’s a winner. There’s very few sports that end in a tie, at least in North America. Football can, but very rarely does. Baseball doesn’t. Basketball doesn’t. People like a definitive winner.
“The shootout is pretty exciting. It’s here to stay.”
The Flames, though, have struggled in the breakaway exercise since its 2005-06 inception. All-time, they are 27-44 — only Carolina and Philadelphia have fewer wins.
The trick, apparently, is identifying cold-blooded finishers.
“As we all know, there are some great practice players,” says Flames coach Bob Hartley. “But when the game’s on the line in front of 18,000 fans? Sometimes the maple syrup is coming out of the stick, they’re squeezing it so hard.”
Monday’s display in Winnipeg — going eight rounds before rookie Sean Monahan heroically ended the madness — had not been without its charm.
“I love shootouts,” says Colborne. “I love having the puck on my stick.”
Television cameras, minutes before the shootout, caught Hartley giving Colborne an enthusiastic earful, a one-way chat that included plenty of hand gestures.
“I told him, ‘I know you will score’ — I had that feeling,” says Hartley. “Colby, for a young player, pressure doesn’t slow him down. He likes it. When I told him he was going first, he was like, ‘All right.’ Almost like he was going for a walk in the park.”
Colborne did go first and he did beat Jets goalie Al Montoya — with precisely the forehand deke his boss had recommended.
“He came up to me and said, ‘Joe, you know that move you’ve used in practice a few times? The one where you go like this?’ ” Colborne says, chuckling. “I was like, ‘Bob, I’ve got this.’ It’s something I felt pretty confident about.”