Flyers Tie Caps, Flyers Lose to Caps

Let me just get this out there - I have no problem with the shoot out. Games much older than hockey have been using competitions like this to decide ties for much longer than hockey's been around, namely rugby and soccer. It's even how international ice hockey has decided to resolve its ties for decades. I remember being absolutely glued to the tv during the 1994 Olympics when Peter Forsberg led the Swedes over Chris Therein and the Canadians in a shoot out.

Sports are firstly a game, but more so now than ever, a business. I don't see a problem with deciding a winner for the paying fan within a reasonable time period. It's not like they're deciding it by having the goalies participate in a "Your Momma" competition like they do in that Amp Energy Drink commercial. Penalty shots happen in games. They involve players from both teams competing against each other. When they change the format to the All-Star Sniper Competition and your team's best player is shooting on 4 targets placed in the corner of the net I'll change my mind.

What I do have a problem with is the nomenclature. Last night when the Flyers "lost" to the Caps in the shootout I cared mostly because I was afraid what new stats I was going to have to read about or listen to. The shoot out allows writers to craft articles, streaks, and did-you-knows in any light they wish. The Flyers either lost 4 games on their six game road trip or got 6 out of 12 points. And what is said about the road trip will now mostly be determined by what happens in the Flyers upcoming home stand. If writers can get a losing streak going they will. If they can say the Flyers have now won points in their last 7 matches with a depleted roster they will. You can slant a story any way you want.

When the Flyers went on their 35 game unbeaten streak in 1979-80 they had 10 ties. Ten games that went to overtime and no winner could be decided. If the shoot out would have been around, even though we had the The Riverton Rifle, you can be assured there'd be some OTL's in there.

What I'm suggesting is this: call the games the way you used to. Wins, Losses, and Ties. When the teams are forced to go to the shoot out have that as an entirely separate column of points for which the teams are playing. So on the Flyers road trip we'd read that they had two wins, two losses, and two ties. Everyone would call it that. Now, an entirely separate issue (and column) is that they failed to earn the shoot out bonus point in their last two games. To many it feels like it's an entirely separate contest, and in some ways it is. So why shouldn't we let it be exactly that? Instead of skewing the Wins we'd get a clearer picture of how the team, not shooters, is actually playing. In my personal standings I keep hidden in my underwear drawer the Caps are 11-1-1 in their last thirteen games with 1 shoot out bonus point. Those two 1's in that line are the Flyers.