2015 NHL All Star Game [All Goals]
Maybe the most difficult sport in which to hold an All-Star Game, hockey has struggled to find the right formula in recent years.
While you have to tackle in football, you don"t have to hit in hockey, so the NHL stars have not been hitting, and that has led to them to not even really competing in recentAll-Star Games. The contests have been mostly basketball-style yuk-fests that have people tuning out after an hour.
So they"re hoping to change that this season.
The league came up with a new 3-on-3 overtime format this season that has created excitement and scoring opportunities while maintaining the competitive fabric of the game. So they"re going to adapt that format to the All-Star Game, and they"re going to add a couple of twists to make the day more interesting.
Because you need fewer players to play 3-on-3, there will be four teams instead of two. Because four teams creates a unique situation, they will play a tournament instead of just a game. Each Division has a team with six forwards, three defensemen and two goalies. Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin will play for the Central Division team coached by Lindy Ruff, who earned the honor by having the best record in the division on Jan. 5.
The two Eastern Conference divisions will play each other in the first game today. The games will be 20 minutes long, and they will switch ends at 10 minutes. Ties will be broken by shootouts. The two Western Conference teams will play next, then the winners will play in a third game for the championships.
The 11 winning players will split a prize of $1 million.
"The reason for the change is to try and create some excitement, create some competition," Ruff said. "These players get to operate at their highest skill level, with a lot of ice. I"m going to feel sorry for the goalies because they"re the ones that are going to face the biggest opportunities in the game, but I think that if the players are motivated to win this thing, it could be a lot more exciting than past ones."
Ruff is a big fan of the new format, and said he likes that it challenges the players.
"We have a team where our players should excel at this, so I think it"s fun," he said of the 3-on-3 format and how the Dallas Stars have embraced it. "I know some coaches don"t like it, but I think it"s a chance to be creative, and our players like to be creative."
But while playing for five minutes in a regular overtime is one thing, playing for 20 minutes could create some sloppy play. The Stars started out 3-0 in the 3-on-3 overtime this year, but have lost their last three overtime decisions.
"I think we"re learning that if you don"t score on your chance, then they"re going right back up ice and they"re going to get a chance," Benn said. "We"ve talked about being more careful, taking our time, and making sure we get a great shot."
Could that become a strategy today? Definitely. Would that be less exciting at times? Maybe. If teams really do pass around the perimeter and wait for a shot, the game will simply be more methodical. However, that patience will be used for purposes of winning, and that is a different kind of game.
"You"ve got some of the best offensive players, but if you want to win a 3-on-3 you still have to defend," Ruff said. "It"s going to be interesting."
Benn and Seguin have played together in 3-on-3 situations for much of this season, but Ruff has the ability to break them up on Sunday. The Central roster includes: Patrick Kane (Chicago), Vladimir Tarasenko (St. Louis), Matt Duchene (Colorado), James Neal (Nashville), Dustin Byfuglien (Winnipeg), Roman Josi (Nashville), Shea Weber (Nashville) and goalies Devan Dubnyk (Minnesota) and Pekka Rinne (Nashville).
"I"m looking forward to seeing what his lines are going to be for the 3-on-3, that"s for sure," Seguin said. "Does he split Jamie and I up? Or am I with Kane or what"s going to happen? It"s going to be fun."
The game starts at 4 p.m. Central on NBC Sports Network.
You can catch up on All-Star Game news here.
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Source: http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas-stars/stars/2016/01/31/nhl-star-game-trying-create-competition-3-3-tournament-format
