Slippery Slope...

It's coming folks...

Yes, I know this is Larry Brooks but is anybody really surprised by this? While I was preoccupied with other pursuits yesterday, I happen to think the Buffaslugs and Rangers did NBC and the rest of the world a favor by playing two overtimes yesterday and scrubbing the Barbaro tribute. (Was that show really, necessary?)

But considering that the NHL allowed 4-on-4 overtime and gimmicks to take over deciding regular season games, is there any surprise that the drumbeats to bring these things into the playoffs is getting louder? Please, not even Larry is that stupid.

But my favorite quote in the whole piece is yet another gem from Brendan "I and I Alone Know What Is Good For The Game Of Hockey" Shanahan:

"I'm not saying I'd vote for that now, because I wouldn't, but I think it's something that's probably coming at some point," said Shanahan, who lost the 1998 Olympic gold to Dominik Hasek and the Czech Republic in a shootout. "I think it's a legitimate way to decide games.

Ah yes, don't use the gimmick to decide playoff games I might have to play in (especially while Jaromir "I Don't Take No Stinkin' Gimmick Shots If I don't Want To Take No Stinkin' Gimmick Shots" Jagr is on his team) but go ahead and install it once I've decided to retire and those who come after me can deal with it.

And somewhere, Mark Messier no doubt smiles on his inaugural monthly Mark Messier Leadership Award Winner...

Of course we predictably hear about how "the fans would love it" and that the TV Executives (who mind you aren't exactly fighting over putting the NHL on their networks to begin with) would also love it because it would bring about a quicker end to the games.

Well, I've said it before and I'll say it again. If we want to get the fans excited let's have goalie fights at center ice to decide the game. We can go three rounds and have the refs score it on a ten-point must system if neither goaltender "can finish the other one off." Our Ultimate Fighting On Ice fans would certainly get behind that because they are very quick to point out how fans cheer loudly when the goalies start fighting. I mean come on, why not? This isn't any dumber than the current gimmick...

Finally the great advocate of Old Time Hockey (it is how he described a game that included numerous fights started by the Rangers including Colton Orr's cross check to the head of A.O.) deplores the thuggish nature of the Thug Ducks and tells us that Dale Hunter "maimed" Pierre Turgeon.

What Ol' Lar does not tell you is that Turegon went onto play 5 more playoff games that spring for the Islanders and 820 more NHL Games to date and 80 additional playoff games after being "crippled, mutilated, injured so severely as to cause lasting damage, ie. loss of limbs" by Dale.

Dale of course received a then record suspension by the NHL for his transgression.