Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Why Hockey is Better than your Favorite Sport




Because of the phenomenon that is the Shorthanded Goal.

The notion of the Power Play is fascinating enough.  A player breaks the rules and is then isolated from play.  This isn't like fouling out where the other team gets a few extra points and the other team can simply replace the player whom fouled out.  Similar to a Red Card in soccer (only not as permanent), or a trip to the Sin Bin in rugby (only not as long), a team is penalized by having a player removed from play for a set period of time, leaving an uneven matchup on the ice.

Much like football, this is when special teams enter the equation.  The team with the advantage attempts to put their best possible lineup of goal scorers on the ice.  The shorthanded, or handicapped side, attempts to put not only their best defenders, but also their most crafty neutral zone (between the Blue Lines) forwards on the ice to keep the puck out of their own zone as much as possible.

But, in this gloriously rare instances, either due to offensive ineptitude or penalty-killing expertise, the shorthanded team gets a scoring opportunity and every so often takes full advantage of that opportunity.  Everyone loves an underdog, and what greater underdog situation is there, then when the numbers are uneven, and the short side comes out on top?  And unlike a Power Play, where if the team at regular strength scores a goal, then the penalty ends and equilibrium is restored, if a team scores while shorthanded, then they remain shorthanded until the penalty time has expired.  All the while leaving the Power Play line feeling as shitty as absolutely possible.

At around the 0:50 mark you can see the Penguins score not one, but TWO shorthanded goals during the same Power Play against the hapless Habs.




Sick.

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