February 17, 2023
by Mike McMahon/Staff Writer (@MikeMcMahonCHN)
Northeastern won its fourth Beanpot in five seasons this week with a shootout victory over Harvard.
That’s right … a shootout victory.
For real.
I’m sorry, but the NCAA dropped the ball with this one. It’s understandable that the NCAA wants all regular-season games decided the same way so that the Pairwise isn’t compromised. I’m on board with that, and as much as I hate 3-on-3 overtime, it made sense that Harvard and Northeastern needed to go to that format once the regulation expired and the game was tied.
But does the Beanpot really have to go to a shootout?
Why can’t the teams play a five-minute 3-on-3 overtime (to satisfy the NCAA) and then revert back to 5-on-5 overtime until a winner is decided?
I’d like to see the protocol look like this:
5:00 of 3-on-3 overtime
If the game remains tied after 5:00, there is an intermission and they make new ice. Then the teams play 20:00 overtime periods until a winner is decided.
This isn’t to take anything away from Northeastern — they’re playing great hockey right now — it’s just that the shootout created an anticlimactic ending.
As much as I dislike 3-on-3 overtime, the period last night between Harvard and Northeastern was actually exciting. The teams traded chances and it wasn’t an endless game of regrouping and playing keep away.
I just wish the teams were allowed to keep playing.
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