September 28, 2009
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CCHA to Award 3 Points for Win
CHN Staff Report
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. — The CCHA has decided to change its standings points system to award three for a regulation or overtime victory.
This comes as the league is set to begin its second with a shootout system. A shootout win will still be worth two points, and a shootout loss one point — making all games worth three total standings points.
The CCHA is the only NCAA Division I conference to settle regular-season games with shootouts. The result of the shootout is not factored into the NCAA tournament criteria.
“We feel that this is a fairer system,” CCHA commissioner Tom Anastos said. “Now, all teams will have access to the same number of points throughout the regular season and every game is worth three points whether it is decided in regulation time, overtime or a shootout. We also feel this will give teams an added incentive to win a game in regulation time or overtime because they will gain the maximum number of points for doing so.”
This new system gives greater incentive to earn a victory in regulation or during the five-minute overtime period than winning in a shootout, but teams that perform well in shootouts will still have a clear advantage.
Additionally, a shootout will again not be used to decide games during the CCHA Tournament, with the exception of the third-place game at Joe Louis Arena.
Last season, regular-season champion Notre Dame was the only team to go undefeated in shootouts, compiling a 3-0 record. Three teams had shootout winning percentages of .750 or higher, with Michigan State and Ohio State both going 3-1. Nebraska-Omaha was the most frequent shootout participant during the season, competing in seven and accumulating a record of 3-4.
The only squad not to go to a shootout during the season was Michigan, which did not even have one overtime game in 2008-09.
