The NHL's new three-on-three overtime format borrows heavily from the chaos of pond hockey, imposing a five-minute clock instead of having someone's mother break things up by yelling that it's time to come in for dinner.
In essence, the NHL is instituting one gimmick to minimize the necessity of another, hoping the extra space created by three-on-three play will promote scoring and settle games before a shootout would be required. At least, three-on-three allows the game to end on the ice rather than with a skills contest.
Fans probably will love it. Goaltenders, maybe not. Vancouver Canucks backup goalie Jacob Markstrom was blunt in summing up his experience with it in the American Hockey League.