This Day in Hockey History – October 5, 2005 – Shootout After Lockout

After the only full season canceled due to a lockout, the NHL was back in business for 2005-06. Over the summer, one major rule change eliminated tie-games through the use of a shootout if teams failed to score in overtime. The season opened on October 5, 2005, and that very first night, the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs had the experience of holding the first NHL shootout to decide a game. 

As the NHL ratified its new collective bargaining agreement in July 2005, they created a new competition committee made up of four players, four general managers, and one owner, all supervised by the NHL’s executive vice-president and director of hockey operations. The committee implemented a string of new rules meant to reduce defensive measures, creating more scoring opportunities. “I think offence sells more than defence,” commented Lightning MVP Martin St. Louis. “If we’re not trying different things, something’s wrong. We have to try different things and I think we’re moving in the right direction.”

Catering to fans, the committee got rid of ties by adding shootouts. Speaking as a member of the competition committee, Brendan Shanahan (of the Detroit Red Wings) explained, “Nobody said, ‘Give us a shootout,’ but everybody said, ‘No more ties.’ And, in the end, that’s the only way you can guarantee that there will be no more ties.” Panthers goalie Jamie McLennan put it simply, “What we’re trying to create is entertainment. Somebody goes home a winner, somebody goes home a loser. That’s what sports are all about.” Shanahan added, “We have to re-educate ourselves on how to play the game of hockey.”

The new rules stated that “Following a scoreless five-minute overtime, three players from each team participate in a shootout.” The coaches would submit their names to the referee, and each would take three shots. The team with the most goals would receive an extra goal on the scoreboard to give them the win. If after the six shots, the tie remained, the shootout would turn into sudden death with additional shooters added as needed. The winner of the shootout would receive two points for the standings, and the loser would earn one point. The shootout format was only meant for the regular season.

When he learned of the shootout addition, Toronto tough guy Tie Domi remarked, “I definitely think that, for the fans, the shootout is going to be a key thing. Not that I’ll be one of the guys taking them, but it’s gonna be exciting to watch.” Funny he should say so. As the shootout was being tested out in all NHL exhibition games that autumn, Toronto Coach Pat Quinn went through seven players failing to score on Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller. He then chose Domi, who succeeded in sending the puck through Miller’s legs to get the victory. 

Quinn explained that their strategy going forward would be to analyze the goaltenders and choose those who could score on them the best. In choosing the shooters, he said, “We probably have six guys who are good in that situation. You might have a hunch (about one of those players during a game) or you might have a guy that’s hot that night and looks sharp. He would draw that assignment.” He also noted, “There’s some guys that don’t want that scrutiny. They want to be able to be away from the limelight. It’s a pressure spot.” At any rate, the shootout was bound to have an effect on the standings.

The Maple Leafs hosted the very first regular-season NHL shootout at the Air Canada Centre before a crowd of 19,452. Despite the intention of the other newly-introduced rules, the game was primarily a defensive match between two 40-year-old goalies, Ed Belfour of the Leafs and Dominik Hasek making his Senators debut. The former made 21 saves and the latter 23.

Otherwise, the game was most memorable for both team captains. In the first period, after Toronto’s Bryan McCabe scored the first goal (on a power play), his captain Mats Sundin was injured. Skating past Ottawa’s goal about seven minutes into the game, an “errant puck struck him in the left eye, prompting blood to gush.” He was taken to hospital, but no eye damage was detected. Winger Jeff O’Neill remarked, “It was tough when you lose the best guy on the team. I thought we rebounded together and had the game in our hands.”

In the second period, Ottawa only managed one shot on goal while Toronto had nine that failed to produce. Stepping it up in the third period, Senators Captain Daniel Alfredsson saved his team twice, facing a lot of booing in the process. He tied up the game at 14:12 on a pass from Jason Spezza. However, with only a minute and a half remaining, popular homegrown Leaf Eric Lindros scored one for the cheering crowd. Only 29 seconds later, Alfredsson evened the score again (assisted by Spezza and Dany Heatley).

When neither team scored in overtime, the game was decided by shootout. Alfredsson kicked things off scoring “low to the catching mitt side with a wrist shot.” Alfredsson said afterwards, “I haven’t scored in the pre-season and I didn’t score in the intra-squad game. But things were going my way (last night). I didn’t worry about it. I just went in and shot.” The Leafs’ first shooter, Jason Allison had the “puck poke-checked off his stick.” Martin Havlat’s “wrist shot glanced off Belfour’s stick,” and then Lindros sent a “high shot that missed the net.” It came down to Dany Heatley, who had a groin injury. Coach Bryan Murray said, “He told me he could score, and when a player does that, you go with it.” Sure enough, Heatley “planted the puck the same place Alfredsson had aimed.” That ended the shootout in Ottawa’s favor, which ended the game 3-2.

The players and coaches weighed-in on the shootout. As the victorious goalie, Hasek remarked, “I’m not crazy about shootouts, but it’s always fun when you win. We came back twice and won in a shootout. It’s a good feeling.” On the losing side, defenseman McCabe said, “It’s not for me to judge, it’s obviously disappointing to lose that way. Especially when you lose the lead with a minute left.” His coach admitted, “I’m one of the ones who don’t like the game being settled this way.” Whereas Coach Murray said, “I’m not happy at all with the way we played. And I hope we don’t play that way again. But we found a way to win a hockey game.” For scoring-machine Captain Alfredsson, “It was pretty ugly out there. We took a lot of penalties and didn’t play the way we want to play. But it was a great way to win.”

Additional Sources:

• https://thepinkpuck.com/2019/07/13/this-day-in-hockey-history-july-13-2005-lockout-capped/
• “NHL brand goes back on shelves with new look, including new rules, new pads, and the dreaded shootout,” Toronto National Post, 22 July 2005, pp. S2-S3.
• “The NHL’s Day of Reckoning,” Toronto National Post, 23 July 2005, pp. S1-S5.
• “A Look at the Rule Changes for 2005-06” and “Experts opine on NHL rule changes,” Ottawa Citizen, 23 July 2005, p. C3.
• “Rule Changes,” Montreal Gazette, 5 Oct. 2005, p. F6.
• Michael Traikos, “Leafs Can’t Win for Mats,” Toronto National Post, 6 Oct. 2005, pp. S1-S2.
• “Senators Draw First Blood,” Ottawa Citizen, 6 Oct. 2005, pp. B1-B2.
• “Senators win first shootout,” Montreal Gazette, 6 Oct. 2005, p. C2.