Ooo wee! It’s Tie Breaker Story Problem #3!
Yes, it’s Tie Breaker Story Problem #2!
Calling OCD hockey fans: it’s Tie-Breaker Story Problem #1
This is not a quiz, because if there’s a right answer, I don’t know it. Maybe somebody does, somewhere, but I don’t believe the rules as stated on the NHL.com or ESPN site resolve these issues.
I’m looking for iron-clad logic based on the rules, or some set of other rules I haven’t been able to find (yes, I have looked in the CBA and the rule book; I see nothing, but I may have missed a crucial clause somewhere). I’m dying to know what everyone thinks. The hive mind ought to be able to get to the bottom of this.
And if you happen to work for the league, um, don’t hesitate to chime in. 🙂
NHL tiebreaking procedures – NHL – ESPN
TIEBREAKER
In the event teams are tied in the standings, the following tiebreakers are applied to determine which team receives the higher seeding.
1. The fewer number of games played (i.e., superior points percentage).
2. The greater number of games won (not including games won in a shootout).
3. The greater number of points earned in games between the tied clubs. If two clubs are tied, and have not played an equal number of home games against each other, points earned in the first game played in the city that had the extra game shall not be included. If more than two clubs are tied, the higher percentage of available points earned in games among those clubs, and not including any “odd” games, shall be used to determine the standing.
4. Goal differential.
In the poll, wins = regulation plus OT wins.
PHX, LAK, DET and CHI are tied in points and wins. Each team has played 14 games: one division rival 6 times and two non-division rivals 4 times each. The “odd” games rule requires that you:
| do nothing. There are no odd games, because all teams have played the same number of games and so have the chance to earn the same number of points. | 19 |
| do not count the first home games for each team played within its division (i.e. CHI @ DET, DET @ CHI, PHX @ LA, LA @ PHX), so that each team has played each of the other three times 4 times. | 4 |