We first learned about big changes ahead for the game at a February 2004 general managers meeting that got minimal media coverage.A handful of us who regularly cover the NHL beat -- Bob McKenzie, Darren Dreger, David Shoalts, Al Strachan, me and perhaps a few others -- went to Henderson, Nevada, that year to cover the three-day GM gathering. I distinctly remember how few people were there.One day, NHL executive vice president Colin Campbell sat down in a small room in front of us and started reeling off the GMs recommendations: no more red line, the introduction of a shootout, a total crackdown on obstruction, etc. It was the heart of the drastic package that would change the look of the NHL after the league emerged from the 2004-05 lockout.I recall our jaws collectively dropping to the ground. The changes were massive.One specific rule recommendation stood out, if only because it was the one that ultimately ended up on the cutting-room floor: awarding three points for a regulation-time victory. The idea at the time was to go to a 3-2-1 point system in conjunction with the shootout after first asking the AHL to experiment with it.Somehow, when the NHL emerged from a yearlong labor dispute with a rebooted look for 2005-06, the three-point win was gone.Why? Because the league rightfully figured out that sticking with the 2-1 point system would artificially create even more parity. Thats exactly what has happened ever since the shootout-loser point came into effect. No more tie games means more points are awarded almost every night to every team that wins or at least makes it to overtime.The GMs kicked around the 3-2-1 point system again when they met in March 2007, but it was panned and canned once and for all.It never had a lot of legs. It had some support, but not much, Brian Burke, who was at both those 2004 and 2007 GM meetings, said Tuesday from his Calgary Flames office. I researched this quite a bit. I read a very detailed study about English soccer, which I forwarded to the league. The basic conclusion of this study is that it had no impact on results, that players were properly incentivized to win the game regardless.Still, I bring this up today because I believe its time the NHL re-examined the idea. One look at the standings reveals just how close teams are. The salary-cap system, 12 years out, has produced exactly what commissioner Gary Bettman figured it would: total parity.Some people think parity is a dirty word but its not,?Nashville Predators?GM David Poile said on Tuesday. Its great. Its made the races very close. It keeps everyone in it much longer.Still, as of Thursday, 15 teams were separated by no more than three points. That means that half the league is essentially tied. Isnt it time, now that we have true parity with the talent base forcibly spread among 30 rosters, to allow at least some of the cream to rise to the top? It seems fair to me that teams that actually win games more handily, in 60 minutes, and dont rely as much on extra time to collect points, should be rewarded.It would also allow teams to rally late in the season. As it stands now, its difficult to make a charge up the standings because teams in front of you are picking up points almost every night. But if a team were to get on a regulation-time victory surge, that would make a difference.We have looked at it and even put it forward as an option with our league [two years ago], but it didnt get any traction with our group, both with hockey and business people, AHL president Dave Andrews said.Andrews thinks the idea has merit, however. He believes that the third-period product might be augmented with the carrot of three points on the line for a win in 60 minutes.The KHL --? in which Mike Keenan coached for several years -- uses the 3-2-1 point system.They do have the three-point system in the KHL, and I think it separates the groups a little bit more than the two-point system, Keenan said Tuesday. The better teams accelerate their positions by [having] the three points as a possibility. Thats the biggest difference Ive seen. I like it.I think people like to have dynasties and theyre not going to get them now in the NHL. You saw the separation in the KHL with the better teams. But it also allowed fans to cheer for true underdogs, Keenan added.Burke is still not buying the 3-2-1 system for one second.You will have teams mathematically eliminated from the playoffs by Christmas. I really think so, said the Flames president of hockey operations. I have zero interest in that. None. Id rather put a sharp stick in my eye.I get his point, and perhaps hes right, but again I argue that the true roster parity in todays NHL will ensure that no teams get left behind that early. And awarding three points for a 60-minute win would serve to better reflect reality, is all.I understand your point, but I think this falls into the category of: If it aint broke, dont fix it, Poile said. The system works.I contend that the reality in a true, parity-driven league is that a few elite teams would gain more comfort in the standings, but I believe there would still be a very close race for the rest of the pack.We have true parity already. We dont need to artificially insulate it anymore. Cheap Jerseys From China .C. at the helm of the top team in the Eastern Conference. His tenure as the GM in Vancouver was all too brief. Though he led the Canucks to what was then a franchise record-shattering campaign in just his second season, Nonis was gone and replaced one year later. Cheap Football Jerseys China . -- Stanford squashed Oregons national championship hopes again, schooling the Ducks in power football. http://www.cheapfootballjerseys.us.org/ . After Gasquet beat fifth-seeded Ivan Dodig of Croatia 7-5, 6-3, Tsonga followed up with a 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2 win against sixth-seeded Edouard Roger-Vasselin in an all-French match. Cheap Football Jerseys Authentic . LOUIS -- Heading into the final stretch of the season, the issues for the Chicago Bears banged-up defence only seem to be getting worse. Football Jerseys China . R.J. Umberger scored twice to lead the Blue Jackets to a franchise-record for consecutive wins with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Kings. HOUSTON -- The Houston Rockets overcame their inability to make defensive stops by running over the Brooklyn Nets on the offensive end.James Harden had 36 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds to lead the Rockets to their seventh straight win, 122-118 over the Nets on Monday night.Theres 82 games -- every game isnt going to be perfect, Harden said. Youve got to figure out ways to win, and thats what we did tonight.Eric Gordon scored 24 points on 6-for-10 shooting on 3-pointers, and Ryan Anderson added 19.for the Rockets. Houston shot 17 for 43 on 3s, making at least 10 for an NBA-record 24th straight game.Brook Lopez scored 26 points and Sean Kilpatrick added 17 for the Nets.They made some plays and we didnt, Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson said. It couldve gone either way.Jeremy Lin returned to action for Brooklyn for the first time since Nov. 2 when he suffered a strained left hamstring. Although Lin did not start, he played 20 minutes off the bench, scoring 10 points.Atkinson said Lins presence on the court helped Brooklyns offense by keeping the team organized and said he was glad Lin didnt try to do too much following a five-week absence.I felt a lot better than I thought I would with my wind, but I struggled with the rhythm, Lin said. The shots, the feel and getting back out there -- you practice all these shots, but I got in there and it felt like I was shooting a football.Brooklyn trailed for much of the game until Joe Harris tied it at 118 with a layup with less than 40 seconds remaining.Gordon gave Houston a two-point lead with a free throw with 11.9 seconds left, and the Rockets came up with a key steal on the ensuing inbound pass. Gordon then made two more from the line and the Rockets held on for the win.We were just lackadaisical, Gordon said. Luckily, we made some plays in the end that helped us win. We definitely need a wake-up call, but we know what we need to do. Its good that we get a win, but theres all the little things that we need to do to be a better team.The Rockets improved to 7-0 in December while knocking Brooklyn down to 1-5 in the month. The Nets havent won on the road since Nov. 12.Houston outscored Brooklyn by five in each of the first two quarters to take a 53-43 lead at the half.ddddddddddddBrooklyn cut the lead to five to start the fourth quarter.I think we can look at ourselves in the mirror and say individually we could have done a better job, and as a team, we could have done a better job, too, Anderson said.TIP-INSNets: C Justin Hamilton missed his second straight game with migraines. Atkinson said he will be reevaluated in a few days. ... The Nets scored 42 points in the third quarter, the teams most points in a quarter this season.Rockets: Houston allowed 68 points in the paint, a season high for their opponents. ... Harden passed Eric Sleepy Floyd (2,363 assists) for seventh on the franchises all-time assists list. ... Trevor Ariza had three steals and two blocks for Houston.COVERING LOPEZThe Rockets struggled to contain Brook Lopez for the entire game. Rockets coach Mike DAntoni switched gears and let veteran center Nene play 24 minutes off the bench and starting center Clint Capela less than 19 minutes.When asked if Nene was a better matchup for Lopez than Capela, DAntoni didnt hesitate.Much better, much better, DAntoni said. Nenes more experienced, more bulk. Clint will learn through this stuff, and Brook is a very good offensive player, really good offensive player. They all had their hands full with him.WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIMEUntil he came up with his only rebound of the game with less than 16.9 seconds remaining, Lopez was nearly held without a rebound for the first time since March 26, 2011, when he went without a rebound in 31 minutes against Atlanta.I need to be more aggressive getting to the glass, Lopez said. Im not trying to make any excuses -- I need to do better in that category.HONORING SCOLANets forward Luis Scola, who played with Houston from 2007-12, was honored by the Rockets after the first quarter as part of the teams celebration of its 50th season. A video tribute featuring interviews from Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and Shane Battier was played and Scola was given an ovation when shown on the videoboard.UP NEXTNets: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night.Rockets: Host Sacramento on Wednesday night. ' ' '
