Low Scoring Close Games Do Not Mean Boring

There’s something about watching two great defenses block shots and make big hits that gets your heart racing. It’s watching a goalie making an amazing save that makes your jaw drop. It’s those close games that keep you on the edge of your seat. It’s the possibility of an overtime that makes you bite your nails. Where’s the lack of excitement in all of that?

I’m not going to deny that I love seeing my team score seven or eight goals. In all honesty, who doesn’t? Yes, blowout games are exciting. Seeing a top goal scorer getting a hat trick is great. Seeing a defense and goalie of the opposing team fall apart can be laughable. But it’s not the same intensity close games offer.

What is it about the low scoring games people don’t like? Brian said, “It’s not that I don’t like them. But if a team is just skating around not taking shots, it becomes boring.” Which seems to be a common feeling about low scoring games. To quote Kyle, “Depends if the play is still exciting and there’s a lot of shots being made, then I’m okay with it in goalie duels. But when it’s games where both teams only have like twenty shots each and it’s a slow moving game, then it’s boring.” William put it best when he said, “It’s boring if teams are trapping. clutching, grabbing, clogging up the neutral zone.” Yes, those types of games can be incredibly mundane. They can put you to sleep. There is no trying to deny that. But those are not the type of games I mean.

I’m talking about the high shots games where you see a goalie making incredible saves. Saving shots that win games. Making saves where they commit larceny. Here’s some reasons why; Greg said, “I love them. The intensity, the goal tenders trying to one up each other. Knowing the next goal could be the last. It’s like overtime.” Corrine said, “If it’s a goalie match, it’s exciting to see teams trying to break that barrier.” People seem to like the goalie battles. But what about the defensive end? Teams playing as a team doing what they need to do.

Which is how Tracy feels. She enjoys them because it shows both sides are doing what;s expected of them. “To come out and fight hard, both offensively and defensively in a way that actually does keep it low scoring. Who wouldn’t love that?” For people like Tim, it depends on the situation of the game.”The same game in February could suck, but as a playoff game it’s very intense.” It seems to be a combination of different aspects that make hockey fans love it, but hate it at the same time.

Like William said, “Low scoring doesn’t have to be boring. If it’s a grinding game or a goalie battle, your on the edge of your seat wondering who is gonna break.” It’s all part of the game. A part of the game we love to watch. It’s the intensity of not knowing what’s going to happen. It’s those mini heart attacks we feel and the dead weight feeling in our stomachs. Every feeling those close games cause us to feel. Lauren said it best, “They bring me to the edge of my seat! The energy level of those games are through the roof because you can tell everyone is bringing their A game! With high scoring games, it’s like a ridiculous game of tennis.”

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