When to take the foot off the gas ?

[Puckwatch]

Does anybody know why a team with four lines that is winning by four goals or more only rolls two lines ? It seems to me it would be a great time to play some of the girls that don’t see as much ice time .

[MNHockeyFan]

Does anybody know why a team with four lines that is winning by four goals or more only rolls two lines ? It seems to me it would be a great time to play some of the girls that don’t see as much ice time .

In girls high school hockey I think it depends on:

(a) To what degree is the team that's ahead 4-0 truly dominating? Is the other team getting good chances, but your goalie is super hot and stopping everything thrown at her? To what extent is the outcome a forgone conclusion? How much time is left?

(b) If for any reason the outcome of the game is still somewhat in doubt, and there's a huge drop-off between your first two lines and lines 3 & 4, it might make sense to initially give the 3rd line some ice time, if only to give lines 2 & 3 some rest.

(c) As time goes by and the outcome is all but assured, then yes put in the 4th line to give them some needed experience, and see what each player can do, and possibly deserve more ice-time in the next game.

That's my take.

[ghshockeyfan]

I watched top teams play their top players when up by a touchdown or two in the third (years ago).

Never made sense to me but those coaches must have had their reasons and some of those teams were the best ever.

It's interesting to debate.

[InThePipes]

Seems to be a particular problem in girls HS hockey...I don't personally get it, but it does seem that the bench remains very short into very late in games that are long past being in doubt.

[wolfman]

4th line girls better be playing 3 full periods of jv. The 3rd line varsity girls get short shifted and that's the way it is. This is not U12's its varsity. Be happy your little sally is not playing hoops.

[O-townClown]

I have no idea. Whenever the topic comes up people usually agree there's no great answer.

Should feats be celebrated or chastised?
http://articles.latimes.com/1990-02-08/ ... ing-record