The truth about shootouts

As everyone knows, the NHL is using a shootout to decide games that end in ties. What you might not know, however, is that the shootout is a ploy to stack the odds in favour of a certain few teams. It's not a specific list of teams, but rather a category of teams.

Teams with European goalies are incapable of losing shootouts. So far this season, whenever a European goalie has faced a North American goalie in a shootout, the European has won every time. Tonight's game in which Washington defeated Tampa Bay in a shootout is further proof. Olaf Kolzig defeated Sean Burke, and to make it even more unfair, all of Washington's shooters were European as well. All of Tampa Bay's shooters were Canadian, and we all know what happens to Canadians in a shootout.

As long as the shootout continues, the European goalies can be assured victory. this is good news for people who cheer for teams with European starters, and bad news for those who don't.

As for North American goalies meeting North American goalies and European goalies meeting European goalies, the European Shootout Supremacy Theory does not have enough data to form conclusive subtheories. Presumably the team with more European shooters will have the edge, but further observation will need to be made.