Link: The NYSD Interview: Mike "Doc" Emrick

Great interview over at New York Sports Day with one of the best play-by-play men in the league, Doc Emrick. On the new shootout rule:

It's a fan thing. The purists don't like it - and I wouldn't have voted for it. I would have sooner had a three-on-three overtime after a four-on-four because that's still hockey, rather than setting up a contest. I've leaned on this for 20 years now. I remember Bob Clarke, when he was first general manager of Philadelphia, said it was like deciding the Super Bowl by having the two quarterbacks come to the 50-yard line and throw balls through a tire. In essence, it's almost the same thing.

At the Board of Governors meeting, it was a package. If you opposed the shootout, but liked the rest [of the rules changes], you still were in a position where you had to vote for it. That said, I think it still was a majority that voted for it.

It does happen fast. It doesn't take long. We had it the other night in a preseason game with the Rangers, but the Devils had already won the game. I don't think it had the fan intensity; even though the fans were standing and watching it, they were also about to go home. I think it'll have tremendous intensity when there are points on the line.