Skip Bayless Suggesting NHL to Listen to Olympics and Use 3-v-3 OT Format Has Fans Losing It: “Stay in Your Lane”

Skip Bayless claimed that the NHL should use the overtime format used in the Olympics to make the league interesting.

Skip Bayless Suggesting NHL to Listen to Olympics and Use 3-v-3 OT Format Has Fans Losing It: “Stay in Your Lane”

Skip Bayless (Image via NY Post)

On Wednesday, Team USA booked their spot in the semi finals of the Winter Olympics following a 2-1 overtime win over Sweden. After the game, popular sportscaster Skip Bayless found himself getting ridiculed on social media following a post.

Like several Americans, Bayless tuned into the action on Wednesday as the US took on Sweden. Last year during the 4 Nations Face-Off, the European side had defeated the Americans 2-1 at TD Garden in Boston.

Team USA struck first and took the lead in the 2nd period through Dylan Larkin. Sweden kept on trying and eventually found the equalizer with less than 2 minutes left in the game through Mika Zibanejad.

With the scores levelled at 1-1 after three periods, the game went into overtime. A 3-v-3 format was then used to separate the two teams. Minnesota Wild star Quinn Hughes would become the hero for the Americans with his overtime winner.

After the game, Skip Bayless would celebrate his country’s win. During this, he urged the NHL to try this format.

WE WIN IN OVERTIME. USA beats Sweden in Olympic hockey. You know, 3-on-3 is much more fun to watch. More open ice. More 1-on-1 shots on goal. Less lucky-bounce high-traffic goals in front of net. Listening, NHL?

Skip Bayless on X

Whether Bayless was joking about the rules or genuinely does not know them is currently uncertain. For the unversed, this overtime format has been used by the NHL since the 2015-16 season.

In the regular season, an overtime period sees teams play a 5-minute 3-on-3 sudden-death format, meaning the team that scores goes on to win the game. If the overtime period fails to separate the two teams, the game goes to a shootout.

As for the playoffs in hockey, 20-minute sudden-death overtime periods at 5-on-5 are played if the scores remain level after the regulation period. There are no shootouts in the playoffs. If the overtime period fails to produce a winner, a double overtime is played.

In the Winter Olympics, the rules are a bit different. During the knockout games, overtime consists of a 10-minute 3-on-3 sudden death format followed by a shootout if required. If the gold medal match goes to overtime, it will feature a 20-minute 3-on-3 sudden death format. Like the NHL playoffs, no shootouts will take place in the final game.

Fans slam Skip Bayless for his comment regarding NHL overtime

Skip Bayless seemingly enjoyed watching the Americans take down Sweden in the quarter-final game at the Winter Games. The veteran commentator then made some bold comments regarding the overtime format, which led to several fans slamming him.

Skip Bayless
Skip Bayless (Image via Deadline)

Users on X called out the 74-year-old for this. A few of them would make some sarcastic remarks, while some blasted him for not knowing the rules. One user wrote, “Stay in your lane” while taking a swipe at him.

Check out that and some other reactions from X below:

Given his vast experience in sports, this tweet from him thus left the fans stunned. Speaking of Bayless, he found himself in the spotlight recently after Green Bay Packers star Micah Parsons went off on him.

Skip Bayless will be hoping for Team USA to clinch gold

Skip Bayless is probably not a huge hockey guy. However, like many Americans, he is hoping his team could bring home the gold medal in ice hockey this year.

Skip Bayless
Skip Bayless (Image via New York Post)

Along with Canada, Team USA had been the heavy favorites as the start of the tournament. Despite a late setback through the Mika Zibanejad goal, the Americans were able to keep their composure in overtime and come out as 2-1 winners.

The Americans are hoping to claim their first gold medal since their iconic triumph in 1980. They will now face Slovakia in the semi finals on Friday.

That same day, Canada will face Finland. The winners of the two semi-finals will then battle it out in the gold medal game on the final day of the Winter Olympics.

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