Old 2-3-2 NBA/World Series format was the best

[Buffalo Rick]

I am not sure but I believe baseball still uses the 2-3-2 schedule in the Series?  The NBA used it until recently.  Now they are not only flying teams across the country and 3 time zones in short time intervals, but giving an unfair advantage to the team with the extra home game, that being Vegas.  Why do they deserve it anyway?  They do not.  They did not win the Presidents Trophy.  In the 2-3 2 system you make it a more balanced series.  You balance out the extra game advantage by giving the team with only 3 home games a stretch of 3 in a row at home.  Not pleasant if you give up the split in the first two.  But in this situation it may not matter as much because Washington is such a good road team.  Game one could have easily gone to Washington if the refs had done the correct thing and blown off the tying goal due to the illegal cross check.  It was a penalty clear as day.  Eddie O and Doc both said as much.  I have them to back me up.  And it was shown 3 times on the network after the goal.   Of course the frenzied home crowd does not care if its a fair or just outcome as long as it goes Vegas's way.  To me its Bullsh#t.  It can not go on.  Washington has to use their size now and take out these punks

[ruxpin]

I disagree. 2-3-2 gives the advantage to the lesser team ("lesser" being a general statement and not necessarily being applied to these finals). 

 

Say the 1 seed is playing the 4.  If the 4 seed steals one of the first games, they go home for the next THREE and the series may never return to the higher seed's city. 

 

The top seed needs to be awarded some kind of advantage or there is no reason to play for it. 

 

MLB still uses the 2-3-2.  I'm not sure it's as big a deal in baseball, particularly in the world series.  There, home field is ridiculously decided by the all star game rather than record, so there's not even the argument about team with better record getting the extra gate receipts.

 

I prefer the NBA and NHL's 2-2-1-1-1 format. Losing one of the first two games isn't necessarily disaster for the higher seeded team. 

 

And Vegas had a better record than the Caps (not a lot, but it was better) so that's why home ice advantage. 

[ruxpin]

2 hours ago, Hockey Junkie said:

But in this situation it may not matter as much because Washington is such a good road team

The good road team thing is actually exactly why it does matter. 

[Buffalo Rick]

17 hours ago, ruxpin said:

The good road team thing is actually exactly why it does matter. 

Vegas is not as good on the road