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At the AV Club: AVQ&A

SPORTS DOME Earlier today the NHL announced it will be implementing several rule modifications aimed at increasing scoring and attracting more fans. Starting next season, NHL games will feature larger nets, full-body tackling and a pregame coin toss to decide who kicks off. Is this enough to bring the fans back to the game? Grab your towel and flip flops, because we're answering that question in the steam room. STEAM ROOM Alright, I'm Tim Devannon here with senior OSN analyst Steve Meister. Also known as the Steve Meister. Steve you are in the Steam Room. It's time to cut through the bull, get lost in the steam. Are you ready? -I'm ready Tim. Then let's crank up the heat. Do you think the new nets the NHL's introducing next year will translate into more goal scoring? Absolutely. Bigger nets, combined with the NHL's decision to get rid of the goalie position, can put an end to those one-nothing snooze fests. Not to mention the newly added three point line. -Definitely! Definitely. Sydney Crosby can score, four, five hundred goals this year, easy. -What about the NHL's decision to eliminate hockey sticks? How will that effect the game? It won't change a thing. It'll be exactly the same. Except, instead of the players passing the puck with the stick, they'll be throwing the puck in with their hands. It's just going to make scoring a lot easier. Right, especially with the new, more aerodynamic pucks their using. -Oh, you bet. Just grab the puck. Get behind the blocker, and stuff that thing to the goal zone just like Gretzky used to do. -The Great One! Now whenever the NHL makes these little tweaks, hockey purists get all bent out of shape. And they think that it dilutes the game. -Look, look. There have always... There's going to be some naysayers. But hockey's never been about the body checks, the ice, or the skating. It's about 11 guys working together towards a common purpose. -Well I can't argue with you there. It's time for the final sweat. Humidity's going up to 15 Are you ready for the heat? -Bring it on. Here it comes. FINAL SWEAT. Who benefits most from the rules changes? -The fans. Talk to me. -No more low scoring games, cold arenas, or skating. Just good old fashioned dunks, ten car pile-ups and home runs. Which is what goals will be known as. Steve Meister you've survived the Steam Room once again. Go cool yourself off! I am soaked with sweat. Up next, Joe Torre denies benching Matt Kemp has anything to do with his fantasy league. Stick around. STILL TO COME: NFL BROADENS ROUGHING THE PASSER RULE TO INCLUDE ANYTHING THAT MIGHT HURT TOM BRADY'S PRETTY LITTLE FACE.