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I don't follow the NHL at all but I don't get the hate for the OP if that's actually how it works. It makes sense to play for the tie unless you have a certain % chance of beating the opponent in regulation. Collusion wouldn't really be necessary cause you could just play a defensive game and never try to score.
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The main point is that professional sports are played first and foremost for entertainment of their fans. You bore them to death, you have no fans, and your sport doesn't exist. If hockey was 0-0 for 60 minutes every night with no offensive action, absolutely no one would watch.
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That's obviously why they don't do it but lets say theres 5 minutes left in the game and it's tied. Don't both teams end up trying to just stall? I'd be pissed if my team didn't.
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That happens. Plus, there are times one team does the No-Offense thing when they get a lead. The typical way is "
The Neutral Zone Trap" defense that lots of old timey coaches like to pull out that will bore the pants off of you. If you ever see a Minnesota game or New Jersey game (to a lesser extent these days) and they get a 1 goal lead, you might as well turn off the TV, because that game is going on lockdown. Thankfully rule changes and coaching changes have reduced this greatly.