When the Central Collegiate Hockey Association schedule begins Oct. 23, teams will have greater incentive to win in regulation or overtime rather than sending games to shootouts.

The CCHA today announced that regulation and overtime victories will be worth three points each in conference standings, while a shootout victory will be worth two points, and a shootout loss will result in one point.

In the previous system, all victories - regulation, overtime and shootout - earned two points, while a shootout loss earned one point. There still will be no points awarded for regulation or overtime losses.

"We feel this is a fairer system," CCHA commissioner Tom Anastos said in a prepared statement. "Now, all teams will have access to the same number of points throughout the regular season and every game is worth three points."

If the University of Michigan hockey team continues its trend from last season, the rule change would benefit the Wolverines. Michigan last season was the only team in the CCHA not to play in a shootout - in fact, Michigan never even went to overtime.

Michigan finished 2008-09 with 40 points, tied with Miami for second place in the conference standings. Notre Dame won the conference with 48 points. If the new rule had been in effect last season, though, Michgian would have had sole possession of second place.