Hockey is a game played on ice. It is a combination of ice hockey and soccer. The object of the game is to score more goals than your opponent. The person who scores the most goals wins. In order to do this, you need to utilize guile and skill on the ice. In this article, we will discuss the various factors that go into determining a player’s Plus Minus (PM) rating in hockey.
First Off, How Is Plus Minus Calculated In General?
In most sports, including hockey, points are given for goals and assists. However, in hockey, points are also given for hitting and blocking shots. This makes determining an individual player’s Plus Minus much more complex. To calculate an individual’s Plus Minus rating in hockey, you need to consider the following:
Table of Contents
Total Points
This is simply the sum of the points that the player has scored (including both goals and assists).
Assists
This is the number of individual assists that the player has managed to record. An assist is recorded when the other team’s player initiates a turnover in your own territory and you help the team mate to seal the deal. The assist is not recorded if the turnover occurs outside of your territory and there is no subsequent assist on the play.
Saves
This is the total number of goals that the player has prevented from being scored. A save is considered to be a successful challenge of a shot, either by punching the ball away or deflecting it with a stick or glove. The save does not count if the goal is due to a lucky bounce or deflection by a skate or stick.
Shots On Goal
This is the total number of shots that the player has managed to direct on goal. A shot is counted if it goes into the opponent’s net either directly or from a rebound. A goal is scored when the puck goes into the net from a shot.
Penalty Minutes
This is the total number of penalties that the player has incurred while on the ice. The role of the penalty killer is to prevent goals while the player on the ice is penalized for some aggressive or dangerous play. If you kill off a penalty, you will not receive any points for that period but you will be considered to have played a full game.
Face Off Wins
This is the total number of face-offs that the player has won. A face-off is considered to be a won battle when you successfully prevent your opponent from gaining the advantage by winning the puck toss. If you are playing against less skilled opponents, it might be worth trying to steal a few face-offs here and there so that you can even the score a little bit. However, taking too many face-offs can end up costing you the game because the referee may decide that you are not playing with proper hockey tactics and give you a game misconduct or unsportsmanlike penalty.
Team Statistics
This includes things such as the total number of goals and assists that the player has compiled while playing for his team. As an individual, you can also track your team’s total points as well as the number of goals that you have scored and the assists that you have recorded.
With all the information that you need to calculate your PM rating in hockey, there is no excuse for getting it wrong. Calculating this number correctly takes a little bit of time but it is definitely worth it. Once you know how it is done, it is just a matter of plugging in the numbers and doing a bit of arithmetic to get the final result.