You might be familiar with the expression “All Hockey is Gold”, which is used to describe the fact that the game is solely based on skill rather than physical strength or size. Well, the fact is, even strength hockey is an outdated stat to measure success in the sport.
In order to find a better way to gauge a player’s performance, experts have come up with a new statistic: Goals Scored (G/S). This is calculated by looking at all the individual goal scoring chances a team has during a game, and then dividing them by the total number of scoring chances. This takes into account all 60 minutes of action, rather than just the final few minutes to determine the winner.
To put it simply, let’s say you have a hockey game where each team is guaranteed to have four scoring chances per game. It’s very likely that, over the course of an entire season, each team will score one or two goals per game on net, for a total of four goals scored per match. However, if one team is much better at scoring chances than the other, that will show up in the numbers, and you could end up with a scoreline that looks more like this:
- Team A: 1 goal scored – 4 scoring chances
- Team B: 3 goals scored – 2 scoring chances
The fact is, goals scored / scoring chances is a much more accurate reflection of how a game played out, compared to goals scored / total shots on goal, for example. These are just a few of the reasons why experts say it’s time to put goal scoring / scoring chances into practice.
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It’s Time To Score Goals
The beauty of this new statistic is that it gives you an accurate reflection of how well a team is performing, regardless of the time remaining in the game. For example, if you notice that a team is struggling to score, but seems to be controlling the game, the stats will show that, even though they may not be putting the puck in the net often, they are creating more opportunities to do so than the other team. This is a great way to boost your confidence as a player, knowing that you are executing your game plan correctly.
Now, whether you agree with that assessment or not, the fact remains that it’s time for you to start scoring goals. If you want to be considered a successful hockey player, it’s time to start putting up some numbers. Don’t worry, setting up individual shooting lanes and practice drills won’t make you bulk up any more than you already are, but it will help you score the goals you deserve to score.
Why Keep Track Of Shots On Goal?
Even strength hockey is great, but it’s not always enough to judge a game solely on. After all, even the greatest goalies can stop a shot they didn’t see coming, and vice versa. It is also quite possible that, during a game, both teams may see more pucks than they are used to seeing, and that can make it harder to score because the stats don’t always reflect the new reality of the game. Remember, the puck can fly anywhere, and it’s up to you, as a player, to make the most out of the opportunities that come your way.
To solve this issue, coaches and fans alike often turn to shots on goal, or the number of individual scoring chances a team creates. This is pretty self-explanatory: if you’re creating more scoring opportunities than your opponent, you’re bound to score more goals, plain and simple.
However, there are flaws with this stat, as well. First, as already mentioned, it doesn’t always tell the whole story, as a team that is controlling the play but struggling to score might have the same amount of shots as an opponent that is creating a lot of scoring chances but only managing to score a couple of goals, as the stats would have you believe. This brings us to our next point.
Scoring Chances Aren’t As Accurate As You Think
Even though it’s great to look at a team’s scoring chances ratio and see how well they are doing, it’s important to remember that this stat can be manipulated through coaching, as well as good fortune. This is why you shouldn’t always put all your faith in it, especially when comparing one game to the next, as it can vary widely from strong to weak, regardless of the score.
If you want to be the best you can be, it’s time to start taking advantage of your skills. Set yourself up for success by finding the soft spot in your opponent’s defense and taking a shot, or pass the puck to a teammate who is wide open in front of the goal.
Goals Versus Saves
In addition to shots on goal, you should also track the number of goals that your team manages to stop, as well as the number of saves they make. This is an important number to keep an eye on, as it will show you how well your team is playing as a unit and how much they are relying on goal protection. If you notice that a lot of the goals your team scores are due to good fortune than your actual skill, this could be a problem.
If you want to be the best you can be, it’s time to start taking advantage of your skills. Set yourself up for success by finding the soft spot in your opponent’s defense and taking a shot, or pass the puck to a teammate who is wide open in front of the goal.
Stay Alert
Last but not least, it’s important to not get too focused on the stats, especially at the beginning of the season, as your team could be bound to have lots of losing games before they start getting the hang of things. It’s important to not let this mindset get to you and affect your play, as this is what will cause you to lose, not the stats. Remember, the more you focus on the numbers, the more they’ll start dictating your play.
Once the season has started moving along, it gets easier to stay aware of the numbers, as well as the strategy your team is using to score goals, and this is when you’ll start realizing the full impact that this new statistic has on your game.