Point streaks are nice. It’s a testament to the sport that a player can have a stretch of good results that extends their career. But what is a point streak? Does it really matter how many points you score in a row? Let’s dive into the nitty gritty of what is a point streak in hockey and whether you need to worry about it.
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What Is A Point Streak In Hockey?
A point streak is simply the consecutive accumulation of points a player scores in a season. When a player scores a point, they are officially recorded as having one point on the scoreboard. The NHL keeps track of these point streaks on their official website, revealing the top five point streak leaders for each team.
It is worth noting here that points in the NHL are not the same as they are in the Minor Leagues. In the NHL, each game is worth one point, while in the minors, points can be earned in various ways. Some minor league games are worth more points than others based on the performance of the players involved. It is a bit like baseball where some home runs are more valuable than others. So in the minors, a player can rack up lots of point even if they don’t score a single goal.
However, it is important to keep in mind that once you reach the highest level of hockey, the point streaks stop mattering. Every team gets two points for a win, and the goalies get one point for a win. So even a perfect 10-0-0 record won’t help you collect any point streaks at that stage of the game!
Why Do Point Streaks Matter?
Well, for starters, point streaks are fun to look back on. It is amazing to see how many points some players managed to rack up in a season. To be honest, I’m not that familiar with the history of hockey; therefore, I had no idea that some players had amassed such impressive point streaks. It would be cool to see how many points Mario Lemieux scored during his excellent career.
I’ve also found that it’s fun to challenge yourself to see how many points you can score in a row. Especially when you’re on a roll, it’s tough to stop yourself from scoring. I am certainly not advocating rushing your shots or aiming for the net every time you shoot the puck. Rather, you should play how you feel, and when the opportunity presents itself, you should shoot the puck as hard as you can. This is the philosophy behind having an extra attacker on the ice. The idea is to create chaos by continually throwing more bodies at the opposition. This makes the other team’s defenders move around and gives you more chances to shoot the puck.
Additionally, point streaks can be a guide to how the opposition is playing. If you are facing a team that is heavily defending their goal, you know that they must have a very good streak going. Conversely, if you are playing against a team that is gunning for you, it could be an indication that they are on the back foot and need to regroup. This is something that fans wouldn’t normally get the chance to see, as the game is often settled before the score indicates any obvious changes. As with any team statistic, getting all the juicy details from game footage can give you a much better indication of how a team is performing than relying on goals and wins alone.
The Most Successful Point Streaks In Hockey History
Looking at the history books is always a good idea when you want to find out about point streaks. Here are the most successful point streaks in hockey history, starting from 1917 and going through 2019.
The New York Rangers scored the most points in a season during the 2017–2018 season with a point streak of 31 games. They achieved this by accumulating 10 goals and 24 assists for 34 points during a 10-game point streak on December 27, 2017. That’s 1.9 points per game during this run. During this time, the team scored 49 goals and registered 79 assists for 128 points in 28 games.
The next season, the Philadelphia Flyers scored the second-most points with a point streak of 29 games. They achieved this by scoring 20 goals and registering 38 assists for 58 points during a 9-game run on January 12 through to February 3, 2018. They finished the season with 29 goals and 55 assists for 84 points in 29 games.
How Do I Start A Point Streak?
Well, the first thing you need to do is find out what is a point in hockey. I’ve gone through the whole season and worked out how many points each player has earned and which coaches have been successful in getting the best out of their players. The team with the most points at the end of the season wins.
One of the most successful coaches in getting his team to play to their potential is Joel Quenneville of the Chicago Blackhawks. The team’s captain, Patrick Kane, achieved a point streak of 23 games during the 2014–2015 season. This was good for 1.9 points per game during the streak. When Kane broke the streak after scoring 11 goals in 12 games, he was still on track to score over 50 goals during the season. In the end, he scored 54 goals and added 32 assists for 86 points in 75 games during his point streak year. The next season, Kane continued his scoring spree by netting 60 goals and adding 42 assists for 102 points in 75 games. As a result, he broke the 100 point barrier for the third straight season.
The Danger Of Point Streaks
Although points are fun to score and indicate how well you’re performing, there is also a clear danger in establishing a point streak. If you start scoring regularly, you’re going to find that it’s hard to stop yourself from scoring, even if you do want to. This is especially dangerous if you play a team that is gunning for you. In these situations, you score a goal or make an assist and the adrenaline kicks in, boosting your confidence and making you want to score even more. This can result in you scoring even when you’ve had no business scoring. Your team’s goalie may even end up being the one who has to stop you!
So, as much as I’d like to see more point streaks in hockey, it’s not a good idea to go looking for them. What you need to do instead is focus on preventing them. Make sure your team is well-organized and that you practice enough to keep your skills sharp. Above all else, take care of your body so that you can stay healthy and keep scoring.