If you’re reading this, I assume you’re either a hockey fan or someone who has at least heard of the game. You might be wondering, what is the worst lead in hockey? Let’s take a look.
In sports, leads are typically defined as the first period of a game. During this time, a team is able to control the flow of the game and dictate the pace at which it goes. Leads also exist in other sports as well, like volleyball and tennis. However, in hockey, the concept of a lead is a bit unique. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on professional hockey and the NHL. That being said, many of the principles discussed here will translate to other leagues and levels as well.
Table of Contents
What Is A Lead In Professional Hockey?
In baseball, a lead is typically defined as two or more runs. A run is typically scored when a batter hits a ball over the fence for a home run or when a batter touches base safely after hitting a ball into the outfield. Runs are usually tallied at the end of an inning but can be scored earlier if a team wants to press for more. In hockey, a lead is typically defined as your team holding a numerical advantage over the other team. This could be in the form of either goals or shots on goal. It can also be in the form of a power play that’s working in your favour or a penalty kill where your team is operating at its best.
Goals Versus Shots On Goal
In hockey, there are two main stats that are used to track the score: goals and shots on goal. A goal is counted when a player touches the puck or deflects the ball past the opposing netminder into the net. A shot on goal is counted when the puck is cleared by the opponent and directly at the goalie. Shots on goal determine how closely the game is being played and which team is prevailing at the moment. The score will settle down as the game progresses and is not always an accurate reflection of how the game is actually going. For that reason, stats experts prefer to use goals over shots on goal to track the game’s action.
Leading By Example
As mentioned above, a lead in hockey is typically defined as a team holding a numerical advantage over the other team. One way to gain a lead is to score more goals than your opponent. The simplest way for a team to score more goals than their opponent is to be better at putting the puck in the net. The best way to do that is to outshoot their opponent, so if you want to lead by example, go out there and score some goals!
Special Teams
In special teams, your team will generally be scored on according to the power play and penalty kill schemes implemented by the coach. A power play is when a team gets a chance to shoot at the net with no defensemen guarding the puck. A penalty kill is when a team tries to prevent the opponent from scoring while on the penalty kill. The special teams will dictate how the game is going to unfold. For example, if your team is on the power play and the opposing team is killing penalties, you’re going to be winning the game before it even starts!
Smaller Leads Are Better
Hockey is a game that is typically decided by the fewest possible goals. In the 2004/2005 Stanley Cup Playoffs alone, there were 16 series that were decided by a single goal. For whatever reason, coaches and managers tend to prefer holding on to leads as small as possible. The best example of this is the 2014/2015 NHL Playoffs. There were 12 series that went to five goals or fewer, and four of those were decided by a single goal! When the going gets tough, the tough tend to get going, and you can bet that every player on the roster tried their best to bring that trophy home.
What Is The Difference Between A Full, Half, And Third Period In Professional Hockey?
There are three periods in a professional hockey game: the first, second, and third. The first period is the longest and is generally the most exciting one. It begins with a faceoff where each team will attempt to gain the advantage. Next, the coaches will make some tactical substitutions before the teams settle into their lines. The third will be the most exciting part of the game as players are usually pressing for a comeback at this point. In the late part of the third, injuries often occur as players are trying to prove that the game is not over yet. Finally, the game will end with a shootout where you’ll often see many ties and some victories.
More Than Meets The Eye
Even if you only read the above, you should have a decent understanding of what a lead is in hockey. However, there is more than one type of lead in hockey, and some are better than others. The best kind of lead is one that is unpredictable. In other words, no one knows exactly what’s going to happen next. This makes it very difficult for the opponent to prepare for and they will usually have a better outing than expected.
Some forms of leads are just for show. For example, in the 2016/2017 NHL Playoffs, the Los Angeles Kings led the Chicago Blackhawks and the New York Rangers in total goals scored but had the highest shooting percentage. This means that even though they had the highest number of goals, their shots were probably going to go in the net more often than not. Other than that, we can’t really know for sure because the puck is always out of sight. When that happens, it’s generally fair to assume that the other team is leading in some way. This is something that the players and coaches alike have to deal with on a regular basis.
What you often see in the NHL is a lot of ties at the end of games. Many times, neither team is able to pull away and they have to settle for a draw. Sometimes, that happens because the other team is simply the better team or because of a shootout where both teams are pressing for a victory. In those situations, it comes down to who is better at the shootout.