Statistical Question Regarding Hockey Power Play?

Question

When a team is on a power play, they have the statistical possibilities of finishing 1 for 1 if they score or 0 for 1 if they don't. This statistical outcome is then put into their season record and is indicative of how well their special teams played. During a five minute major, however, the team can score as many goals as the other team will allow. How do the stats work in that situation? If a team scores three goals, they couldn't be 3 for 1, but it's just as illogical to say they were 3 for 3, since it was only one power play.

While I'm on this subject, does anyone remember in the 1970s that, on a delayed call, if a team was about to go on the power play but scored before the team to be penalized could touch the puck, that they were STILL granted the power play? Now the power play is negated, but I remember the other scenario being in the rules back then. Am I delusional? At least about this?

Answer 1

It still counts as being 1 for 1, regardless of how many goals are scored on the major penalty.

As far as the delayed call, a minor penalty is negated by a goal, it does not count as a power play goal or a power play at all. If the delayed call is a major penalty however, then it is still called regardless.

Answer 2

This stat can be skewed as well because, take for instance a team gets a PP and 5 seconds later they take a penalty. So they had a 5 second PP and are 0-1, meanwhile the other team gets a 5 second penalty on the other end (when the 1st guy gets out of the box) and they are also 0-1. I have always said that they should keep special teams stats based on the amount of time on the PP. For instance, a team is on the PP for 8 minutes and 20 seconds in the WHOLE game and they score 2 goals, then work out some sort of ratio for this as a stat. Like goals per 10 minutes of PP time or something, that would lend more credence to the stat.
You should work on that and submit it to the power's that be, maybe they'll name the stat after you.

Answer 3

Major penalties that lead to power plays are indeed scored differently in the stats. As soon as one ends with a goal, the next begins. Therefore, if you score one goal in five minutes, you are 1 for 2. Two goals, 2 for 3. And so on. The exception is if you score a goal exactly 5 minutes, then you are 1 for 1 or 2 for 2 of whatever.

The most confusing part about all of this is when you start getting a string of minors and majors against different teams at different times. Say a major on team A at 2:00, a minor on team B at 3:00, and a minor on team B at 4:00. I'm not sure on how many power plays team A gets overall -- at least one (2:00 to 3:00) and perhaps two (6:00 to 7:00).

Speaking as someone who used to do the scoresheet at NHL games, I do not remember delayed-penalty goals counting as power play goals at any time.

Answer 4

1 for 1

and

the penalty is negated if the goal is scored, unless its a major penalty, then the penalty still counts, but the goal would be the counted as an even strength goal in both secenerios.