Anyone else disappointed with the lack of scoring?

Question

I was encouraged when scoring went up after the lockout, but I see that the average goals per game is again down. I'm not saying the game has to go back to the freewheeling early '80s, but I don't find it very exciting when four goalies have sub-2 GAAs, and no team averages more than 3.5 goals per game.

Will we see a return at some point to true, offensive hockey?

Answer 1

I have an easy answer for the spike in goal scoring after the lock-out and why it has gone down a little since. I believe it to be the correct answer and the biggest reason.
New rules after the lock-out- took players quite a time to adjust to these new rules but they have now adjusted. Simple as that.
I bet you that Power Plays Per Game have gone down this year compared to the last 2 as well-once again players adjusting, taking less obstruction penalties and thus less scoring. Immidiately after the lock-out it seemed that for each team to have 10 PP's in a game was not unheard of. PP's have gone down.
Other than that, I have no problems with a good defensive game. I would actually rather watch a good 5 on 5 game over a constant special teams contest. I don't mind a 1-0 game or for that matter a 1-1 game.

Answer 2

First off the trap never went away. It is a defensive system that is beatable. The trap is a system that slows down a teams breakout in the neutral zone. If an offensive team can establish a good forecheck it nullfies the trap.

I don't know what to say about the clutching and grabbing and the penalties. On one hand, scoring is down, but they do call some very ticky tack penalties. Scoring is not really down considerably since the lockout.

Look at the game throughout the decades. What has increased? Teams, player size, player equipment. I am not saying the talent level is down, but compared to 20 years ago more players are now NHLers meaning the best of the best has been expanded. I personally would like to see equipment size smaller.

Answer 3

I would like to see a bit more scoring.

The goalies are still sumos in net despite the rule changes. If you haven't been up close to a goalie's catching glove recently check out an adult version in a sporting goods store sometime. They're still twice the size of gloves from 20 years ago — it's like holding up a basket. If a netminder gets his arm up above his waist at all it takes away three square feet of space at the top of the net. Not much talent involved there.

Like Bob said, teams have adapted to the new rules. One thing I really enjoyed after the lockout was seeing a few breakaways, two-on-one rushes and slapshots by wingers flying down the boards. Those aspects of the game really disappeared over the past 15 years but the new rules made them possible again. Now those moves seem to be disappearing again and we're back to boring dump it in and cycle around the boards concepts.

I also hate the fact that there are now more players in the NHL who are more adept at sprawling in front of shots than there are players who can put the puck in the net. Courageous or not, I wish there was a rule that prevented forwards, at least, from lying on the ice to block a shot.

I say take the restrictions of the amount of curve a player can have on his stick. You won't have as many players diving in front of shots and goalies won't know where the puck is going.

Answer 4

I believe that all the excuses for the "low-scoring" games have no evidence to support their logic. The classic "goal pads are too large" is one that makes my blood boil.

There still are limitations to the size of goal pads, but the main reason goalies have sub-2 GAA is because techniques are evolving. Goalies like Timmy Thomas, Marc-Andre Fleury, Martin Brodeur, and Dominik Hasek look like they're just flailing about in the crease, yet they are some of the best goalies in the league. Dominik, one of the pioneers of this style (Roy another big one), still is playing in his old age at a high level, while other older goalies who played a more traditional game, such as Curtis Joseph and Ed Belfour, are struggling.

Plus, goaltending is different than it was in the 80's and 90's. For starters - THE BUTTERFLY! The five hole was extremely vulnerable trying to stop slap shots from the slot with a kick save. Secondly, goal masks have improved safety and confidence for the goaltender. Do you really think a goalie back in the 80's would put his body at risk of getting hit with a puck like today's goalies? Of course not! If you've ever been hit with a puck off a slap shot on bare skin, you know that you probably wouldn't want to perform " 'round the World" saves or dive with outstretched glove for a puck. This ability to perform without restriction is probably the biggest reason why goals have decreased.

Answer 5

Lower scoring is better than higher scoring, just keep that in mind. You don't want to see 7-4 scores all the time cause than scoring becomes not so exciting, like how it is in Lacrosse.

What makes games exciting is "Scoring Chances" with a low scoring game. The best games are those hard fought 2-1 victories with many scoring chances and high intensity.

The game needs more fighting/intensity and everything else will take care of itself.

Answer 6

There are a bunch of guys that can put the puck in the net these days. We're seeing penalties called like never before to allow for more offense. Most defenses look like they came from an NBC league. What's left, ban goalies who are any good? Every team believes the other 29 starting goalies use oversized equipment, not their's of course.

Answer 7

I hope not. Just to shove it in Bettman's and the owners' faces that nothing they do is good nor does it work. Personally, I like the scoring the way it is. The goals do come more frequently and, this is just my estimate, there's an average of a goal or more per game than it was pre-lockout. The way I see it, we're seeing a lot more 3 or more goals scored by one team in a game.

Answer 8

Is it not nuts? These stupid games that have less than 5-12 total goals per game are old. The good ol days were nice. This game now is a watered down version that appeals to absolutely no one obviously. I thought the point of all these new rules of the 'revamped' NHL were supposed to bring on fans not drive them away and dilute a game into basically ice skating with an occasional goal sprinkled in.

Answer 9

True offensive hockey is not determined by the number of goals scored, so much as it is by the number of offensive chances generated. The number of offensive chances generated has increased between last year and this year, despite the decrease in goals.

Prior to 1967, the average goals per game was never above 5.60 (currently 5.54). I still think we need to tighten the defenses up as I grew up watching great 2-1 and 3-2 games. For me, the early part of this century was bliss.

2007-2008 = 5.54 goals/game (1925 goals/347 games)
2006-2007 = 5.89 goals/game (7246 goals/1280 games)
2005-2006 = 5.93 goals/game (7588 goals/1280 games)
2003-2004 = 4.94 goals/game (6321 goals/1280 games)
2002-2003 = 5.10 goals/game (6530 goals/1280 games)
2001-2002 = 5.03 goals/game (6442 goals/1280 games)

Answer 10

I think they need to do a better job at limiting the size of a goaltenders equipment. I realize that the goalies are huge but the equipment is huge as well. I am sure they can come up with a way that makes the equipment smaller and lighter without taking away the necessary protection.