Empty Net Question

I don't bet Hockey a lot and I don't follow it either..But Do teams pull their goalie down 3 goals with 5 minutes to go?  Is this common.   Boston/Vegas game..I have the under and I was shocked to see that they pulled their goalie in a blowout game with 5 minutes to go? Is this common?

@davemsh

depends on team. minnesota does it all the time bc "analytics". could start becoming the norm like going for 2 when u don't need to

@nitmaster69

Wow..Very hard to play an under if more teams does this...Its a regular season game...down 3 goals...WTF You not coming back especially with the empty net...It good to know now though...No wonder you have all these high scoring games..the game has changed.

@davemsh

 Yes they do

@LuckyGuy

Empty nets and shootouts should be banned. Just play the game the way it’s supposed to be played. The equivalent of an NHL shootout in MLB would be if a game is tied after 9 innings, you go to Home Run Derby. 

Yup Dave.  Fairly common now.

Started a couple years back I forget which coach got the trend started.

But it has only been like this for 3-5 seasons at most

It's not that common but it does happens. Down 2 goals, I can see it happening more. But 3 goals is not that common. It happens a few times so it's not a shocker. 

Vegas was only down 2 goals when they pulled their goalie. However, I have seen teams do it down 3. The theory behind it is what do they have to lose? It's kind of like a football team down 16 with 30 seconds left... why not try to score, go for 2, get an onside kick, score again, and go for 2 again. Not gonna happen but always a possibility. 

@OneWayOut

The empty net equivalent in MLB would be the equivalent of the shift where many times there is nobody in left or right field.

Teams should be able to have empty nets and empty outfields if they want but they are asking for it..

Banning shootouts? NO THANKS!! Ties SUQ

@Kaufee

 Vegas did pull the goalie with about 5 minutes left & the score was 4-1. They did score to make it a 2 point game. 

I live in Vegas & watch every game.

MY NAME IS MUD

They were down 3 goals...it was 4-1 with 5 to go and they pulled their goalie.......I know teams pull their goalies down 1 with 1-2 minutes to go or even down 2 late..but down 3 goals with 5 minutes to go in a regular season game.....Vegas did get a goal a minute later but Boston got it right back 30 seconds later with the empty net......Just play it out normally and move on to the next game...What was the point of doing that for? Has that ever happened before..scoring 3 goals and having no goalie in the last few minutes?

seems shady as hell 

@OneWayOut

Best reply ever LOL... literally spit out my coffee and I totally agree. I don't even like the college football overtime rule where you go to 2 point conversions. I'd rather just go back to ties and say no team deserved to lose this game and the time ran out.

Matter of fact replying to this was my first post... I felt compelled haha.  

Thanks for correcting me. Didn't realize they pulled the goalie down 4-1. I saw that it was 4-2 when Pasta hit the empty netter., so assumed that's when they pulled him.

The fact that they cut it to 4-2 reinforces why they do it. They were suddenly down 2 goals with plenty of time to go. It doesn't happen often, but teams do come back from 2 goals down late. I've been on the wrong side of a few of em over the years

I very much see the shady side of this being like it was a desperate attempt to get this total on over. 

But...if I was a fan in the stands and my team was down 3 with 5 minutes to go that they would at least try something. The odds of winning the game being down 3 and no advantage is probably as close to zero as possible. At least it creates some entertainment for the fans no matter how stupid it may be.

There is a trend in all sports TO SCORE because it creates excitement and hopefully the scoring would lead to more fan revenue. Would you rather see a 8-5 game or a 1-0 game? 

Bottomline - Teams score in bunches all of the time and 2 goals within 2 minutes is much more common than you'd think. I took a quick look at just last night's games and saw the following:

3rd Period: Minny scored at 12:16 and again at 12:41

3rd Period: Vancouver scored at 9:34 and again at 10:19

3rd Period: Florida scored at 3:09 and again at 3:21

And that's without a man advantage. So that's why they do it.  

BOL to everyone on tonight's card! Cheers

@dubz4dummyz

Good old Patrick Roy when he was coaching Colorado. He was the guy that started the trend of pulling goalies > 2 minutes left in game. 

Agree with ya Kaufee.  Ya never know.

Also, Pulling the goalie gives you one distinct advantage in your Offensive end, and that is you can always have a screener on the Goalie.  5-5 you cant do that, because you won't be able to play puck control when its 4 on 5.  Teams play it like a Powerplay, only 6-5 versus 5-4 or whatever other combinations.  With a guy permanently in front of the Goalie, your shots have a higher percentage of getting tipped, or the Goalie is screened on a normally easy save. 

Even if the numbers dont support it, why not try it?  yes, you run the risk of the EN, but who the heck wants to watch their team just skate out the string.  Go for it.  I have bet 10 Unders this season, lost about every one, so I just don't bet them any more.  Problem solved.

Exactly Dyamarik!

That is like saying to an NFL team don't try the hail mary with 2 seconds to go because they "never" work and just accept your loss..

@dyamarik

I have no problem with teams doing it..It just that its not consistent....So the next time Vegas is in that spot...down 2-3+ goals they will pull their goalie with "5 minutes" to go?? ...I understand 1-2 minutes down 1-2 goals..but empty net for 5 minutes down 3 goals?

Teams used to go for the empty net a lot more back in the day and then they started focusing on avoiding icing the puck unless you have a high quality shot. So it's not like the empty net goal is gauranteed. I have been on many an over only to watch a team like Edmonton hit the empty net post two times and miss the net 7 other times. 

@MAINEBLACKBEERS

with 5 minutes left? So will why do teams not do it with 7 minutes or 10 minutes..what do they have to lose right? 

I was on the under last night as well. Swayman has been a good under goalie and Vegas was going under. It happens. 

I was also on the live over in the Nashville / Kraken game the other night and Heines pulled Saros with like 50 seconds left. Waited way too long in my opinion. It's all how the coaches feel about the in game play. 

Patrick Roy...loved it when he did that! It worked sometimes too.