Empty-net goal

An empty-net goal is scored into a net with no goaltender in it, almost always the result of a trailing team pulling its goalie late in the third period for an extra attacker. The trade is calculated: give up an open net to gain a numbers advantage and a better shot at tying the game, usually attempted in the final one to three minutes depending on the score. It's a real gamble. Teams trailing by one goal manage to tie the game roughly 15 percent of the time after pulling the goalie, a modest number on its own but a clear improvement over the near-zero odds of not trying at all. The flip side is exactly what gives the tactic its name: if the leading team wins the puck back, an empty net turns a routine clear into an easy insurance goal. Strategy breakdown at The Bruins Blog.