Interesting article in Saturday's Wall Street Journal on the low rate of shootout success in the NHL:
This may seem like a nightmare for a goalie, but it doesn't work out that way. Last season, the goalie saved 52.4% of the shots and the skater missed 14.0%, leaving a 33.6% scoring rate. That rate has declined this year, with goalie saves up to 56.2%, misses staying about the same at 13.5% and goals declining to 30.3%.
It's surprising that it's not higher. Before the advent of the shootout, I think that success rate for penalty shots was over 40% in the NHL.
It makes Saturday night's shootout performance by the Dallas Stars all the more remarkable. They were three for three against the Wild, including an absolute beaut by Mike Ribiero that sealed the deal.
A win in four or five shootouts could make the difference in whether a team makes the playoffs. Given the implications, you would think that NHL teams would be working hard on raising that rather pathetic rate of putting biscuit in basket.
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