Empty-Net Lab
NHL Empty-Net Goals & Goalie Pull Tracker 2019-20
When does each coach pull the goalie, how often does the extra attacker score, and who is on the ice for it at both ends? Every number comes from the NHL shift charts, so a pull is timed to the second and delayed-penalty pulls are left out.
When NHL teams pull the goalie, 2019-20
Share of trailing teams with the goalie pulled, by time left in the 3rd period
When NHL teams pull the goalie, 2019-20. Down 1: half pulled by 1:50 remaining, 36% pulled with 2:00 left (657 trailing spells); Down 2: half pulled by 2:43 remaining, 87% pulled with 2:00 left (581 trailing spells).
Goalie pulls and empty-net goals by team, 2019-20
| Team | Median pull, down 1 | Pulled by 2:00 | Median pull, down 2 | 6v5 time | GF pulled | ENG against | ENG for | GA vs extra attacker |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Avalanche | 2:18 (19) | 50% | 9:03 (13) | 29:43 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 8 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 2:10 (23) | 77% | 3:07 (21) | 48:35 | 8 | 14 | 8 | 5 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 2:05 (15) | 57% | 3:24 (16) | 31:54 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 2 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 2:02 (20) | 60% | 2:18 (19) | 35:02 | 1 | 7 | 14 | 2 |
| Ottawa Senators | 2:02 (22) | 55% | 2:30 (17) | 33:30 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 3 |
| Arizona Coyotes | 1:59 (24) | 47% | 2:28 (14) | 35:46 | 1 | 10 | 16 | 5 |
| Calgary Flames | 1:58 (24) | 43% | 2:57 (24) | 37:22 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 3 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 1:58 (29) | 47% | 2:32 (22) | 44:23 | 6 | 11 | 7 | 8 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 1:57 (23) | 45% | 2:51 (20) | 34:25 | 5 | 12 | 10 | 5 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 1:57 (27) | 40% | 3:09 (33) | 55:57 | 7 | 19 | 7 | 3 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 1:57 (22) | 29% | 2:10 (12) | 40:27 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 4 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 1:55 (31) | 48% | 3:05 (26) | 37:45 | 6 | 14 | 7 | 6 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | 1:54 (17) | 38% | 2:14 (13) | 27:58 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 1:53 (23) | 30% | 2:27 (20) | 19:40 | 5 | 12 | 12 | 2 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 1:52 (21) | 34% | 2:43 (22) | 34:34 | 4 | 14 | 13 | 2 |
| Boston Bruins | 1:50 (17) | 36% | 2:31 (14) | 19:41 | 3 | 9 | 13 | 4 |
| Minnesota Wild | 1:50 (18) | 30% | 2:41 (18) | 28:10 | 1 | 12 | 9 | 7 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 1:50 (21) | 31% | 2:52 (24) | 33:57 | 8 | 9 | 15 | 2 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 1:49 (19) | 32% | 3:01 (13) | 27:36 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 8 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 1:49 (22) | 46% | 3:08 (17) | 31:30 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 8 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 1:47 (21) | 27% | 3:15 (22) | 45:25 | 6 | 9 | 5 | 4 |
| Dallas Stars | 1:47 (22) | 26% | 3:08 (14) | 34:19 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 5 |
| San Jose Sharks | 1:45 (22) | 28% | 2:36 (24) | 31:50 | 4 | 15 | 8 | 6 |
| Nashville Predators | 1:44 (20) | 25% | 2:19 (17) | 25:41 | 1 | 11 | 8 | 6 |
| St. Louis Blues | 1:43 (19) | 24% | 2:37 (17) | 28:39 | 2 | 15 | 12 | 4 |
| Washington Capitals | 1:41 (21) | 0% | 3:36 (14) | 35:02 | 9 | 10 | 16 | 2 |
| Florida Panthers | 1:40 (25) | 25% | 2:40 (19) | 31:15 | 7 | 12 | 12 | 4 |
| New Jersey Devils | 1:35 (14) | 0% | 2:30 (20) | 21:37 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 1 |
| New York Rangers | 1:28 (18) | 11% | 2:24 (22) | 36:45 | 6 | 11 | 12 | 3 |
| New York Islanders | 1:27 (23) | 31% | 2:37 (17) | 26:23 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 8 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 1:27 (15) | 0% | 2:28 (17) | 24:09 | 2 | 11 | 12 | 3 |
Sorted by median pull time, earliest first, for teams with 10+ late one-goal deficits; smaller samples follow, unranked. In brackets: late deficits behind the median (trailing by one or two in the last 10:00); team-season samples are small (split-half r = 0.30), so treat gaps of 15-20 seconds as noise. "Pulled by 2:00" is the share of late one-goal deficits with the goalie out with 2:00 or more left. GF / ENG against: goals for and empty-net goals against while this team had its goalie pulled. ENG for / GA vs extra attacker: the same when the opponent pulled.
Goalie pull timing by coach, 2019-20
| Coach | Team | Median pull, down 1 | Pulled by 2:00 | Median pull, down 2 | Tied it, down 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jared Bednar | Colorado Avalanche | 2:18 (19) | 50% | 9:03 (13) | 1 / 11 |
| Geoff Ward | Calgary Flames | 2:13 (11) | 57% | 3:54 (13) | 1 / 8 |
| Ralph Krueger | Buffalo Sabres | 2:10 (23) | 77% | 3:07 (21) | 5 / 18 |
| Peter DeBoer | San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights | 2:07 (12) | 75% | 2:07 (9) | 1 / 7 |
| Alain Vigneault | Philadelphia Flyers | 2:05 (15) | 57% | 3:24 (16) | 1 / 8 |
| D.J. Smith | Ottawa Senators | 2:02 (22) | 55% | 2:30 (17) | 0 / 13 |
| Rod Brind'Amour | Carolina Hurricanes | 2:02 (20) | 60% | 2:18 (19) | 1 / 11 |
| Rick Bowness | Dallas Stars | 1:59 (13) | 44% | 2:58 (7) | 1 / 8 |
| Rick Tocchet | Arizona Coyotes | 1:59 (24) | 47% | 2:28 (14) | 0 / 20 |
| Claude Julien | Montreal Canadiens | 1:58 (29) | 47% | 2:32 (22) | 2 / 21 |
| Jeff Blashill | Detroit Red Wings | 1:57 (27) | 40% | 3:09 (33) | 1 / 16 |
| Jeremy Colliton | Chicago Blackhawks | 1:57 (23) | 45% | 2:51 (20) | 1 / 18 |
| Paul Maurice | Winnipeg Jets | 1:57 (22) | 29% | 2:10 (12) | 2 / 14 |
| Todd McLellan | Los Angeles Kings | 1:55 (31) | 48% | 3:05 (26) | 4 / 25 |
| Gerard Gallant | Vegas Golden Knights | 1:54 (11) | 33% | 2:14 (11) | 2 / 8 |
| Dave Tippett | Edmonton Oilers | 1:53 (23) | 30% | 2:27 (20) | 2 / 13 |
| Travis Green | Vancouver Canucks | 1:52 (21) | 34% | 2:43 (22) | 1 / 13 |
| Bruce Boudreau | Minnesota Wild | 1:51 (14) | 38% | 2:41 (14) | 0 / 9 |
| Sheldon Keefe | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1:51 (11) | 29% | 3:11 (14) | 2 / 8 |
| Bruce Cassidy | Boston Bruins | 1:50 (17) | 36% | 2:31 (14) | 2 / 11 |
| John Tortorella | Columbus Blue Jackets | 1:49 (19) | 32% | 3:01 (13) | 2 / 13 |
| Jon Cooper | Tampa Bay Lightning | 1:49 (22) | 46% | 3:08 (17) | 2 / 17 |
| Dallas Eakins | Anaheim Ducks | 1:47 (21) | 27% | 3:15 (22) | 3 / 16 |
| Peter Laviolette | Nashville Predators | 1:44 (13) | 40% | 2:50 (9) | 0 / 7 |
| Bill Peters | Calgary Flames | 1:43 (13) | 27% | 2:01 (11) | 4 / 8 |
| Craig Berube | St. Louis Blues | 1:43 (19) | 24% | 2:37 (17) | 0 / 12 |
| Mike Babcock | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1:43 (10) | 33% | 2:47 (10) | 1 / 7 |
| Todd Reirden | Washington Capitals | 1:41 (21) | 0% | 3:36 (14) | 6 / 15 |
| Joel Quenneville | Florida Panthers | 1:40 (25) | 25% | 2:40 (19) | 3 / 17 |
| John Hynes | New Jersey Devils, Nashville Predators | 1:35 (13) | 0% | 1:57 (13) | 2 / 8 |
| David Quinn | New York Rangers | 1:28 (18) | 11% | 2:24 (22) | 2 / 14 |
| Barry Trotz | New York Islanders | 1:27 (23) | 31% | 2:37 (17) | 4 / 14 |
| Mike Sullivan | Pittsburgh Penguins | 1:27 (15) | 0% | 2:28 (17) | 1 / 10 |
| Bob Boughner | San Jose Sharks | 1:24 (16) | 13% | 2:43 (17) | 0 / 10 |
| Not ranked: fewer than 10 late one-goal deficits (coach), most deficits first | |||||
| Jim Montgomery | Dallas Stars | 1:38 (9) | 0% | 3:12 (7) | 0 / 6 |
| Alain Nasreddine | New Jersey Devils | 1:15 (8) | 0% | 2:30 (15) | 1 / 3 |
| Dean Evason | Minnesota Wild | 1:46 (4) | 0% | 1:54 (4) | 0 / 2 |
Head coach behind the bench in each game, from the NHL game center. Interim coaches get their own row. Coaches with fewer than 10 late one-goal deficits are listed after the ranked ones.
Who is on the ice: extra attacker and empty-net defense, 2019-20
Empty-net goals
- 1Tanner PearsonVAN6 G, 3 A
- 2Sebastian AhoCAR6 G, 2 A
- 3Gustav NyquistCBJ6 G, 1 A
- 4Alex OvechkinWSH6 G, 0 A
- 5Kyle ConnorWPG5 G, 4 A
- 6Patrice BergeronBOS5 G, 2 A
- 7Bo HorvatVAN4 G, 3 A
- 8Lawson CrouseARI4 G, 3 A
- 9Patrik LaineWPG4 G, 3 A
- 10Gabriel LandeskogCOL4 G, 2 A
Goals and assists into an empty net while the other team had really pulled its goalie.
Most 6-on-5 ice time
- 1Dylan LarkinDET47:51 · 86%
- 2Tyler BertuzziDET47:17 · 85%
- 3Jack EichelBUF46:58 · 97%
- 4Sam ReinhartBUF40:57 · 84%
- 5Filip HronekDET40:56 · 80%
- 6Max DomiMTL40:38 · 92%
- 7Kyle ConnorWPG40:24 · 100%
- 8Ryan GetzlafANA39:21 · 87%
- 9Blake WheelerWPG39:13 · 97%
- 10Mark ScheifeleWPG37:51 · 94%
Time on the ice as the extra-attacker unit; % = share of his team's pulled time in games he dressed.
Most empty-net defense time
- 1Zdeno CharaBOS33:10 · 85%
- 2Ryan SuterMIN31:12 · 73%
- 3John CarlsonWSH30:17 · 72%
- 4Victor HedmanTBL29:22 · 62%
- 5Anthony CirelliTBL29:07 · 62%
- 6Esa LindellDAL28:07 · 71%
- 7Erik CernakTBL26:45 · 57%
- 8Brayden McNabbVGK26:35 · 87%
- 9Alex KillornTBL25:34 · 53%
- 10Patrice BergeronBOS24:59 · 63%
Time on the ice protecting a lead against an empty net: the players a coach trusts to close, and who get the empty-net chances.
Extra-attacker points
- 1Mathew BarzalNYI2 G, 4 A
- 2Auston MatthewsTOR3 G, 2 A
- 3Dylan LarkinDET3 G, 2 A
- 4Evgenii DadonovFLA3 G, 2 A
- 5Jack EichelBUF3 G, 2 A
- 6Matthew TkachukCGY3 G, 2 A
- 7Nicklas BackstromWSH2 G, 3 A
- 8Patrick KaneCHI2 G, 3 A
- 9Tomas TatarMTL2 G, 3 A
- 10Jonathan HuberdeauFLA1 G, 4 A
Goals and assists with his own goalie pulled.
How we measure it
- We find every goalie pull in the 3rd period from the NHL shift charts: the stretches in which a trailing team had no goalie on the ice.
- Delayed-penalty pulls are removed. If the play-by-play shows a delayed penalty called on the other team as the goalie left, the time before the whistle does not count; a pull of 90 seconds or less that ends at a penalty on the other team with more than 5:00 left is treated the same way even when the delayed-penalty event is missing.
- Pull timing is measured as a survival curve (Kaplan-Meier). Every stretch in which a team trails by one (or two) enters the curve when it starts, or at 10:00 left if it started earlier, and leaves when the coach pulls the goalie or the score changes. "Median pull" is the time left at which half of teams in that spot have pulled. A deficit that starts with the goalie already out (he stayed on the bench through a goal) is left out of the curve: that pull was decided at the earlier score.
- That matters: averaging pull times only over the games that reached a pull favors late pulls, because a deficit that is erased early never shows one.
- Empty-net goals for and against are counted only while a goalie is really pulled, per 60 minutes of 6-on-5 (or 6-on-4) time. Rates need at least 10 minutes of pulled time before we show them.
- Player shares: a skater’s ice time in his team’s pulls, divided by the team’s total pulled time in the games he dressed. Empty-net defense is the same with the opponent pulling.
- Rankings of teams and coaches by pull time need at least 10 late one-goal deficits; smaller samples are listed after the ranked ones. Team pages cover the whole franchise (the Arizona Coyotes and Utah Hockey Club seasons are on the Utah Mammoth page).
- Coaches come from the NHL game center (head coach behind each bench). Seasons start in 2017-18, the first season of full shift data in our engine. Regular season only on these pages.
What repeats and what does not
- League trend: coaches pull earlier every year. The median pull down one moved from 1:40 left in 2017-18 to 2:00 in 2025-26, and down two from 2:30 to 3:23. Pulling down one ties the game about 14-16% of the time in every season.
- Team pull timing repeats, but only moderately. Splitting each team-season into odd and even games, the two halves’ median pull times correlate at r = 0.30 (284 team-seasons). Season to season it is r = 0.43 when the coach stays and 0.22 after a coaching change, which is why the coach tables matter. Read gaps of 15-20 seconds between teams as noise.
- Player roles are the stable part. A skater’s share of his team’s 6-on-5 time correlates r = 0.88 from one season to the next (same team, 2,683 pairs), and his share of empty-net defense time r = 0.75. Empty-net defense share tracks empty-net points (r = 0.47 within a season).
- Team empty-net goals per game do not repeat well (split-half r = 0.19): they depend on game states nobody controls. So we do not publish a nightly "empty-net goal odds" by team; the player shares are the signal to use.
FAQ
When do NHL coaches pull the goalie when down by one?
In 2019-20, half of NHL teams trailing by one had pulled their goalie with 1:50 left in the 3rd period, and 36% had pulled with 2:00 or more left (657 late one-goal deficits). Down by two, the median pull came with 2:43 left.
How often does pulling the goalie work?
With the goalie pulled, trailing teams scored 8.0 goals per 60 minutes and allowed 19.2 empty-net goals per 60 in 2019-20. Of 439 pulls while down one, 61 (14%) ended with the tying goal before the goalie went back in. An empty-net goal against usually just turns a one-goal loss into a two-goal loss; the tying goal turns a likely loss into at least a point.
Which NHL team pulls its goalie the earliest?
Among teams with at least 10 late one-goal deficits in 2019-20, the COL pulled earliest (median 2:18 left) and the PIT latest (median 1:27). Samples are small, so the team pages show each team's curve with the number of games behind it.
Who scores the most empty-net goals?
The skaters a coach sends out to protect a late lead: usually the top centers, shutdown forwards and top-pair defensemen. Their share of empty-net defense time is very stable from season to season (r = 0.75) and tracks empty-net points, so the empty-net defense board on this page is the best guide to who gets those goals.
Do empty-net goals count in fantasy hockey?
Yes. An empty-net goal counts as a goal and a point for the scorer and the assists in Yahoo, ESPN and Fantrax, and a goal allowed into an empty net does not count against the goalie’s goals-against average or save percentage. The players a coach trusts to defend a late lead get the empty-net chances, which is why the empty-net defense shares on this page matter for goals and points.
Does an empty-net goal count against the goalie?
No. The goalie was not on the ice, so the goal is charged to the team but not to the goalie: it does not change his save percentage or goals-against average.