Goals per Game

I'm not one to subscribe to the idea that a higher goals per game average makes more exciting hockey, but it's an interesting statistic regardless. According to dropyourgolves.com scoring is actually down a little this season to 5.53 goals per game. Thats a level slightly lower than the last two seasons but is still higher then every pre-lockout season back to 96-97.

Although there have been some close games this season there have also been a couple in which the score has gotten a bit on the high side. Early last season when the Sabres beat the Fliers 9-1 the coach got fired, and players got cut, this season blow outs of this nature seem almost to be the norm. Yesterday the Boston Bruins beat the Los Angles Kings 8-6, a game which had almost three times as many goals as the average game in the league. While that score might be partially due to the goalies in net for each team, earlier this week All-Star Roberto Luongo allowed four goals in the first period to the Philadelphia Flyers before being pulled in a 8-2 loss for the Canucks. That ruined more then a few fantasy teams who suddenly saw 12GAA for who is one of the best goaltenders in the NHL. Even Toronto has posted an eight point game.

The Sabres are currently second in the league in goals scored per game so far this season, after leading the league in goals scored last year.

The Flyers, who had the leagues worst record last year are first in goals per game with 4.667, ahead of Buffalo's 4.0 goals per game. The next three teams surprisingly are the Leafs, the Blues, and the Hurricanes.

The Sabres play a very strong capitals teams tonight at seven, and then take on Toronto next Monday.