# Easy Hockey Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 25, 2001, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-hockey-question/89433 "2001-10-25T00:33:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jadowa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8c91f0/32.png) [@jadowa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jadowa)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2001, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-hockey-question/89433/1 "2001-10-25T00:33:24Z")
This should be an easy question, though I cannot find or figure out the answer. On ESPN when they give a record for a NHL team, the record has 4 numbers… EG 14-6-3-1 Obviously three of the numbers are wins, losses, ties. What in the world is that fourth number? By the way this is my first post after reading many great threads for the past week… Thanks, Jason ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2001, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-hockey-question/89433/2 "2001-10-25T00:36:38Z")
This has been asked before, but, we don’t mind. Column four is “Overtime losses”. Teams still get credit for one point in the standings if they are tied after regulation, but lose in the five-minute overtime. That column exists so you can add up all the games. ---
**Author:** ![jadowa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8c91f0/32.png) [@jadowa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jadowa)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2001, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-hockey-question/89433/3 "2001-10-25T00:43:18Z")
Thanks for the answer… I actually did search the message boards, but came up with nothing. Perhaps I need to practice my searching skills to avoid this problem in the future. Thanks, jason