# Pulling the goalie **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 28, 2003, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-the-goalie/171728 "2003-04-28T17:49:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kylen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@kylen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kylen)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-the-goalie/171728/41 "2003-05-02T06:06:36Z")
Et le but! ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-the-goalie/171728/42 "2003-05-02T06:18:26Z")
The hockey researchers I spoke to are quite divided over this issue. If you want to get them really riled up, ask these guys which is more important: Total saves or save percentage for a goalie? ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-the-goalie/171728/43 "2003-05-02T17:36:45Z")
I brought up the point about the tournament style hockey to the hockey researchers (on their listserv through a friend who subscribes) and apparently the Soviets wouldn’t pull the goalie EVER. Regardless of the situation. The Soviet hockey system firmly believed that the chance of giving up an empty net goal and falling behind by 2 goals was always so much greater than getting a tying goal that they would never pull the goalie for an extra attacker. Presumably, the Soviets would pull the goalie in a delayed penalty situation where the opponents cannot score unless you score in to your own goal. ---
**Author:** ![KellyM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/57b2e6/32.png) [@KellyM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyM)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-the-goalie/171728/44 "2003-05-03T03:41:46Z")
It should be noted that in some tournaments, goals scored and goals allowed can be used as tiebreakers for elimination. In such an competition, allowing an empty-netter could hurt you, and refusing to pull the goaltender in that context makes sense. I have no idea if the Soviet teams ever played in such tournaments. I’ve normally only seen such tiebreaking rules used in soccer, where scoreless ties are thoroughly common. Hockey is less likely to yield scoreless games, although they used to be more common than they are now. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-the-goalie/171728/45 "2003-05-03T04:21:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KellyM \* > \*\*I have seen a team pull its goaltender when tied on rare circumstances late in the season when that team is on the bubble and the difference between two points and one can make the difference between making the playoffs or not. However, this is far less common now that we have the 5 minute regular-season overtime. \*\* It has been a very long time since we DIDN’T have regular season overtime - 19 years, actually. ---
**Author:** ![KellyM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/57b2e6/32.png) [@KellyM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyM)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-the-goalie/171728/46 "2003-05-03T04:22:48Z")
19 years? It can’t have been that long. Are you sure about that? ---
**Author:** ![hightechburrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f6c823/32.png) [@hightechburrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hightechburrito)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-the-goalie/171728/47 "2003-05-03T04:23:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ElwoodCuse \* > \*\*Evgeni Nabokov of the Sharks also scored an empty-netter, against Vancouver I believe. \*\* And it was a Power Play goal to boot. That was a first. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-the-goalie/171728/48 "2003-05-03T18:37:53Z")
The LA Kings pulled their goalie in OT this year late in the season in a game against Columbus. They had to get 2 points or be eliminated from the playoffs. They gave up an empty-netter and lost. Even if they had won, their chances of making the playoffs were still remote. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-the-goalie/171728.md?page=2)