First Things First

The NHL tracks a statistic called “First Goal” of the game, which refers to the goal that puts either side up 1-0. In the instance of a 1-0 shootout victory, no “First Goal” is credited, but all other instances the statistic is recorded.

Due to the NHL’s relatively low scoring format, scoring first can have a big influence on a game, parti cularly when you consider that about one in every nine games this season has ended in a shutout victory.