Longest time with goalie pulled (NHL)?

[Doctor No]

Hi all - while reconciling a discrepancy in my game logs, I was trying to figure out why I had Mathieu Chouinard in net for 9:48 of a game (instead of 2:43). Since it's his only NHL appearance, I was particularly interested.

Fortunately, his appearance is in the era where the NHL has good recordkeeping, and I grabbed this:

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20032004/PL020970.HTM

It looks like Chouinard was pulled at 11:41 of the third, and then reinserted at some point (doesn't say when). He was then pulled at 14:40 of the third (and it appears to be for good). This report wouldn't say whether or not he re-entered the game, but it would be consistent with his official statistics if he didn't. Moreover, there were no goals during that time, and every recorded faceoff was in the other end, so there was no good reason to have him re-enter.

If that's true, then the Los Angeles net was vacant for the final 5:20 of the game.

Can anyone top that?

 

[quoipourquoi]

This report wouldn't say whether or not he re-entered the game, but it would be consistent with his official statistics if he didn't. Moreover, there were no goals during that time, and every recorded faceoff was in the other end, so there was no good reason to have him re-enter.

If that's true, then the Los Angeles net was vacant for the final 5:20 of the game.

It was open for a very long time, indeed, because Los Angeles was in a playoff race and needed the points. An ENG was waived off because a fight broke out.

If there is a game with a longer time with an empty net, my guess is that it would have to be in March or April, because that's when desperation is at its highest.

 

[quoipourquoi]

A quick search found the Canucks with an empty net for 5:11 on November 26, 2000. I couldn't tell you the story behind that one.

 

[blogofmike]

I thought it was the 1970 Canadiens final regular season game

 

[JaymzB]

I thought it was the 1970 Canadiens final regular season game

According to Wiki, they pulled the goalie with 9 minutes left in the 3rd period.

 

[reckoning]

http://www.flyershistory.com/cgi-bin/poboxscore.cgi?H19690453

Chicago had an even-strength goal at 10:44 of the third, then scored the first of their five empty net goals at 12:27.

 

[Doctor No]

You guys are awesome - thanks!

Interesting that the HSP summary clearly shows the five empty net goals, but credits Vachon with allowing ten goals.

 

[Disengage]

I have a tape of game between the Lightning and Nordiques in 1994 where Quebec pulls Thibault with about 5 minutes left to play because neither team had gotten a shot yet in the third.

 

[reckoning]

In the Klein & Reif Hockey Compendium they mention a game where New Jersey pulled Chico Resch with several minutes left in the third, but I don't remember how many minutes it was, or who the game was against.

 

[Mr. Fancy Pants]

A quick search found the Canucks with an empty net for 5:11 on November 26, 2000. I couldn't tell you the story behind that one.

It was a different game but when with the Canucks Mike Keenan pulled the goalie early in the 3rd period to either spite management or as a motivational tactic. Here is an account of it:

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/story.html?id=de705615-ba83-4a99-b8ad-d71cdd7f560d&k=25155

And, more comically, the time in Toronto when Keenan brought his feud with general manager Brian Burke to the boiling point by pulling the goalie early in the third period -- a move that humiliated a boss whom Keenan felt had not provided him with players to win in conventional fashion.

When Keenan tried the move a second time, with about 10 minutes to go, the Leafs scored into the empty net en route to a 5-1 win at Maple Leaf Gardens and Burke, flushed with anger, turned to assistant Dave Nonis and said calmly: "Every camera in this building is on us right now, so don't react."

 

[DJ Man]

http://www.flyershistory.com/cgi-bin/poboxscore.cgi?H19690453

Chicago had an even-strength goal at 10:44 of the third, then scored the first of their five empty net goals at 12:27.

I remember listening to that game on the radio, on a Sunday night. Last game of the regular season.

When the game began, the Canadiens knew that, in order to get a playoff spot, they had to either (A) win or tie, or (B) score five goals. (Total goals scored was the final tiebreak criterion at that time.)

So, as a 1-0 win or a 0-0 tie would be enough, they had to play with typical caution at the start. However, once the Black Hawks took a 5-2 lead, their two objectives merged: they had to get to five goals, no matter what the final score.

They pulled the goalie every time they got play in Chicago's zone. Scored no goals, allowed five into the empty net.

It was very ugly, though the logic was unassailable. Had they managed to lose by 16-5, they'd be celebrating.


I seem to recall that in an earlier game, a team (Rangers?) with a 9-3 lead pulled their goalie in an effort to score more goals. They only succeeded in allowing a couple, but still winning 9-5.

The NHL changed the rule next season, moving head-to-head record ahead of total goals.

 

[Killion]

It was very ugly, though the logic was unassailable.

Thats right. Claude Ruel was behind the bench. Had been a promising Defenceman with the Ottawa-Hull Canadiens but he lost an eye and that was that. At only 5'6" and 160lbs as a Jr., unlikely he'd have made it to the NHL unless converted perhaps to a forward, but even then...