On the Scoresheet, Gary Bettman is Six-Foot-Three

by J.P. on Oct 2, 2009 3:28 PM EDT

As pretty as his pre-season tally against the Rangers last Sunday was, Brooks Laich's two goals in last night's win over the Bruins were in some ways more beautiful to watch because they demonstrated the type of "net presence" of which Laich is capable and has demonstrated in the past. As he noted post-game in Boston, "With Alex [Ovechkin], you know the puck is going to get to the net - somehow it is getting to the net. I know what my role is on the power play. I think my two goals might have been from a combined two feet out from the goal line."

This is exactly what Caps fans have come to expect from the guy who a season ago proclaimed, "If you want money, go to the bank. If you want bread, go to the bakery. If you want goals, go to the net."

For you more visual types, here's a look at each of the two goals from just about the moment the puck leaves Laich's stick:

Beauties, both of 'em.

But that "combined two feet" comment got us wondering - from just how far out were those goals, actually? Would you believe 14 and 12 feet? Me neither. But that's what the NHL's official play-by-play sheet says (ESPN.com has them at 14.6 and 10 feet, respectively). As a point of reference (if my Pythagorean Theorem skills are still sharp), the faceoff dots are approximately 28.6 feet from the center of the goal at the goal line. So Laich's first goal was scored from about half-way to the dot (more than two Zdeno Charas in distance), and his second from more than a third of the way. Huh?

Does it matter? Of course not. Do I have issues if things like this bother me? Likely. But I suppose the point is that even presumably objective stats can be, well, wrong when the data collected takes place in the blink of an eye in such a chaotic, lightning-fast game.

[For more on this topic, click over to the brilliant Behind the Net, which, if you didn't know, is now on the SB Nation network. Awesome.]

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Comments

At least they were consistent when they said Patrice Beregron scored from 9 feet away.

I think the real question is: why even bother recording the stat when it’s this inaccurate?

Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*

*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night

by Hooks Orpik on Oct 2, 2009 3:37 PM EDT reply actions

How dare you suggest the NHL is not accurate and perfect.

If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all them bees.

by Rob Parker on Oct 2, 2009 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions

You forgot proper Capitalization and punctuation techniques. If I may:

HOW #%&$^& DARE YOU SUGGEST THE NH %#$#@ L IS NOT ACCURATE AND $@#&() PERFECT?!!

by DrinkingPartner on Oct 2, 2009 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Cled

Atta dinnin stick a who!

by Gould Old Days on Oct 2, 2009 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah.. I don’t want to see anybody quote that particular type of stat anymore for any reason.

Maybe play with an edge, be a little more physical -- maybe be more of a prick out there.

by jordanDC on Oct 2, 2009 3:46 PM EDT reply actions

Do I like to ask myself questions and then answer them? Absolutely!

Also, I totally agree with Hooks on this, why do they keep it? Or at least wouldn’t it make sense to just go back after the goals (maybe even after the game) and make a less half assed attempt to measure based on the video. Or worst case use a hawk-eye like system from tennis to figure out exactly where the puck is at all times, or RFIDs or some invisible glow puck..

by renstar on Oct 2, 2009 3:48 PM EDT reply actions

Doesn’t seem challenging to get it right-ish, at least for goals. I think I’ll only take the shooter’s word for this stat, from now on.

by redlineblue on Oct 2, 2009 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Aaaaaaaaaand unleash the “Eric Fehr only shoots 40’ wristers” contingent.

If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all them bees.

by Rob Parker on Oct 2, 2009 4:07 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Wait a minute...

I thought the basic distance listed in the Play By Play file was measured from the end boards, and the goal line is 10 feet from there. So that would make those distances just about right.

More fun than a stick to the face!
On the Forecheck is SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators.

by Dirk Hoag on Oct 2, 2009 4:18 PM EDT reply actions

Quick, somebody look into this!

Maybe play with an edge, be a little more physical -- maybe be more of a prick out there.

by jordanDC on Oct 2, 2009 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Then that means that Patrice Bergeron was actually in or behind the net when he scored his goal.

by DrinkingPartner on Oct 2, 2009 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m not excited anymore; stat’s probably just bogus all the time.

Eric Fehr shoots from the red line.

Maybe play with an edge, be a little more physical -- maybe be more of a prick out there.

by jordanDC on Oct 2, 2009 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions

He was pretty much in it. Bumrushed Theo

by Bman21212 on Oct 2, 2009 7:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Given Bergeron’s 9-ft. shot and Gabe’s post over at BtN, I don’t think so.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Oct 2, 2009 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Gabe’s post talks about a different measure, the more detailed x- and y-coordinate values that aren’t listed in the NHL’s PBP file. I’m not saying the PBP distances are particularly accurate, just where they’re starting from.

I’ll have to go back through my Shots extract from last year, but as I recall it’s an insanely small minority of shots that come from less than 10 feet in the PBP listing, which would make sense if those were shots from behind the goal line.

More fun than a stick to the face!
On the Forecheck is SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators.

by Dirk Hoag on Oct 2, 2009 4:41 PM EDT up reply actions

That would make sense. Not sure how the 9-footer fits in then, though.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Oct 2, 2009 4:50 PM EDT up reply actions

I can’t get to all the data right now, but I did note Marc Savard with credited with a seven foot shot right next to the post. My hypothesis for the moment is:

- Distance is measure from a central spot derived from an equilateral triangle 6 × 6 × 6, taken from the width of the goal. That’d make the spot parallel to the center of the goal line, 14 inches behind the back of the goal (NHL goals are 44 inches deep, iirc)

- Distance is measured from where the player, not the puck, is, and that added several feet in the Laich and Bergeron goals. Also explains why a shot recorded right next to the post would be seven feet

- Obviously it’s not going to be a perfect measured.

caveat: I got a ‘D’ in high school geometry.

by David Getz on Oct 2, 2009 5:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Bonus geometry:

The boards at 132 inches from the goal line; if my theory’s right the spot would be 72 inches (six feet) from the boards.

The faceoff dots are 31 feet from the boards; the rink is 85 feet high. Thus using a spot between the faceoff circles in the slot, a long wall, and this hypothetical point should yield a triangle with sides of 25, 42.5, and 49 feet. So a shot parallel to the faceoff dots next to the boards should be measured at ~49 feet.

As I said, I can’t get to the shot chart right now, but if that matches up, we might have our answer.

Again: I got a ‘D’ in geometry.

by David Getz on Oct 2, 2009 5:26 PM EDT up reply actions

I failed geometry – anything right angle and cylinder-ish makes my head hurt.

"Only by great risks can great results be achieved." - Khashayar

by Steck It Out on Oct 2, 2009 7:23 PM EDT up reply actions

i taught geometry for a year and barely follow… haha.

"No Brooks Laich, no win. Know Brooks Laich, know win."

by kellobellow on Oct 2, 2009 9:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Wasn’t Dirk being sarcastic?

If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all them bees.

by Rob Parker on Oct 2, 2009 4:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Guess not.

If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all them bees.

by Rob Parker on Oct 2, 2009 4:42 PM EDT up reply actions

The NHL, doing a service for men everywhere.

/Shows himself out

"Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one."

by Bald Pollack on Oct 2, 2009 5:09 PM EDT reply actions

May as well. No way to follow that up.

If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all them bees.

by Rob Parker on Oct 2, 2009 5:10 PM EDT up reply actions

That explains Smiling Bob.

"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri

by gotsparkly on Oct 2, 2009 6:46 PM EDT up reply actions

I know the NHL actually knows where the shots are taken because that NHL Gamecenter shot \ goal tracker is almost deadly accurate.

One guy just drove his semi as a float. I guess semis are cool.

by zephyr on Oct 2, 2009 5:31 PM EDT reply actions

Don’t they use the little GPS doojobber inside the puck that creates the red glow and comet tail I keep seeing on the puck?

(Maybe I should stop drinking turpentine when I watch hockey)

Atta dinnin stick a who!

by Gould Old Days on Oct 2, 2009 6:47 PM EDT up reply actions

I noticed this too when I was writing my recap.

Stanley Cup of Chowder: A Hearty Serving of Hockey in The Hub

by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Oct 2, 2009 6:16 PM EDT reply actions

If the folks posting these numbers on shot distances worked in plotting courses for the Apollo moon missions, Neil Armstrong would have been taking a giant leap for mankind in Newark.

If you've read this far...seek help.

by ThePeerless on Oct 3, 2009 9:51 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

There are a lot of people that think he did take that step in Newark.

Stanley Cup of Chowder: A Hearty Serving of Hockey in The Hub

by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Oct 3, 2009 10:44 AM EDT up reply actions

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