USAToday Sports Images

Goals in the NHL this year are coming at a higher rate than they have in the past.  A wish that many NHL fans have been praying for.  This year, 34 of the 706 NHL games have featured 10 or more goals.  That is 4.8% of the games, compared to the 3.2% and 39 of the 1230 games last season.  Goals bring fans to their feet, and keep them on the edge of your seat.  The past week goal scoring is out of control.  Goals have been up every night, and there seems to be a super high scoring game every night.

Jan. 23rd – 5.50 goals per game

            6-1 Washington over Carolina

Jan 22nd – 6.17 goals per game

            7-6 Columbus over Ottawa

Jan 21st – 6.55 goals per game

            7-3 Edmonton over Calgary

Jan 20th – 4.33 goals per game

            7-1 Pittsburgh over Carolina

Jan 19th – 5.25 goals per game

            7-3 Washington over St. Louis

Jan 18th – 7.40 goals per game

            6-3 Winnipeg over Arizona

            6-5 Detroit over Boston

Jan 17th – 7.00 goals per game

            7-6 Dallas over New York Rangers

            6-4 Ottawa over St. Louis

            6-4 Chicago over Colorado

Jan 16th – 5.57 goals per game

            8-7 Pittsburgh over Washington

The Blue Jackets and Senators combined to score 13 goals on Sunday night, marking the sixth day of the last seven that a game has featured at least 10 goals.   Sunday also featured the fourth consecutive day in which a team scored at least seven goals (Jan. 19 – WSH; Jan. 20 – PIT; Jan. 21 – EDM), marking the first time a team has scored seven or more goals in four straight days since Nov. 17-20, 2010.

So why the increase in goals?  Your guess is as good as mine.  Could it be the compressed schedule this season?  Is it the fatigue that goes with that schedule?  Who knows, but one thing I do know is that the games have been exciting.  It may also quiet the critics that have crazy ideas like bigger nets…

Flyers captain Claude Giroux scored his second overtime goal of the season to help the Flyers overcome a 2-0 deficit and snap a three-game slide . . . Nashville head coachPeter Laviolette became the 25th coach to win 500 NHL games as the Predators improved to 6-1-0 in their last seven contests . . . Senators forward Kyle Turris scored in his 500th game . . . Wild forward Mikael Granlund (1-7—8 in 7 GP), Senators captain Erik Karlsson (0-7—7 in 6 GP), Canucks captain Henrik Sedin (2-3—5 in 5 GP) and Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello (0-7—7 in 5 GP) each extended point streaks . . . Blue Jackets defenseman Scott Harrington scored his first NHL goal (31 GP).

Elias notes that forward Christian Fischer (1-0—1) became the first player in Coyotes/Jets franchise history to score in each of his first two NHL games . . . Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello (GWG) helped New York record its third straight win while extending his point streak to six games (1-7—8) . . . Maple Leafs rookie Mitchell Marner(11-28—39) posted 1-1—2 to surpass teammate Auston Matthews (22-16—38) for the rookie scoring lead . . . Alain Vigneault (NYR) became the 18th head coach in League history (seventh active) to serve 1,100 career games behind an NHL bench . . . Jets forward Mark Scheifele (0-1—1) extended his point streak to five games (2-5—7) . . . The Senators signed forward Zack Smith to a four-year contract extension.