2002-03 Statistical Notes

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2002-03 STATISTICAL NOTES

Goal-Scoring/Offense

While goal-scoring was up marginally this season (5.3 goals-per-game vs. 5.2 average in 2001-02), there are several indicators that there was more offense in the game, that the stars had more room to shine and that there was more flow ...

Five players exceeded the 96 points with which Jarome Iginla won the Art Ross Trophy last season (Peter Forsberg had 106, Markus Naslund 104, Joe Thornton 101, Milan Hejduk 98, Todd Bertuzzi 97).

Twelve players had 82 or more points (the equivalent of a point per game over an 82-game schedule), compared to just three last season.

Fifteen players exceeded 50 assists, including Peter Forsberg, whose 77 assists was the League's highest total since Jaromir Jagr's 83 in 1998-99. Nine players had 55 assists or more, compared to only two last year.

There were 75 hat tricks, compared to 57 last season. Over the past seven seasons, the only one in which there were more hat tricks than this season was the 93 in 2000-2001.

Time of Game/Hurry-up Line Change

The average time of game for the 2002-03 regular season was 2:20 (quickest games in 40 years), down from an average of 2:33 in 2001-02. Excluding overtime games, the average was 2:18, which is also the quickest average time of game in 40 years (2:19 average in 1963-64).

Not only was the average time of game consistent throughout the season, it actually dropped slightly. The average for the first month was 2:21.

The quickest game took place in the last month of the season: 2:04 (Detroit vs Pittsburgh, Mar. 18).

25% (304 of 1230) of games this season were played in 2:15 or less.

The hurry-up line change standard was consistently enforced. The average length of a stoppage for the season was 23.8 seconds. The average stoppage was actually quicker as the season progressed as the average through the first 500 games was 24.2 seconds.

Close Games

More goals does not necessarily translate to better games. The highest goals-per-game average in a season in the last 80 years was 8.3 in 1981-82. That season, only 18% of games were decided by one goal. This season, 36% of games were decided by one goal.

Overtime

50% of the games that went into overtime this season resulted in a winner (156 of 313), the highest overtime decision rate since regular season overtime was instituted in 1983-84. Previous high was 45% in both 2000-01 and 2001-02.