What is Shorthanded Goals?

Goals scored by a team when they have fewer players on the ice than the opponent due to a penalty.

What this tells us

When a team is down a player because of a penalty, scoring a goal is a huge momentum swing — it's rare and valuable. Shorthanded goals show which players or teams are best at capitalizing on chaos when they're outnumbered. A player with multiple SHG is someone who thrives under pressure and makes smart plays even when his team is in a tough spot.

Limitations

Shorthanded goals are rare events, so a single goal or two can look like a huge outlier on a small sample. A player might never see another SHG opportunity all season, or might see five in a week by random chance. The stat tells you what happened, not necessarily what the player is capable of repeating.

Example

A forward with 3–5 shorthanded goals in a season is doing something special. Most players finish the year with zero or one. Teams that are good at penalty killing and have aggressive forwards often lead the league in SHG.