I suppose we will have to listen to Crispino on Saturday?

Fair question/observation – so let’s take a look at this…

Rangers even-strength goals opening night –
ROZSIVAL.. from 0-0 score to 1-0 = 89 points. (I do tab D’s here, also)

PRUCHA…...from 1-2 score to 2-2 = 55 points.

DRURY….... from 2-2 score to 3-2 = 89 points.

CALLAHAN..from 3-2 score to 4-2 = 55 points.

STRAKA…...from 4-2 score to 5-2 = 34 points.

The big question, generated by the above values is the equal number of
points alloted both Prucha and Callahan. My (arbitrary) values begin with the foundational premise that the most-important goal in a game is a tie-breaker, and of course you can have more than one tie-breaker goal in a game, as Rozsival and Drury each registered a tie-breaker on opening night.

As the score drifts up or down from the level of a team going from tied to leading by one goal, the values diminish. When the Rangers were trailing 1-2, had the opposition scored, instead of Prucha, the deficit would have been 1-3 = two goals, instead of a tie, a big difference. So instead of down two goals, thanks to Prucha the game became tied.

In the case of Callahan, the Rangers went from 3-2 to a 4-2 lead. Had the opposition scored, instead of Callahan scoring, we are back in a tie. So Prucha gave us a tie, whereas Callahan prevented the oppostion from getting back into a tie, thus the equivalent value of 55 points to each.

Again, all values fall away, on a consistent basis, from the highest value of going from a tie to a one goal lead. That Drury’s goal was more important than Straka’s is indisputable, in that given the 4-2 lead at the time of Straka’s goal, the opposition would have to score three straight goals and then hold on to beat us. There is approximately one chance in eight (7-1 odds against) of that happening. When the game was tied, before Drury’s goal, one goal there by the opposition could have been their game-winner.

No system has to be perfect to have fundamental merit, if it is in the ballpark. Mine can be tinkered with, maybe even improved. Again, I just want to know who scores when the game is tied, and who scores when the game is already decided and the score goes from 5-1 to 5-2, and have a points system which recognizes and rewards and penalizes the difference according to the importance of each (even-strength) goal. Power play goals are another study, which someone else can do, I am primarily interested in how players perform when they do not have an advantage, which, to me, is the biggest test of skill.

Let’s Go Rangers!