An insane end of the regular season for hockey, back in 1970

[Thorin]

Here's an article about the 1969-1970 NHL regular season standings and ending games: http://www.yathehabsrule.com/2010/04/april-5-1970-close-race-leaves-habs-on.html

Basically, the New York Rangers were one win and five goals behind the Montreal Canadiens with one game left to go each, and the tie breaker (if the Rangers won their game and the Canadiens lost their game) would be goals scored.  The Rangers got ahead 9-2 in their game, and seeing that they had won the game pulled their goalie to try and get another goal to increase the chances of beating the Canadiens on goals scored.  Sure enough, the Canadiens weren't winning and so pulled their own goalie for ten minutes to try and score more goals than the Rangers had scored earlier that day.

Good lord, can you imagine pulling the goalie with a seven goal lead because you don't care how many goals are scored against you, you only care about scoring more goals for?  Or pulling your goalie in the middle of the third period, not caring about the seven goals just scored against your empty net, because all you need is three goals to get into the playoffs?

That's some crazy coacherie there.

[Mr. Analog]

Early 70s hockey is just plain weird, must have been something in the water

[Lazybones]

I think Goalies credited with goals is also interesting
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goaltender#Goalies_credited_with_goals

[Thorin]

The key is in how they broke ties in the standings - back then it was just how many goals you scored.  Nowadays it's the goal differential, so if you pull your goalie and allow seven goals to score three, you're actually further behind than if you keep your goalie in.

[Mr. Analog]

I have this urge to watch Slap Shot for some reason...