Greatest stat of all time | Habs Inside/Out
Eric Hornick, statistician on New York Islanders home telecasts since 1982, shares this wonderful only-in-the-NHL stat with members of the Society for International Hockey Research: Islanders’ P.A. Parenteau was credited with an awarded goal in Friday night’s 4-3 Isles win over Boston when he was hooked at in an empty-net situation. Parenteau thus goes into the record books with one goal on zero shots taken during the game. So forever, he will at least share the record of “Highest shooting percentage: infinity.”
Actually, his shooting percentage — 1 goal divided by 0 shots — is undefined. Otherwise, for example:
- 0 x 1 = 0
- 0 x 2 = 0
- so, 0 x 2 = 0 x 1
- so, (0 x 2)/0 = (0 x 1)/0
- so, 0/0 x 2 = 0/0 x 1
- (divide both sides by zero)
- 2 = 1
Obviously, this is how they arrived at the Bettman point.