When boiled down to its simplest form, hockey is a sport where the objective is to put a puck into the net. Simple, right?

By and large, so are the team statistics that bettors can apply to the matchups they’re considering putting a wager on. 

If one wants to get an idea of how well a team does on the offensive end of the ice, it’s wise to first look at their goals for average and goals per game.

A good indicator of a team’s ability to fire accurately is the shots on goal per game category. The more a team can force the opposing goaltender to have to poke away and fight off shots, the better their chances are of breaking through and attaining an advantage.

Then, there are the defensive stats, a good deal of which fall on the goalie’s shoulders. Along with a team’s save percentage, be sure to take into account a team’s goals against average. Shots against per game show how good a defense is at getting in front of those trying to score.

Being that a team becomes shorthanded after committing infractions, hockey penalties are an important part of the game.

Team penalty minutes help a bettor understand how disciplined a team is and whether or not its mistakes might cost you.

Groups that are able to take advantage of miscues by converting are likelier to succeed than those who struggle in doing so.

Study a team’s total power play opportunities and their percentage in making their foes pay to get a better read with this.

Shorthanded goals are a great way for a team to take the wind out of their opponent’s sails. Though not all that common, a crew who’s down a man can find a way to slip a goal past while killing a penalty.