Why are the Penguins scoring so many empty netters?

There was a time not long ago (2018, to be precise) when an empty net was something of a curse for Bryan Rust.

The Penguins forward often would miss the cage with a shot from the neutral zone. And seemingly the only time his shot didn’t miss the net, it went off it, literally. A post or a crossbar would deny Rust some easy offense.

So he began to pass it to some of his more skilled linemates such as Sidney Crosby or Jake Guentzel and allowed them to boost their goal totals.

“I’m not sure I’m the shooter in those situations anymore,” Rust quipped in 2018. “I’ve become the passer.”

Rust has reclaimed his shooter role in that circumstance. At least that’s what can be assumed considering he and Guentzel each lead the Penguins with four empty-netters each.

As a team, the Penguins lead the NHL — through Thursday — with 18 empty-net goals, a franchise record.

They‘ve accomplished that feat in only 62 games. The previous record of 16, was set last season, in only 56 games as the 2020-21 campaign was limited in length because of the pandemic.

Before last season, the 2000-01 Penguins — with the likes of Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr — held the franchise mark with 14 in 82 games.

What has led to the Penguins being so prolific against an empty net?

“It helps when you’re winning,” Rust quipped recently. “Usually, their goalie is in the net unless you’re winning.”

Those wins are usually accentuated by who the Penguins place on the ice.

That is to say they typically have put their top line — which has been Guentzel, Rust and Sidney Crosby for most of the season — on the ice when the opposing team pulls the goaltender in hopes of generating offense late.

“I think for us, our line gets tossed on the ice there in those situations,” Rust said. “We know our job is to keep the puck out of our net. We also know the other team is thinking offensively. If there is a chance to go the other way or get a step on a guy, they may not be thinking defensively. That’s usually what leads to those chances or those empty-net breakaways.”

The Penguins aren’t alone in racking up empty net goals.

Of the 36 highest single-season empty net goal totals by a team in NHL history, only three — the 1999-2000 St. Louis Blues, 2008-09 Chicago Blackhawks and 2008-09 Washington Capitals — did not occur within the past eight seasons.

The 2015-16 Dallas Stars hold the NHL record with 24 empty-net goals.

Why are empty net goals so much more common?

One, goaltenders tend to get yanked earlier in the third period by trailing teams.

That notion was evident in the Penguins’ season opener, a 6-2 road win against the Tampa Bay Lightning. With his team trailing 3-0, Lightning coach Jon Cooper pulled goaltender Andrei Vasilevsky with 6 minutes, 12 seconds remaining in the contest.

The Lightning scored twice with the extra attacker, and the Penguins tallied three empty-net goals, including Rust’s first goal of the season.

“I’m sure the analytics weighs in on that, just with respect to their influence on coaching staffs and pulling goaltenders a lot sooner,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “The fact that we’ve scored that many in that circumstance at this point, for me, is a good indication that we’re playing with a lead late in a game.

“… I haven’t really given it a lot of thought other than that. But I do think coaches, there’s an evolution where the philosophy to pull goaltenders sooner is without a doubt, one of the evolutions of the game right now.”

Part of that evolution goes beyond tactics. It’s culture as well.

Shooting from long distances is more accepted.

“For the majority of my career, if you ever shot at an empty net from your own end, that was really, really frowned upon,” said Penguins development staffer Matt Cullen who enjoyed a 21-year playing career spanning from 1997 until 2019. The whole game has changed in that regard. That’s probably a big part of why you’re seeing a lot more offensive guys out near the end of the game. I’m always a fan of having your best players on the ice in the biggest moments, regardless. The fact that it has evolved in that direction, it lends itself to having higher skilled players on the ice.

“It’s fascinating for me watching. It wasn’t long ago if you ever shot at an empty net from the other side of the (center) red line, you’d be sitting out. It has changed a lot.”

One thing that hasn’t changed much with time is the main priority of being on the ice late when the opposition pulls its goaltender.

You can’t give one up.

“You’re out there to defend a one-goal, two-goal lead,” Guentzel said. “You’ve got to be aware of that. We’ve been fortunate with bounces. If you defend hard, (opponents) are maybe sometimes not looking to defend when you get a chance.

“That means you’re winning games and having a chance to win. That’s what we like.”

Follow the Penguins all season long.