Some 7-6 and 8-5 outcomes suggested scoring is on the rise, but the uptick was typical of what happens early each season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, through the first 73 games the average number of goals scored per game was 6.22 (excluding the goal awarded for winning a shootout). Through the first 73 games last season it was 6.16, but that dropped to a final average of 5.86 goals per game. Through the first 73 games of the 2016-17 season the average was 6.01 and fell to 5.45. Give enough coaches enough time and they’ll find ways to squeeze the life out of any successful offensive strategy.
What we learned in the NHL last week: Enjoy the increase in scoring because it probably won't last
