Another game, another game winning goal that doesn't qualify as a scoring chance. While it may not make intuitive sense that a goal can be scored without having a scoring chance, lucky bounces like the Devils got in this game do not fit in to the definition stated after the jump.

After a first period where the Devils generated nine chances to the Flyers five, the Flyers held a 1-0 lead on a pretty goalscored by James Van Riemsdyk.

After the two Patrik Elias goals, I expected the Flyers to begin to take over the game, however, the teams continued to get an even amount of chances. It wasn't until the start of the third that the Flyers managed to string together chances, and were rewarded with a Jeff Carter goal.

From there, the Devils got the next six chances and scored two goals. The Flyers wouldn't get another chance until Brian Boucher was pulled, but couldn't convert.

The $6.66 million dollar question: I don't have a summary of the Devils chances, but just looking through the first chart you can see the number 17 is quite prominent. However, Kovalchuk's final chance score is -5 (7 for, 12 against).

Charts after the jump.

What is a scoring chance?  A scoring chance is defined as a clear play directed toward the opposing net from a dangerous scoring area -- loosely defined as the top of the circle in and inside the faceoff dots, though sometimes slightly more generous than that depending on the amount of immediately-preceding puck movement or screens in front of the net. 

Blocked shots are generally not included but missed shots are. A player is awarded a scoring chance anytime he is on the ice and someone from either team has a chance to score. He is awarded a "chance for" if someone on his team has a chance to score and a "chance against" if the opposing team has a chance to score.

Thanks to Vic Ferrari's script for allowing this to happen.

For those who look at the charts and see nothing but numbers, I'll include for the first few posts this (slightly edited) comment from George E. Ays which will hopefully help to explain everything.

The first chart: Team-Period-Time-Comments – all derived from watching the game. I note these for each scoring chance as it takes place. PHI-Opponent-Strength – all derived from Vic’s script. It pulls the time of the event noted, and locates the players on the ice at that time, and regurgitates them.

For example: Giroux had a scoring chance with 17:56 to go in the first. 17-25-28-33-41-93 were on for the Flyers and 1-6-17-19-29-32 were on for the Devils.

The second chart: The script compiles all the data from the first chart, and sorts it by player number. 

For B. Coburn: He played 20:52 even strength, and was on the ice for 6 chance for and 8 against. In 1 seconds of PP time he was on for 0 chances for and 0 against. And in 1:59 of SH time he was on for 0 chances for and 1 against.

One note, PP/SH will only include 5v4, and 4v3 situations. It doesn’t compile 5v3 data for the players, at least that I’ve noticed.

The third chart: The script sums the totals for each team by period, and shows them all from the Flyers perspective. The same rules apply for PP/SH, for/against applies to when the Flyers are on the PP or are SH. They do not indicate Flyers’ PP chances and Opponent’s PP chances side by side.

Scoring Chances for NHL Game Number 21160/Flyers Regular Season Game 78

The Good: Zherdev-Giroux-Carter were the only forward line to record positive chances score, but did allow a lot of chances. O'Donnell was the only defender to record a positive chances score.

The Ugly: Carle was a -4, and while being on the ice for 9 chances is good, allowing 13 is not.

The Flyers were outchanced and outlucked in this game, and never looked dominating against this Devils team.