What is shots on goal in hockey? Exploring one of the sport's most basic analytic

Shots on goal (SOG) in the NHL refers to the number of times a team or player successfully shoots the puck toward the opposing team's goal during a game.

SOG is one of the basic and most important statistics in the game that helps to measure the offensive performance and scoring opportunities for teams.

The stat is calculated when a player takes a shot on goal, which means they are attempting to score by shooting the puck into the back of the net.

The shot can be taken from any position on the ice. The official scorekeeper records each shot attempted at the opposing team's net when it has a chance of finding the back of the net and would require a save from the opposing team's netminder.

Notably, when shots are blocked by a defender or goaltender before reaching the net, those are not counted as shots on goal.

The record for most shots attempted on a goal by a team in the modern NHL belongs to the Boston Bruins. The mighty Bruins attempted a whopping 73 shots during a game against the Quebec Nordiques in 1991.

In that game, goaltender Ron Tugnutt made 70 saves (the most in a single NHL game) to help the Nordiques draw 3-3.

Which player has recorded the most shots on goal in a single NHL game?

Currently, the record for the most shots on goal attempted by a player in a single NHL game belongs to the Boston Bruins' legendary defenseman Ray Bourque.

Borque recorded a record 19 shots on goal during a Bruins' game against the former NHL team, the Quebec Nordiques, on Mar. 21, 1991. The legendary defenseman accumulated two points with a goal in the contest.

Meanwhile, the record for the second-most shots attempted on a goal by a player in the league is held by Marian Hossa, who had 16 shots while playing for the Atlanta Thrashers against the Carolina Hurricanes on Jan. 1, 2006. Hossa racked up a point in that matchup.