A goalie’s start records whether they began a game in net; save percentage (SV%) records the share of shots on goal they stopped. They measure different things: deployment and workload versus performance on shots faced.
What does GS mean for a goalie?
GS means games started: the goalie selected to begin the game is the starter. A start is not the same as an appearance. If a team replaces its starter during a game, both goalies can appear, but only one began the game. Teams can also divide starts between two goalies over a season. NHL coverage, for example, described Alex Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen as sharing Buffalo’s workload and Jesper Wallstedt as Minnesota’s Game 1 starter after serving as the 1B option behind Filip Gustavsson. NHL coverage of 2026 playoff goalie decisions
That source illustrates ordinary starter and relief usage, but does not establish the official scoring convention for unusual cases such as a substitution before the opening faceoff or before the first shot. Those edge cases should not be inferred from the everyday meaning of “starter.”
How is goalie save percentage calculated?
The NHL defines save percentage as saves divided by shots faced. NHL glossary As a decimal, .910 means the goalie stopped 91.0% of the shots on goal they faced.
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- [ Usage] : The goalkeeper training equipment is more effective when placed within 6.5 feet of the soccer goal. The closer the goalkeeper training equipment is to the goal, the higher the success rate of the soccer ball bouncing out of the goal
- [ Deflecting Floats ]: - The Pro Goalkeeper Deflector consists of 3 different models of floats . The variety between the different size floats provides excellent unpredictability on ball direction.This training not only improved their agility and hand eye coordination, but also honed their decision-making ability under pressure.
- [ Upgrade Material ]: The soccer goalkeeper training is made of EVA material, which is wearproof and strong tensile strength, and the connecting auxiliary rope is made of Nylon material, which is tensile and not easy to break
- [ Package Included ]: 6.5x5.2 ft Floor Matrix Deflector*1; water bag X 4; U-shaped ground nail X 4; Elastic rope X4, Carry Bag X 1.
- Ideal for all goalkeepers - Ideal for schools, soccer clubs & soccer teams. From amateur to professional. All teams & players can benefit from training with the floor deflector to work with the goalkeeper.
For a simple arithmetic example, if a goalie stops 27 of 30 shots faced, the calculation is 27 ÷ 30 = .900, or 90.0%. In this simplified example, the other three shots resulted in goals. The decimal is a rate, not a count of saves.
What counts as a shot faced?
The denominator is shots on goal faced, not every attempt directed toward the net. The NHL defines a shot on goal as one that enters the net or would have entered if the goalie had not stopped it. A blocked attempt therefore is not automatically added to the goalie’s shots-faced total. NHL glossary
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- Skill Enhancement: this 9 ft goalkeeper blocking trainer is designed to simulate unpredictable ball bounces, soccer training equipment helping you train like a pro, the single line blocking system forces goalkeepers to react instantly, improving their reaction speed, reaction time, and save ability
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Does a goalie get a start if they come in during a game?
A goalie who enters as a substitute makes an appearance, but did not begin the game as its starter. That relief appearance does not change what starts measure, and starts do not appear in the SV% formula: the percentage still depends on saves and shots faced. NHL coverage has described a goalie change during a playoff series as well as teams using two goalies across a season. NHL coverage of 2026 playoff goalie decisions
What is a good save percentage in the NHL?
There is no universal cutoff in the cited NHL material for what makes a goalie’s SV% “good.” Interpret a percentage with its sample size and context: shots faced or games played, regular season versus playoffs, and whether the figure is overall or a specific split. A percentage based on a small workload can shift more sharply than one built over a larger sample.
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The NHL Records page lists minimums of 100 games for its regular-season career save-percentage records and 25 games for its regular-season season records. Those thresholds qualify entries in those record categories; they are not general standards for evaluating every goalie. NHL goaltender records
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How should you compare two goalies?
Make the comparison like-for-like, and keep deployment separate from results.
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- NOTE: Please select either the small or large size according to the dimensions of the hockey goal to avoid sizing errors.
- 72" GOALIE SHOOTING TARGET:Upgraded 7-hole layout, highly replicating the scoring area in a match. Practice shooting by hitting the corners and beating the goalkeeper to effectively improve shooting accuracy and technique.
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- Compare SV% with its sample: include shots faced or games played so the rate is not read without its workload.
- Compare the same competition: regular-season figures and playoff figures are different contexts; use the same season where possible.
- Include starts and appearances for workload: these show how often a goalie played and began games, not how many shots they stopped.
- Name any split: 5-on-5, close-situation, high-danger, midrange, and long-range save percentages describe distinct situations or shot contexts, not interchangeable versions of overall SV%.
For example, NHL’s 2026 playoff analysis defines a close situation as a tied game in the first or second period, or a game within one goal in the third. Such situation-specific figures and rankings describe that reporting period, not an evergreen benchmark. NHL coverage of 2026 playoff goalie decisions
Quick Recap
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- ALL IN ONE SET: This set has all the mini hockey goalie equipment you need to get between the pipes
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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