Over 40% of games so far decided by a single goal

Photo: Mark Ferris

Coaches, fans and players keep mentioning how tight the 2023/24 Elite League is, and with a little deep drive it really is!

It's not just the league standings that show how closely matched most of the league appears to be this season. 

Through 167 league games so far this season, over a quarter of them have gone beyond 60 minutes! A staggering 26.9% of league fixtures this season have been decided in overtime or a shootout - compared to 16.7% last year, and 17.0% in the first year back after the pandemic.

It's then no surprise that the number of one-goal games has also increased. There have been 70 one-goal games so far this season, 41.9% of all league fixtures so far! That compares to 34.8% and 32.6% in the past two seasons.

Two-goal games represent 19.8% of league matches in 2023/24 (vs. 21.6% and 19.6% previously), while there have been fewer three-goal games as well - 18.6% of games with a three-goal differential this season compared to 19.6% in 2022/23, and 22.6% in 2021/22.

Finally, the number of games decided by four or more goals is dramatically down compared to previous seasons. Under a fifth of games this year have won by four goals or more (19.8%), against 23.7% last season and 25.1% the year prior.

Let's see what happens in the remaining 103 league fixtures remaining!