Goals against average

Goals against average(GAA) also known as "average goals against" or "AGA" is astatisticused infield hockey,ice hockey,lacrosse,soccer,andwater polothat is themeanofgoalsallowed per game by agoaltenderorgoalkeeper(depending on sport). GAA is analogous to abaseballpitcher'searned run average(ERA). In Japanese, the same translation ( phòng ngự suất ) is used for both GAA and ERA, because of this.

Clint Benedict,a goaltender of the 1920s in theNHLholds several GAA records

For ice hockey, the goals against average statistic is the number of goals a goaltender allows per 60 minutes of playing time. It is calculated by taking the number of goals against, multiplying that by 60 (minutes) and then dividing by the number of minutes played. The modification is used by the NHL since 1965 and theIIHFsince 1990.When calculating GAA, overtime goals and time on ice are included, whereas empty net and shootout goals are not.It is typically given to two decimal places.

The top goaltenders in theNational Hockey Leaguehave a GAA of about 1.85-2.10, although the measure of a good GAA changes as different playing styles come and go. The top goaltenders in theNational Lacrosse Leaguehowever, have a GAA of about 10.00, and the top 2005Western Lacrosse Associationgoaltenders had a GAA of about 9.00. At their best, elite NCAA water polo goalies have a GAA between 3.00 and 5.00.

Since the statistic is highly dependent on the team playing in front of a goalie,save percentageis usually considered a more accurate measure of a goaltender's skill, especially in ice hockey and lacrosse, as it takes into account the number of shots the goaltender has faced. In soccer, since it is considered a part of the goalkeeper's job to coach defenders on proper positioning to prevent opponents' shots, GAA is more commonly used to evaluate goalkeepers than save percentage.