The removal of the goaltender for an extra attacker is colloquially called pulling the goalie, resulting in an empty net. The extra attacker is typically utilized in two situations: Near the end of the game — typically the last 60 to 90 seconds — when a team is losing by one or two goals.

How early should you pull the goalie?

This suggests good confidence that it's better to pull the goalie before the 1:30 mark. Asness and Brown [2018] have published a model that suggests 6:10 is the optimal goalie pull time for a one-goal deficit.

When can you go empty net in hockey?

Empty net goals usually occur on two occasions in ice hockey: In the final minutes of a game, if a team is within two goals, they will often pull the goalie, leaving the net defenseless, for an extra attacker, in order to have a better chance of scoring to either tie or get within one goal.