Analytics with Alison: Dissecting 5-on-6 Play

Closing out a hockey game can be nervy stuff. You're watching the team you root for play to protect a lead. As the minutes wind down, the opposing coach makes the call and the other team's goaltender scurries to the bench as an extra skater comes onto the ice.
A version of a power play by default, you add in the frantic nature of the final minutes of play and if your opponent manages to put the puck in the net it can feel like all the air has been let out of the arena.
But is it as bad as it feels sometimes when your team allows a 6-on-5 goal? Not necessarily. Especially if you're the Kraken - or a few other teams - this year.
Let's dig in.

First let's talk about how often teams have pulled their goaltender to play with an extra skater against the Kraken. Going into Thursday's games, in total, the Kraken have faced 69 minutes of "short-handed" play at the end of games, (we did not include any 5-on-6 play that came after a delayed penalty was called).
That's the fourth most in the league (only Boston, Los Angeles, and Buffalo have more). But guess what that means, that means teams are chasing you because they are losing. In fact, according to Natural Stat Trick, the Kraken have played the eighth most minutes this year while leading (1556:35).
So, if you're winning games, teams are likely going to pull their goaltender as part of their strategy to try and get back into the matchup.
Ok, so what has happened in those minutes?
Actually, there have been a lot of goals…for the Kraken. Seattle is tied for fourth most empty net goals for (13) this season. Brandon Tanev has five of them! The other teams to score this many? Boston, Los Angeles, Edmonton and Winnipeg.
Of course, while the Kraken have been able to take advantage of an empty net quite a bit this season, sometimes they do get scored upon. That's happened seven times. What other team has allowed that many 5-on-6 goals against? Vegas, the team that sits atop the Pacific Division standings.
In fact, Seattle's record after a 5-on-6 goal is scored against them is the same as the Golden Knights: five times that goal against has tied the game, and only three of those times has the final outcome of the contest been a loss.
Interestingly, the top team in the league, Boston, has allowed just three goals against in 5-on-6 play in the final minutes of a game, but every time that's happened, the Bruins have lost.
To sum it all up, when you're leading more than you're trailing, and you're winning more than you're losing, opponents start to do more of the things that they hope will bring them back into a game. One of those things is pulling the goaltender and skating with an extra player.
The Kraken have performed right in line with some of the top teams in the league in this scenario and while it's certainly a nervous time for fans rooting on their team, more often than not, Seattle is finding a way to withstand the extra pressure.
\All data via Sportlogiq, current going into Mar. 16 games. Does not include 5-on-6 data related to a delayed penalty*