In hockey, an empty net refers to a situation where a team removes their goalie from the ice in order to gain an extra attacker. This is usually done when a team is trailing late in a game and needs to score a goal to tie or win the game. When a team pulls their goalie, the net is left defenseless, making it easier for the opposing team to score a goal. If the team holding the lead gains control of the puck, they will often shoot at the empty net after clearing center ice to increase their chances of scoring and securing the win. An empty net goal occurs when a team scores into the empty net. Empty net goals are charged to the goaltender that was previously in net as empty net goals against (abbreviated as EN, ENG, or ENA) . Empty net goals do not count against a goaltenders goals against average or their save percentage, but rather are tracked separately.