Not Quite Top 10 Moments of 2016-17: Joe "Empty Netter" Thornton

The forward's quest for a goal on a manned net.

20170515-thornton
By Ann Frazier / sjsharks.com

Joe Thornton has always been good at scoring empty net goals. Despite being known for his proclivity for assists over goals, according to NHL.com Thornton is 8th all-time in empty net goals.
And Thornton took that to an extreme this season. He began the season with three empty net goals, including one that wasn't even put into the net.

It took until February 9 for Thornton to score his first goal on a manned net, which he did so against the Boston Bruins.

This momentous event was not welcomed by everyone.

Joe Thornton ended the season with seven goals, three of them empty netters; not quite as noteworthy as only scoring empty-net goals, but interesting enough.

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