<P> Goals Against Average (GAA) is a statistic used in field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer and water polo that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender . GAA is analogous to a baseball pitcher's earned run average (ERA). In Japanese, the same translation (防御 率) is used for both GAA and ERA, because of this . </P> <P> For ice hockey, it is calculated per game by dividing the number of goals against by the number of minutes played in the game then multiplied by 60 . For a season, divide the total number of goals against by the result of the total number of minutes played (also known as time on ice) multiplied by 60 . Alternatively, take the number of goals against, multiply that by 60 minutes and then divide by the number of minutes played . 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 . </P> <P> The top goaltenders in the National Hockey League currently have 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 the National Lacrosse League however, currently have a GAA of about 10.00, and the top 2005 Western Lacrosse Association goaltenders had a GAA of about 9.00 . At their best, elite NCAA water polo goalies have a GAA between 3.00 and 5.00 . </P> <P> Since the statistic is highly dependent on the team playing in front of a goalie, save percentage is 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 . </P>

What is the average gaa in the nhl