Editing Shutout

{{Short description|Game in which one team does not score}}
{{other uses|Shut Out (disambiguation)}}
{{distinguish|Penalty shootout}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2011}}
[[File:Martin Brodeur during game at Prudential Center vs Ottawa 11-25-09 3.jpeg|thumb|right|Goaltender [[Martin Brodeur]] holds several [[List of NHL records (individual)|individual National Hockey League records]] for shutouts.]]
In team sports, a '''shutout''' ([[North American English|US]]) or '''clean sheet''' ([[Commonwealth English|UK]]) is a game in which the losing team fails to score. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as [[basketball]]. Shutouts are usually seen as a result of effective defensive play even though a weak opposing offense may be as much to blame. Some sports credit individual players, particularly [[goalkeeper]]s and [[starting pitcher]]s, with shutouts and keep track of them as statistics; others do not.

==American football==
Shutouts in [[American football]] are uncommon. Keeping an opponent scoreless in American football requires a team's defense to be able to consistently shut down both pass and run offenses over the course of a game. The difficulty of completing a shutout is compounded by the many ways a team can score in the game. For example, teams can attempt field goals, which have a high rate of success. The range of NFL caliber kickers makes it possible for a team with a weak offense to get close enough to the goalposts (within "[[field goal range]]") to kick a field goal. Of 2,544 regular season NFL games from 2000 to 2009, 89 (3.5%) were shutouts.

There are at least five instances in American football in which a team had been shut out throughout an entire season, and four in which a team has shut out all of their opponents in the season (the longest of these being the ten-game [[perfect season]] in which the 1933 [[Providence Huskies]] did not concede a single point).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.semiprofootball.org/minor/records/teampnts.htm|title=Semi-pro Football / Minor League Football - Team Points Records|website=www.semiprofootball.org}}</ref> 

In college football, the Tennessee Volunteers hold the record for most consecutive shutout wins with 17. The streak started against Tennessee-Chattanooga on November 30, 1938 and ended with a 27–12 loss against Alabama on October 19, 1940. <ref>{{cite web | url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2399074-the-most-unbreakable-records-in-college-football#:~:text=10.,Most%20Consecutive%20Shutouts%20(Regular%20Season)&text=Tennessee%27s%2017%20consecutive%20regular%2Dseason,19%2C%201940 | title=The Most Unbreakable Records in College Football | website=[[Bleacher Report]] }}</ref>

The achievement of a shutout is much more difficult in [[Canadian football]], where scoring and offensive movement is generally more frequent and a [[single (football)|single point]] can be scored by kicking the ball into the [[end zone]] such that the other team does not, or cannot, return it or kick it out of the end zone.

==Association football==
[[File:Ray Clemence (1981).jpg|thumb|right|upright=.8|Goalkeeper [[Ray Clemence]] recorded 537 "clean sheets" during his career.]]

In [[association football]] and other sports with a [[goalkeeper]], the goalkeeper may be said to "keep a '''clean sheet'''" if they prevent their opponents from scoring during an entire match. Because football is a relatively low-scoring game, it is common for one team, or even both teams, to score no goals.<ref name=wg_cs>{{cite web|title=What Does it Mean to Have a "Clean Sheet"?|url=http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-it-mean-to-have-a-clean-sheet.htm|work=wiseGEEK|access-date=3 February 2014}}</ref> A theory as to the term's origin is that sports reporters used separate pieces of paper to record the different statistical details of a game. If one team did not allow a goal, then that team's "details of goals conceded" page would appear blank, leaving a clean sheet. If a game ends with a final score of 0–0, both sides are considered to have kept a clean sheet.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wolves 0–0 Burnley: The pick of the stats|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/articles/cqn5vxvp95xo|access-date=2021-12-06|website=BBC Sport|date=December 2, 2021 |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title='Phenomenal' Livi clean sheet record - Martindale|language=en-GB|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/55872937|access-date=2021-12-06}}</ref>

==Baseball==
[[File:Nolan Ryan Tiger Stadium 1990 CROP.jpg|thumb|left|upright=.8|[[Nolan Ryan]] recorded 61 shutouts during his career as a major-league pitcher.]]
{{main|Shutout (baseball)}}
In [[Major League Baseball]], a shutout (denoted statistically as '''ShO''' or '''SHO'''<ref>{{cite web|last=MLB.com|author-link=MLB.com|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/baseball_basics/abbreviations.jsp|year=2010|title=Baseball Basics: Abbreviations|access-date=July 5, 2010}}</ref>) refers to the act by which a single [[pitcher]] pitches a [[complete game]] and does not allow the opposing team to score a [[Run (baseball)|run]].  If two or more pitchers combine to complete this act, no pitcher will be awarded a shutout, although the team itself can be said to have "shut out" the opposing team. The only exception to this is when a pitcher enters a game before the opposing team scores a run or makes an out and then completes the game without allowing a run to score. That pitcher is then awarded a shutout, although not a complete game.

The all-time career leader in shutouts is [[Walter Johnson]], who pitched for the [[Washington Senators (1901–60)|Washington Senators]] from 1907 to 1927.  He accumulated 110 shutouts,<ref>{{cite web|last=Sports Reference LLC|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/johnswa01.shtml|year=2010|title=Walter Johnson at Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=July 5, 2010}}</ref> which is 20 more than second placed [[Grover Cleveland Alexander]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Sports Reference LLC|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alexape01.shtml|year=2010|title=Pete Alexander at Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=July 5, 2010}}</ref>  The most shutouts recorded in one season was 16, which was a feat accomplished by both Grover Alexander (1916) and [[George Bradley]] (1876).<ref>{{cite web|last=Sports Reference LLC|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/SHO_leagues.shtml|year=2010|title=Yearly League Leaders & Records for Shutouts|access-date=July 5, 2010}}</ref>  These records are considered among the most secure records in baseball, as pitchers today rarely earn more than one or two shutouts per season with a heavy emphasis on [[pitch count]] and [[relief pitcher|relief pitching]].  Complete games themselves have also become rare among [[starting pitcher]]s.  As of 2021, the current active leader in shutouts is [[Clayton Kershaw]] of the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]], whose 15 shutouts ties him for 463rd all time. Only four pitchers whose entire careers were in the post-1920 [[live-ball era]] threw as many as 60 career shutouts, with [[Warren Spahn]] leading those pitchers with 63.<ref name=BaseballRefSHO>{{cite web|last=Sports Reference LLC|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/SHO_career.shtml|year=2013|title=Career Leaders & Records for Shutouts|access-date=August 27, 2013}}</ref>

==Ice hockey==
[[File:GeorgeHainsworthCloseup.jpg|thumb|right|upright=.8|Goaltender [[George Hainsworth]] recorded 22 shutouts during the [[1928–29 NHL season]].]]

In [[ice hockey]], a shutout ('''SO''') is credited to a [[goaltender]] who successfully stops the other team from scoring during the entire game. In regular season games, if the score is 0–0 with the game going to a penalty shootout, both goaltenders are credited with a shutout.<ref>{{cite book |last=Gisondi |first=Joe |author-link= |date=July 13, 2017 |title=Field Guide to Covering Sports |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jq0KDgAAQBAJ |location= |publisher= [[Sage Publications]]|page= |isbn=9781506315706}}</ref> The record holder for most regular-season career shutouts in the [[National Hockey League]] (NHL) is [[Martin Brodeur]] with 125 (see the [[List of NHL statistical leaders#Regular season shutouts|all-time regular season shutout leaders]]). For a single NHL season, the most shutouts recorded by a goaltender is 22, by [[George Hainsworth]] during the 1928–29 season. The modern-day record for a team being shut out in a season is held by the [[Columbus Blue Jackets]] at 16, during the [[2006–07 NHL season|2006–07 season]].

In the event that a shutout is accomplished by a team using more than one goaltender in the game, the shutout is credited to the team, and no goaltender is awarded a shutout. This has happened several times in NHL history:
* On April 3, 1983, the [[Washington Capitals]] won 3–0 against the [[New York Rangers]] with [[Al Jensen]] in goals for the first two periods and [[Pat Riggin]] for the last period.<ref>{{cite web |title=New York Rangers at Washington Capitals Box Score — April 3, 1983 |url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/boxscores/198304030WSH.html |website=Hockey-Reference.com |access-date=April 20, 2021}}</ref>
* On November 23, 2006, the [[Nashville Predators]] won 6–0 against the [[Vancouver Canucks]] with goaltender [[Tomáš Vokoun]] being replaced at the start of the third period by [[Chris Mason (ice hockey)|Chris Mason]] due to injury.<ref>{{cite web |title=Vancouver Canucks at Nashville Predators Box Score — November 23, 2006 |url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/boxscores/200611230NSH.html |website=Hockey-Reference.com |access-date=April 20, 2021}}</ref>
* On December 1, 2009, the [[Toronto Maple Leafs]] won 3–0 against the [[Montreal Canadiens]]. [[Jonas Gustavsson]] started in goal but was replaced after the first period by [[Joey MacDonald]] because of a cardiac problem.<ref>{{cite web |title=Toronto Maple Leafs at Montreal Canadiens Box Score — December 1, 2009 |url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/boxscores/200912010MTL.html |website=Hockey-Reference.com |access-date=April 20, 2021}}</ref>
* On March 26, 2013, the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] won 1–0 against the Montreal Canadiens with [[Marc-André Fleury]] starting the game and being replaced because of injury by Tomáš Vokoun for the third period.<ref>{{cite web |title=Montreal Canadiens at Pittsburgh Penguins Box Score — March 26, 2013 |url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/boxscores/201303260PIT.html |website=Hockey-Reference.com |access-date=April 20, 2021}}</ref>
* On December 3, 2021, the [[New York Rangers]] won 1–0 against the [[San Jose Sharks]] after [[Igor Shesterkin]] was injured and replaced by [[Alexandar Georgiev]] in the third period.
* On March 10, 2024, the [[Edmonton Oilers]] won 4–0 against the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] after [[Calvin Pickard]] was replaced with [[Stuart Skinner]] for the last 1:16 of the second period and did not face a shot. Pickard then returned for the third period.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-10 |title=Pickard makes 41 saves, Oilers shut out Penguins {{!}} NHL.com |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/game-recaps/edmonton-oilers-pittsburgh-penguins-game-recap-march-10 |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=www.nhl.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Rugby==
Clean sheets are not common in either [[rugby union]] or [[rugby league|league]], since it is relatively simple to score a penalty kick. The 2005 Gillette [[2005 Rugby League Tri-Nations#Final 2|Rugby League Tri-Nations]] final was the first time that [[Australian national rugby league team|Australia]] had been "nilled" since 1981.{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}} There is no alternative term for the occurrence of a team failing to score, except to say that the team scored "nil" (or "zero" or "nothing" in North America). For example, the December 2006 [[Pro14|Celtic League]] match between [[Munster Rugby|Munster]] and [[Connacht Rugby|Connacht]] ended 13–0 to Munster;<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/my_club/munster/6204514.stm | work=BBC News | title=Munster 13–0 Connacht | date=December 3, 2006 | access-date=March 26, 2010}}</ref> it was, therefore, said that Munster won "thirteen–nil."

Recent examples of clean sheets in international rugby union include England vs Scotland in [[2014 Six Nations Championship|2014]], France vs Italy in [[2015 Six Nations Championship|2015]], France vs Argentina in [[2016 June rugby union tests|2016]], Scotland vs Italy in [[2017 Six Nations Championship|2017]], New Zealand vs South Africa in [[2017 Rugby Championship|2017]], New Zealand vs Australia in [[2019 Rugby World Cup warm-up matches|2019]], and Wales vs Italy in [[2020 Six Nations Championship|2020]].

Generally, a team that is well-disciplined defensively, as well as behaviorally (not giving away penalty kicks), is most likely to not concede scores. This may also occur if there is a significant difference in class between the two teams, for example, when [[Scotland national rugby union team|Scotland]] beat [[Spain national rugby union team|Spain]] (who were playing in their only Rugby World Cup) 48–0 in the [[1999 Rugby World Cup]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldcupweb.com/WCrugby/1999.asp |title= World Cup Web 100% Unofficial|website=www.worldcupweb.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061215234519/http://www.worldcupweb.com/WCrugby/1999.asp |archive-date=December 15, 2006}}</ref> or when Australia beat [[Namibia national rugby union team|Namibia]] 142–0 in the [[2003 Rugby World Cup]].
<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://silentbet.com/what-is-clean-sheet-in-football/|title=What is the Clean Sheet in Football / Soccer Betting - Definition|date=November 7, 2019}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Sports}}

* [[Whitewash (sport)]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/PR/clsht.html Football (soccer) clean sheet statistics] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060627180414/http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/PR/clsht.html |date=June 27, 2006 }}

[[Category:Terminology used in multiple sports]]
[[Category:Perfect scores in sports]]