Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad Marsh
I think posters have every right to be concerned about the way the team has been playing lately, and I'm not just referring to the last two games.
I also think that posters who simply point to the standings, and proclaim "1st in the West, nothing to see here!" while ignoring the last number of games and how the team has been tending lately, and who are dismissing the concerns of others who have noticed those trends as "crap like this", are completely off-side.
I'm stealing/quoting from Flash Walken here, but please consider the following:
PP is 23rd in the league since Feb 1. 3rd in PP opportunities.
19th in PK%
17th in the league in goals for since Feb 1.
12th in the league in goals against since Feb 1.
19th in Even Strength goals for since Feb 1.
None of this screams "1st place team" to me. There are lots of reasons to be concerned about the teams' recent play, and about their game in Las Vegas. The team is struggling right now and has been for a while.
Hopefully they come out with something to prove tonight. Go Flames Go!!
|
There is some hair on the numbers if you dig in a bit though.
Powerplay:
- shot attempts way up in February and March compared to the previous months
- Scoring chance rates way up compared to Jan and before
- high danger rates at least comparable in February, way up in two March games
- the shooting percentage plummeted in February and took the powerplay with it, the chances were there.
Penalty Kill:
- giving up way too much in February, season highs in scoring chances and high danger rates against
- overall consistent in goals against per month
Five Five:
- new season high marks in shot attempts for (Feb/Mar)
- Feb was the second lowest months in shot attempts against (rate)
- average in terms of scoring chances against (Dec and Oct worse)
- shooting percentage five on five went from 10+ in Dec and Jan to 8.7% in Feb and only 4.5% in March to date.
They're not playing all that bad, but their goal scorers are no longer putting the puck in the net.