-->
CANUCKS HOCKEY BLOG

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Game Day: Canucks at Stars

If the playoffs were to start today, the Vancouver Canucks and the Dallas Stars would meet each other in the first round. It's just as well as both teams seem to be following similar scripts this season.

The Canucks are just four points behind the Ducks with a game in hand for second place in the Western Conference. The proximity to such lofty heights seemed unfathomable before Christmas when Anaheim had a cushion on the Canucks that was more than 20 points. But a 19-3-3 run will tend to have a dramatic impact on the standings.

The Canucks have already played the Stars three times this season, winning two. Each of the games has ended 2-1.
The Canucks and the Stars have shaken earlier season doldrums and are both two of the hottest teams in the league. We know about the Canucks 19-3-3 post-Christmas run; the Stars haven't been too shabby recently, winning seven of their last ten games. Both teams play a defensive system and rely heavily on the play of their goaltenders.

Consider the other numbers:
  • Both teams have 36 wins for the season.
  • Only a point separate the Canucks (61 GP, 76 pts) and the Stars (60 GP, 75 pts) in the standings.
  • Neither team put a lot of pucks in the net, both being in the bottom third in the league in scoring. The Stars are 23rd, averaging 2.62 goals per game; the Canucks are 24th, averaging 2.61.
  • Both are in the top of the league in goals against - the Stars are 2nd in the NHL, allowing only 2.37 goals per game; the Canucks are 4th, allowing only 2.48 goals per game.
  • The Stars score on 18.2% of their powerplay opportunities; the Canucks score on 17.8% of theirs.
  • The Canucks' penalty-killing unit are tops in the league with an 88.7% success rate; the Stars aren't too far behind with an 84.1% success rate.
What does this all mean? I don't know, but rattling off those numbers was fun.

Today's matinee should be a good, close one. But then again, one could blow out the other.

Other 'Nucks-related stuff on the 'net today:
______________
Comments/Questions: Feel free to post in the comments section or email me at gocanucksgo10 (at) hotmail (dot) com.

Technorati Tags: , , , ,

Labels: ,

posted by J.J. Guerrero, 8:56 AM

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home