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GDT: Canes at Golden Knights 12/12 ... 10:00 EST

Made it to end of regulation (loser point secured) and saved the OT for morning, switching to the other contest of the night.

Four unlikely goal scorers: Kruger & JVR in some cosmic manner during regulation and McGinn (reminding everyone again that he is a NHL'er) & PDG in the shootout.

So...1-1-3 for 5 points in 5 games all right on this rocky road trip. But that is one ugly golf scorecard masking four road losses. At least being a tough out is strategically working so far.

Assume they gave them the night and day in Vegas, but onward to cold, cold Buffalo. Two there and the road trip was some kind of incredible success. Imagine that. It could happen.
 
So...1-1-3 for 5 points in 5 games all right on this rocky road trip. But that is one ugly golf scorecard masking four road losses. At least being a tough out is strategically working so far.

Assume they gave them the night and day in Vegas, but onward to cold, cold Buffalo. Two there and the road trip was some kind of incredible success. Imagine that. It could happen.

Here's a way to look at it...

Since the new OT and shootout rules and point allocation system were put in place, the average team generates 1.12 points in the standings per game. In other words, "the new .500" in the NHL is when your team earns 1.12 points per game and is on pace for a 92-point season.

Over the last few seasons, the minimum number of points for making the playoffs has ranged from 91 to 97 points, or anywhere from 1.11 to 1.18 points per game.

If the Canes win in Buffalo and come home from this trip with 6 points in 6 games, that works out to 1 per game, below "the new .500" and the "make the playoffs" pace. From a purely statistical standpoint, it would be a slightly unsuccessful road trip, but far from the disaster that some have already made this trip out to be. It also, of course, wouldn't make up for some of the ugliness we saw from the team.

It would mean that we were at 33 points after 31 games, a 1.06 point-per-game pace that would not get us into the playoffs if it continued for the entire season.

Now, let's go get those two points.

EDIT: I'll also add that after Buffalo, we will have played 18 road games versus only 13 road games. We are playing at a playoff-making pace at home, so that could work in our favor.

SECOND EDIT: Due to the error pointed out by bagopux later in this thread, I've updated my original post, with changes now noted above in bold.
 
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Ding! Ding! Ding!

Bonus question: Who shot for the Canes? I have no clue. I'll never forget the Pens shooters though.

No clue who the other 2 were, but I'm fairly certain that Ray Whitney was the only shooter on either team that scored on his shootout opportunity.
 
Trying to keep the faith but:

- as my friend the biostats guy says, its all about the trend and not a point estimate. The last 10 games look beyond concerning.
- IMHO, the eye test reveals that we have a really good sense of how this is going to play out after 4 years in the metro. Without some kind of influx of "something" the teams we have to climb over are brutal and we're cruising towards another "next year" position. Hope I'm wrong.


Here's a way to look at it...

Since the new OT and shootout rules and point allocation system were put in place, the average team generates 1.12 points in the standings per game. In other words, "the new .500" in the NHL is when your team earns 1.12 points per game and is on pace for a 92-point season.

Over the last few seasons, the minimum number of points for making the playoffs has ranged from 91 to 97 points, or anywhere from 1.11 to 1.18 points per game.

If the Canes win in Buffalo and come home from this trip with 7 points in 6 games, that works out to 1.17 points per game, slightly above "the new .500" and on the higher end of "make the playoffs" pace. From a purely statistical standpoint, that would it a successful road trip. No, it wouldn't make up for some of the ugliness we saw from the team, but it would be far from the disaster that some have already declared this trip to be.

It would mean that we were at 33 points after 31 games, a 1.06 point-per-game pace that would not get us into the playoffs if it continued for the entire season.

Now, let's go get those two points.

EDIT: I'll also add that after Buffalo, we will have played 18 road games versus only 13 road games. We are playing at a playoff-making pace at home, so that could work in our favor.
 
Was just talking with elskling after Cam's 300th victory how ironic it was that both his first victory and his 300th were 3-2 shootout wins, particularly considering his admittedly poor record handling them.

We were able to easily recall who the three Pittsburgh shooters were during his first win, including Palffy just missing with his. Quite the exciting homeopener for a season the ended with the most exciting sports event I will probably ever personally witness.

But all that talk led me to looking up that game in some game logs and so I do happen to know who scored for the Canes in that shootout, although neither of us could recall on the spot. It was Stillman, who got second star between the two goalies that night as he also scored the opening goal for the Canes.

And Palffy, sandwiched in between Lemieux and Crosby in the shootout, had scored the tying power play goal for the Pens.


Also, as a component of that research, I discovered (because I certainly didn't remember this) that Cam had played the third period of the season opener in 2005, which was an Away game (5-2 loss) in Tampa, after Gerber injured his hip.

Interestingly, his SV% for that first period of play was 0.909, 10 saves on 11 shots...which is exactly his career SV% 634 games later -> 0.909.

It is what it is.
 
So...1-1-3 for 5 points in 5 games all right on this rocky road trip.

1-2-2 so far. 4 points. OTL to Sharks and Kings. Loss to Canucks and Ducks. Win at VGK. Win against Sabres would put us at 1.00 pt / gm on the trip.
 
1-2-2 so far. 4 points. OTL to Sharks and Kings. Loss to Canucks and Ducks. Win at VGK. Win against Sabres would put us at 1.00 pt / gm on the trip.

Yes...thanks for the correction! I've gone back and edited my original post.
 
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1-2-2 so far. 4 points. OTL to Sharks and Kings. Loss to Canucks and Ducks. Win at VGK. Win against Sabres would put us at 1.00 pt / gm on the trip.

Yeah, all this late-night hockey against unfamiliar teams is blurring together for me. Should have gone to the archives before posting. Thanks!
 
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