Thursday, October 28, 2010

Sittin' at the end of the bar...


Hmm...

-- Even though Tampa Bay is tied for the league lead in standings points, only four teams have allowed more goals, none of them in the top eight of their respective conferences.

-- Are the Lightning this year's Capitals?  First in goals-per-game (3.56), 25th in goals allowed-per-game (3.33).

-- Buffalo and New Jersey have precisely zero home wins between them in 10 tries.

-- St. Louis... hasn't lost at home, hasn't won yet on the road.

-- New Jersey already has a minus-18 goal differential.  No other club has reached double digits yet.

-- Speaking of the Devils, they were perfect in their one power play opportunity on opening night.  Since then, 2-for-32 (6.3 percent).

-- Mike Comrie's ice time: 17:26... 15:11... 16:23... 14:00... 15:08... 12:21... 10:26... 12:15... 7:17.  No goals, four assists.  The latest in the continuing search for forwards not named "Crosby" or "Malkin" who can produce on a consistent basis for the Penguins?

-- Jason Arnott is on a pace to tie one of the most infamous records in the NHL.  Ten games in, a minus-10.  Keep that up, and Bill Mikkelson will be able to rest easier knowing that he can share the record for worst plus-minus in league history (minus-82).  Sore of like "50 goals in 50 games" but... different.

-- Not to pile on (ok, to pile on), but only one Devil who has played for more than two games this season is in "plus" territory (Travis Zajac, plus-2)

-- One might not have been surprised to find Boston tops in the league in lowest goals allowed-per-game, what with a Vezina Troophy winner back on his game.  Or St. Louis second, given the way Jaroslav Halak played last spring.  Or even Nashville and Florida being third and fourth, with their respective commitment to defense and having a goalie as good as Tomas Vokoun.  But look who are tied for fifth... the Washington Can't Find Their Own Zone With a Map and a Flashlight Capitals and the Montreal We Kept The Wrong Goalie Canadiens.

-- If you had the Dallas Stars as the most efficient 5-on-5 team in the league when the season started, go pick up your door prize in the lobby.

-- Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin, Ross Trophy winners both.  They do not have as many points combined (7-10-17) as Steven Stamkos (8-10-18).

-- Coming into this season Ovechkin had 91 power play goals in 396 games, one in just over every four games played.  So far... none in nine games.

-- Malkin doesn't have any, either.

Thanks for coming, drive safely.

No comments: