The Noon Number

by J.P. on Jan 30, 2012 12:01 PM EST in The Noon Number

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 09: Dennis Wideman #6 of the Washington Capitals celebrates his power play goal at 12:33 of the first period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Verizon Center on December 9, 2011 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

2.7 - Average number of power plays per game for Dale Hunter's Washington Capitals, down from 3.9 under Bruce Boudreau in 2011-12 and 3.2 for 2010-11. The 2.7 extra-man opportunities per game (which drops all the way to 2.4 over the last 14 games) is well below the season-to-date 30th-ranked team in that metric, the Phoenix Coyotes, who are averaging 3.0 power plays per match.

(In case you're wondering, Hunter's Capitals are averaging 3.5 times shorthanded per game, down from 3.6 in the Boudreau-coached portion of this season.)

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Caps need to dive more… :)

by OvechkinGR8 on Jan 30, 2012 12:04 PM EST reply actions

Pretty hard to draw penalties if the other team has the puck.

https://twitter.com/Valtard

by Valtard on Jan 30, 2012 12:05 PM EST reply actions 6 recs

That’s exactly right.

As always, people can infer what they want from The Noon Number. If they want to go with “the refs hate us,” by all means. But to me, this is another result (direct or otherwise) of the atrocious puck possession.

And don’t think it doesn’t matter – if they average 2.4 PP/gm over the final 34 games, that’s just 82 more power plays, and with that few, the difference between a bad 15% conversion rate and a great 25% is only 8 goals, or one every four games.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Jan 30, 2012 12:10 PM EST up reply actions

(And if they average the 3.9 opps/game that they averaged under BB, the difference b/t 15% and 25% conversion is 15 goals, or one every 2ish games.)

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Jan 30, 2012 12:18 PM EST up reply actions

Is there any site that offers statistics like total time in offensive zone vs. defensive zone and possession? What about shots attempted vs. shots on net? Hell I’d even pay if I had to. There are so many interesting hockey statistics that could shed a lot of light that I just can’t find.

Capitals goal scored by #22, Mike...

by KNUUUUUUUUUUBLE on Jan 30, 2012 12:35 PM EST up reply actions

Shots attempted vs. on goal is, on an individual level, on NHL.com and on a team level on behindthenet.ca.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Jan 30, 2012 12:36 PM EST up reply actions

Thanks.

Capitals goal scored by #22, Mike...

by KNUUUUUUUUUUBLE on Jan 30, 2012 1:01 PM EST up reply actions

Didn’t the NHL track time in zone for one season a couple of years ago? Or am I just completely mis-remembering?

"You do that, you go to the box, you know. Two minutes, by yourself, you know and you feel shame" -Denis Lemieux

by leacha on Jan 30, 2012 12:38 PM EST up reply actions

Yes.

Red Line Station and @RedArmyLine, featuring coverage of the most frustrating team in the NHL
I believe in next year.

by red army line on Jan 30, 2012 1:20 PM EST up reply actions

I think the refs makes some, ah, interesting calls when the Caps play certain teams, but when they spend all their time standing down in their own end watching Vokoun make pretty saves, yeah, they’re not going to draw much.

Pledge Drive 2011-2012: CARSON KOLZIG FOUNDATION! Season Pledge total--$1210.35!

by RedBirdie on Jan 30, 2012 12:35 PM EST up reply actions

Reading some of these noon numbers lately right after having finished lunch is not unlike having the last bite of Five Guys and jumping right in the pool.

I don't want to work, I want to hang on the blog all day.

by cainoo7x on Jan 30, 2012 12:27 PM EST reply actions

Caps are minus-2 (14 goals scored, 16 allowed) under Boudreau, minus-2 under Hunter (15 scored, 17 allowed).

If you've read this far...seek help.

by ThePeerless on Jan 30, 2012 12:42 PM EST reply actions

Obviously being consistent in the worst way possible.

Rocking the Red for teams on the banks of the Potomac and at the Gateway Arch and Singing the Blues about Hockey.

by CapsFan75 on Jan 30, 2012 8:03 PM EST up reply actions

Speaking of going shorthanded, we just called up the AHL leader in penalty minutes. Do we really need to be on the PK even more?

by futbolclif on Jan 30, 2012 10:10 PM EST reply actions

Well, he is a fighter. If he does fight, he’s taking someone (probably) more skilled at hockey than he is off the ice for 5 minutes. Basically, he should just challenge the best defender/ gritty forward he can get away with asking to fight. If he’s successful, and doesn’t take too many minors, he might be ok for a short call-up with extremely limited minutes. He might even be able to draw a penalty here and there to help the other side of equation.

by brooksengr on Jan 30, 2012 10:36 PM EST up reply actions

This is exactly the case. In 23 NHL games, he’s had 95 PIMs – 75 being either from a fighting major or a misconduct. I don’t know his AHL numbers, but I’d bet it’s about the same proportion.

Failure is always an option.

by timmyv38 on Jan 31, 2012 10:49 AM EST up reply actions

link to game stats for this season with Hershey

Quick count/review -

- 5 minors, one involved a roughing minor offset to a player on the other team; 1 was an extra minor combined with a fighting major, where the 2 PIMs put the team shorthanded
- 5 games where he received 10 minute misconducts and/or game misconduct, including the crazy game against Adirondack earlier this month where he actually got more than 1.

by sk84fun_dc on Jan 31, 2012 12:55 PM EST up reply actions

Hey JP, I count three sad Leafs…

Hey, atta dinnin stick a who!

by Gould Old Days on Jan 30, 2012 11:56 PM EST reply actions

And Steckel counts as two…

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Jan 31, 2012 6:42 AM EST up reply actions

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