This article is a game by game analysis from an advanced statistics standpoint.  Statistics were taken from the War on Ice Website for each game and includes iSC (Individual Scoring Chances), iCF (Individual Corsi For), Corsi Plus/Minus, Fenwick Plus Minus, Goals Plus/Minus, Corsi For, Fenwick For, Zone Starts Offensive, Zone Starts Defensive Time on Ice, Corsi For Percentage, and Fenwick For Percentage.  The latter two columns were calculated from the Corsi (or Fenwick) Plus Minus and the Corsi (or Fenwick) For columns.  All statistics listed are based on performance at even strength so power play time and penalty killing time is not included.

Capitals vs Edmonton Oilers (November 23)

In this particular game, a 1-0 win by the Capitals, the Corsi and Fenwick percentages were weak for most of the players, with a few exceptions.   The second line of Evgeny Kuznetsov, Marcus Johansson, and Andre Burakovsky had Corsi For and Fenwick For Percentages above 55 percent, with Kuznetsov having scored in the mid 50% range and his two linemates, Johanson and Williams, being in the 60-70% range, with Williams getting the high water percentage of 70% Fenwick percentage.   Other players with positive Corsi and Fenwick percentages were Stanislav Galiev (both), John Carlson (in Fenwick), Nate Schmidt (in Fenwick), which Orlov and Chimera were both at 50% in both Corsi and Fenwick Plus.  The members of the first line (Ovechkin, Backstrom, and Oshie) were all in the 30% range.  Overall, this was a game the goalie, Holtby, stole for the Caps as the offense basically took the night off.

Capitals vs Winnipeg Jets (November 25)

This particular game was a 5-3 win by the Capitals.  The first line of Ovechki, Backstrom, and Oshie were both over 55% Corsi and Fenwick For Percentage, with Ovechkin and Backstrom exceeding 60% and Oshie coming in at 57%.  The second line of Johansson, Kuznetsov, and Williams were in the 40-50% range of Corsi and Fenwick Plus percentages, with Johansson and Kuznetsov compiling percentages just over 40% and Williams compiling percentages just under 50%.  This was not the best game for the second line but Williams was a driver of possession for them, relatively speaking.  The third line (Beagle, Burakovsky, and Chimera) were under 50% in both Corsi and Fenwick percentage, with Burakovsky the leader in those statistics for that group.  Michael Latta and Brooks Laich both exceeded 50% in both Corsi and Fenwick percentage, while Wilson, the other member of the fourth line did not.   Turning to the defense pairings, the third pairing of Dmitry Orlov and Taylor Chorney had the best Corsi and Fenwick percentages.  For the first pairing, Schmidt exceeded both exceeded 50% in both Corsi and Fenwick percentage, while his partner, John Carlson, had Corsi and Fenwick stats just under 50%.  The second pairing of Karl Alzner and Matt Niskanen were both under 50% for Corsi Plus percentage but Niskanen was just over 50% in Fenwick Plus percentage.  Overall, the game was much improved for the team from a possession standpoint.

Capitals vs Tampa Bay Lightning (November 27)

This game was a 4-2 win for the Caps where the Caps had led the entire way, although Tampa Bay began making a comeback in the middle of the third period.  The members of the Caps’ first line of Alex Ovechkin, TJ Oshie and Nicklas Backstrom were between 40-45 percent in Corsi For but Ovi and Backstrom were at or exceeded 50% in Fenwick Plus.  The members of the second line of Johansson, Kuznetsov, and Williams all exceeded 50% in both Corsi For and Fenwick For, with Johansson with Corsi For and Fenwick For percentages of 52% and 56%, respectively, Kuznetsov with percentages close to 60%, and Williams leading the way with both Corsi and Fenwick percentages over 75%.   The members of the third line of Burakovsky, Beagle, and Chimmer had Corsi For and Fenwick For percentages between 45-50, with Chimera having the best with 50% in both Corsi and Fenwick.  The fourth line members were at or below 30%.  For the defensemen, Carlson was at over 50% in both Corsi and Fenwick For percentage, with 51% in Corsi For and 58% in Fenwick For.  Schmidt’s percentages were a Corsi For just under 60% and a Fenwick For at 66%.  The rest of the defensemen had Corsi and Fenwick For percentages under 50%.  This was a game where the Caps’ power play accounted for 3 of the 4 goals, which the Corsi For and Fenwick For percentages do not apply as these statistics reflect even strength play.

Capitals vs Toronto Maple Leafs (November 28)

This game was a 4-2 Caps win where the Caps would take the lead but then give away the lead soon afterwards.  But eventually they scored two unanswered goals and won.  The members of the Caps’ first line of Alex Ovechkin, TJ Oshie and Nicklas Backstrom had Corsi For and Fenwick For percentages between 50% and 65%, with Ovechkin having a Fenwick For percentage of 62%, to lead the way.  For the second line, both Williams and Kuznetsov exceeded 50% in both Corsi For and Fenwick For, hovering around 55% in both.  Johansson was under 50% in both percentages.  The rest of the forwards were under 50% in both Corsi For and Fenwick For percentages.  For the defensemen, Carlson and Schmidt were at about 45% in both Corsi For and Fenwick for percent.  Alzner and Niskanen were both at around 55% in both Corsi and Fenwick For percentage.   Orlov and Chorney were both between 45% and 50%, with Orlov doing slightly better than his partner.

By Diane Doyle