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 Montreal Canadiens (December 3)
In this particular game, which the Capitals won 3-2, the Corsi and Fenwick percentages were extremely weak for most of the players, with a few exceptions. The Caps best line was the fourth line of Tom Wilson, Brooks Laich, and Michael Latta, with Wilson at 58% Corsi For percentage and Laich at 66.7% Corsi For. In the Fenwick For Percentage, Laich was the best at 62% and Wilson had 50%. None of the other forwards were over 50% Corsi For, with most of them in the 30% range, with the lowest being Jason Chimera at 16.67% and Andre Burakovsky at 26% and the highest of the remainder being Justin Williams at nearly 46%. The Fenwick For Percentages were similar, with Chimera down at 15% and Burakovsky being at nearly 28% and most of the other forwards being in the 30-45%, with Justin Williams being at 47%. Except for Laich and Wilson, it was not a good day for the Caps forwards, possession wise.
For the defense, the best possession players were on the third pairing, Dmitry Orlov and Taylor Chorney with both of them exceeding 50% in Corsi For Percentage and both at 50% in Fenwick For Percentage. The remainder of the defensemen had Corsi For Percentages greater than 30% but less than 40%. They had Fenwick For Percentages ranging from 27% to 40%. Matt Niskanen had the worst percentages for both, but not by much. Overall, the advanced statistics reflected the eye test that Montreal had a better game, from a puck possession standpoint.
Capitals vs Winnipeg Jets (December 5)
This particular game was a 2-1 Overtime loss by the Capitals. Yet, the Caps performed much better than they did in the previous game, from the standpoint of Corsi For and Fenwick For Percentage. The first line of Ovechkin, Backstrom, and Oshie were all over 65% for both Corsi For and Fenwick For Percentage, with Ovechkin and Backstrom both exceeding 70%. It was a rough game for the second line of Evgeny Kuznetsov, Justin Williams and Andre Burakovsky all being in the 40-50% Corsi For range and 28%-40% range in Fenwick For percentage. The third and fourth liners, for the most part, were just over 50% in Corsi For Percentage but had a wider variety of Fenwick For Percentages.
For the defense, the defensemen all exceeded 50% Corsi For percent, except for Taylor Chorney who was at 33%. The highest rated defenseman in Corsi For was Nate Schmidt at 68%. In Fenwick For, they all exceeded 50% except for Orlov who was at 42% and Chorney at 20%. As a rule, the defense had lower Fenwick For percentages than Corsi For percentages.
