Washington Capitals Statistics Analysis – Week Ending 2/6

This is an analysis of the Washington Capitals’ performance from an advanced statistics standpoint for the week of February 1-6, 2016. Statistics were taken from the War on Ice Website for each game.

Capitals vs Florida Panthers (February 2)

The Capitals lost this game 5-2. The Caps gave up two goals during the first period and two more during the second period to fall into a 4-0 hole. They got two goals early in the third period but could get no more. Florida got an empty net goal near the end of the game.

This was a day where nearly all the Caps had Corsi For Percentage and Fenwick For Percentage over 50%. In fact, the only Caps player who was below 50% in Corsi For percentage was Taylor Chorney. John Carlson and Zach Sill were at 50%. The only Caps who were below 50% in Fenwick For were Chorney and Sill, while Carlson was at 50%. All three members of the Caps second line; Evgeny Kuznetsov, Andre Burakovsky, and Justin Williams clustered around 70% in both Corsi For and Fenwick For. Burakovsky scored one of the team’s two goals, showing an example of that line’s play. The possession stats reflected the fact that the Caps were outshooting the Panthers but did not reflect that they were unable to finish chances.

Capitals vs New York Islanders (February 4)

The Capitals won this game 3-2. The Islanders scored the first goal during the second period but the Caps answered back with two goals of their own that period to go ahead. The Islanders tied it up in the third but Ovechkin scored with less than 3 minutes to go to put the Caps ahead.

In this game, most of the Caps had Corsi For and Fenwick For percentages under 50%. The only Caps with Corsi For percentages above 50% were Brooks Laich and Michael Latta. The only Caps with Fenwick For percentages above 50% were Laich, Latta, and Zach Sill. Matt Niskanen had a Fenwick For percentage of 50%.

To some degree, the statistics in this game were distorted by the fact that the Islanders had dominated the early portion of the first period when they had outshot the Caps but were only able to get one goal during that period. This game was the opposite of their previous game of two days earlier. In this game, the Caps had poor to mediocre possession statistics but won.

Capitals vs New Jersey Devils (February 6)

The Capitals won this game 3-2 in a shootout. The Caps scored first during the second period. The Devils scored the equalizer on a power play early in the third period and soon got another goal to pull ahead. The Caps evened it up with about 5 minutes to go. The game went to Overtime, with no score, and then to a shootout, which the Caps won.

All three members of the Caps second line of Evgeny Kuznetsov, Andre Burakovsky, and Justin Williams topped 70% in Corsi For and clustered around 70% in Fenwick For. Their play was rewarded with a goal by Burakovsky. Most of the Caps topped 50% in Corsi For percentage, except Taylor Chorney, and in Fenwick For percentage, except Chorney and Dmitry Orlov. Orlov was at 50% Corsi For. Paul Carey was at 50% for Fenwick For percentage.