This is an analysis of the Washington Capitals’ performance from an advanced statistics standpoint for the week of February 7-14, 2916. Statistics were taken from the War on Ice Website for each game.
Capitals vs Philadelphia Flyers (Feb 7)
The Capitals won this game 3-2. The Flyers had scored the first goal in the game at the very tail end of the first period. But then during the second period, the Caps scored 2 goals near the end of that period to tie the game and go ahead. The Flyers tied the game again early during the third period. But, soon after that, the Caps scored the final goal of the game to go ahead and stay that way.
It was a great game from a possession stand point for Alex Ovechkin and his linemates, Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie, who had Corsi For percentages just under 60% and Fenwick For percentages just over 60%. Ovechkin was the individual scoring the first goal, so his possession was rewarded. The second line of Evgeny Kuznetsov, Justin Williams, and Andre Burakovsky had Corsi For percentages between 55-60% and Fenwick For percentages at or just above 50%. While none of the members of that trio had any goals, they were on the ice for Orlov’s goal and both Kuznetsov and Burakovsky had assists on it. The third line members of Tom Wilson, Jason Chimera, and Mike Richards were at or just below 50% in Corsi For and Fenwick For percentage.
The other goal scorers in this game were defensemen, Dmitry Orlov and Matt Niskanen. Orlov had Corsi For at 62% and Fenwick For at 58%. His main defensive partner, Taylor Chorney had 58% Corsi For and 52% Fenwick For. In spite of the goal, Niskanen was under 50% in both Corsi For and Fenwick For percentage, hovering around 45%. His defensive partner, Karl Alzner, hovered just under 43% in both Corsi For and Fenwick For, in spite of contributing 2 assists during that game. Nate Schmidt and John Carlson both had a good day from a possession standpoint, with Schmidt’s Corsi For and Fenwick For hovering around 65% and Carlson’s hovering near 60%.
Capitals vs Nashville Predators (February 9)
The Capitals won this game 5-3. They scored the first goal and, at one point, were ahead 4-1, before giving up 2 goals to only be up 4-3, before scoring an empty net goal. This was a game where all three of the members of the third line, Marcus Johansson, Jason Chimera, and Tom Wilson, scored a goal. Other persons scoring goals for the Caps were Justin Williams and Alex Ovechkin.
In spite of their goal scoring prowess this game, the third line members were not great in the possession driving standpoint. Johansson was the best of the group, with both Corsi For and Fenwick For percentages ranging between 50-55%, showing that he is the possession driver of that particular line. Chimera had Corsi For and Fenwick For percentages around 42%. Wilson, meanwhile, had a 46% Corsi For percentage and a 50% Fenwick For percentage. It was also somewhat of a rough day for the line of Justin Williams; i.e. Williams and his linemates Andre Burakovsky and Evgeny Kuznetsov. Williams had Corsi For percentage of 45% and Fenwick For percentage of 52%. Burakovsky’s Corsi For and Fenwick For were both in the 40-45 percent range. Kuznetsov’s Corsi For and Fenwick For percentages were in the 30-40% range. The members of the first line, Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie all had Corsi For and Fenwick For percentages over 65%. Among that line, Ovechkin had the empty net goal near the end of the game.
Among the defensemen, Karl Alzner and Matt Niskanen had Corsi For and Fenwick For percentages over 70%. Dmitry Orlov had Corsi For and Fenwick For percentages between 50-55%. Taylor Chorney, his partner, had Corsi For percentage at 48% and Fenwick For at 50%. It was a rough night for John Carlson and Nate Schmidt, with both of them hovering at 25% in both Corsi For and Fenwick For percentage.
Capitals vs Minnesota Wild (February 11)
The Caps won this game 4-3. Alex Ovechkin scored a hat trick during the second period. He scored his first two goals for the Caps before the Wild scored their first goal. The Wild scored two goals, including one near the very end of the game, after the Caps had scored an empty net goal.
In spite of the fact the Caps won this game, this was a relatively mediocre game from a possession standpoint. The only players to top 50% in Corsi For were defensemen Dmitry Orlov and Taylor Chorney and they barely topped that figure. They both topped 55% in Fenwick For percentage. The third line members, Jason Chimera, Tom Wilson, and Marcus Johansson, all had 50% in Corsi For percentage. They hovered around 55% in Fenwick For. The first line of Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie were just under 50% for Corsi For percentage but at or just over 50% for Fenwick For percentage.
Capitals vs Dallas Stars (February 13)
The Caps lost this game 4-3. The Caps fell behind 4-0 by giving up 4 goals during the second period. They came back with a power play goal and then two more goals but it ultimately was too little too late. There was one good shot that had rang the post. If the shot had gone in, it would have tied the score.
The second line of Andre Burakovsky, Justin Williams, and Evgeny Kuznetsov, had very good possession statistics, with Williams having the best possession, exceeding 70% in both Corsi For and Fenwick For. Burakovsky’s Corsi For and Fenwick For percentages clustered around 60% and Kuznetsov’s ranged between 60-65%. Their efforts were reflected in the fact they scored 2 goals, one by Williams and one by Burakovsky, with Kuznetsov having assists on both. The remaining forwards all had Corsi For and Fenwick For percentages under 50%, with most of them around 35%. None of the defensemen had Corsi For or Fenwick For percentages that exceeded 50%. John Carlson had 50% Corsi For and Karl Alzner had 50% Fenwick For, to lead the defensemen this game.
Overall
This was a week where, as a rule, nobody on the Caps had super outstanding possession statistics. For the week, players hovered close to the 50% mark in both Corsi For and Fenwick For.
The best in Corsi For percentage for the forwards, who played more than one game, was Justin Williams at 53%. Other forwards exceeding 50% in Corsi For percentage were Nicklas Backstrom, Alex Ovechkin, T.J. Oshie. Defensemen exceeding 50% Corsi For percentage were Dmitry Orlov and Matt Niskanen.
The best in Fenwick For percentage were Justin Williams and Nicklas Backstrom at 54%. Others with Fenwick For over 50% were Niskanen, Orlov, Ovechkin, and Oshie. I did not highlight Paul Carey as one of the leaders, despite his high statistics, was the fact he only had played one game during this time period.
By Diane Doyle
