The Numbers Game: Minnesota Wild vs Buffalo Sabres
By Ger Devine
Mar 24, 2012; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller (30) makes a glove save during the third period against the Minnesota Wild at the First Niagara Center. Buffalo defeats Minnesota 3 – 1. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
In a new feature that I’ll be running here on Gone Puck Wild throughout the season, before each game, I will be analysing the underlying numbers for both the Wild and their next opponent to see how they match-up. Tonight’s opponent is the Buffalo Sabres.
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-Here are the underlying numbers for both teams so far this year at 5v5 and 5v5 Close:
WILD |
SABRES
LEAGUE POSITION
15th30th
HOME RECORD
2-0-20-2-1
ROAD RECORD
0-1-0 0-3-0
PP%
30.4%5
th
9.5%28
th
PK%
66.7%28
th
90.0%5
th
-5v5-
WILD
SABRES
GF%
70.0%5
th
26.7%29
th
CF%
60.8%1
st
42.3%29
th
FF%
61.7%2
nd
40.7%29
th
SF%
65.8%1
st
42.7%27
th
Sh%
5.8%23
rd
3.3%29
th
Sv%
95.2%5
th
93.6%14
th
PDO
101.013
th
96.625
th
-5v5 CLOSE-
WILD
SABRES
GF%
71.4%5
th
9.1%30
th
CF%
60.9%1
st
38.9%30
th
FF%
62.9%2
nd
39.5529
th
SF%
66.7%2
nd
41.5%28
th
Sh%
7.6%18
th
1.4%30
th
Sv%
93.9%9
th
90.3%22
nd
PDO
101.512
th
91.728
th
(GF%=Goals For %, CF%=Corsi For %, FF%=Fenwick For %, SF%=Shots For Percentage, Sh%=
Shooting Percentage, Sv%=Save Percentage)
Once again, the Wild have been excellent across the board, in both 5v5 and 5v5 Close. They’ve also been incredibly unlucky, with an extremely low Shooting Percentage and middle-of-the-pack Save Percentage. The PP is doing very well and the PK is doing terribly.
The Sabres are absolutely awful in all areas except for the PK. They have a low PDO which suggests bad luck, but with their talent level being so far below league average, I think it will be hard for their Sh% to progress all the way back to the mean.
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-Here are the Best 3 and Worst 3 players for each team in various statistical categories. This only counts players who have played 3 games so far:
| 5v5 CLOSE | PLAYER #1 |
PLAYER #2
PLAYER #3
Wild CF% Top 3
STONER (76.7%)
MITCHELL (75.0%)
PARISE (69.1%)
Wild CF% Worst 3
GRANLUND (48.0%)
BRODIN (53.2%)
FONTAINE (53.8%)
Sabres CF% Top 3
PORTER (50.0%)
PYSYK (48.4%)
EHRHOFF (45.7%)
Sabres CF% Worst 3
MCCORMICK (16.7%)
KALETA (25.9%)
MCBAIN (27.7%)
Wild FF% Top 3
STONER (77.4%)
MITCHELL (77.3%)
PARISE (71.4%)
Wild FF% Worst 3
GRANLUND (48.6%)
BRODIN (51.9%)
HEATLEY (55.0%)
Sabres FF% Top 3
PORTER (51.3%)
PYSYK (46.8%)
EHRHOFF (46.5%)
Sabres FF% Worst 3
MCCORMICK (11.1%)
KALETA (19.0%)
MCBAIN (27.5%)
Wild PDO Top 3
FONTAINE (1273)
COOKE (1150)
BRODZIAK (1136)
Wild PDO Worst 3
NIEDERREITER (875)
SCANDELLA (909)
HEATLEY (917)
Sabres PDO Top 3
OTT (1002)
EHRHOFF (1002)
MCCORMICK (1008)
Sabress PDO Worst 3
WEBER (793)
SCOTT (800)
MYERS (818)
Stoner and Mitchell are still putting up incredible numbers. There’s no way this lasts, is there? Granlund and Brodin made steady improvements during the Stars game. Fontaine is still getting some bad puck-luck while he’s on the ice.
The Sabres numbers are truly awful. I remember a Sabres fan tried to tell me that Patrick Kaleta is one of the best defensive forwards in the league. His laughable possession numbers beg to differ. Porter is the only player keeping his head above water for the Sabres.
The Wild should crush these guys tonight.
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Okay, that’s all from me. Make sure you check-out Scott’s official Gone Puck Wild Game Preview before puck-drop where you’ll get his insight along with all the information you need about the game.
Follow me on Twitter for more hockey views/analysis.
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*Numbers in this article courtesy of:
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