Analyzing The Vancouver Canucks Nine-Game March Homestand
The Canucks went 5-3-1 over their season-long nine-game homestand in March.
Photo by Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports - Analyzing The Vancouver Canucks Nine-Game March HomestandThe Vancouver Canucks nine-game homestand in March produced mixed results. Overall, Vancouver played well defensively but had issues generating in the offensive zone, especially on the power play. Here is a look at some of the statistics and analytics from the Canucks nine-game homestand, which saw them go 5-3-1.
Starting with the analytics, Vancouver came up above 50% in every trackable category, according to Natural Stat Trick. Below is a chart using per-60 rates showing how the Canucks did from an analytics perspective.
The biggest takeaway from the analytics is that Vancouver was able to limit its opposition opportunities throughout the homestand. At five-on-five, the Canucks allowed 23.26 shots per 60 and gave up 23.12 scoring chances per 60. Vancouver also finished the homestand, allowing 1.39 goals per 60, while their goaltenders had a 94.01 save percentage at five-on-five. Ultimately, the analytics show that while there were lapses in the defensive zone, the Canucks were solid in their own zone, which led to them only allowing ten goals at five-on-five during the nine games.
The big issue for Vancouver on this homestand was their goal-scoring. While the Canucks did see a slight dip in five-on-five goal scoring, the problem was their power play which went five for 26. It is also important to note that two of those goals came in the final game of the homestand against the Anaheim Ducks, who are the 31st-ranked team on the penalty kill this season. While it is great the power play showed life near the end of the nine games, Vancouver's inability to score with the man advantage cost them wins and resulted in the team finishing the homestand with 2.89 goals for per game.
When looking at the Canucks power play from an analytics perspective, it is clear why they struggled with the man advantage. The first issue is that Vancouver did not get enough pucks on the net. Overall, the Canucks averaged 1.42 shots per power play while also averaging .85 high-danger chances on each man advantage. Vancouver also struggled to set up, as poor passes or lost board battles often resulted in the opposition clearing the puck out of the zone. While an ineffective power play may not hurt as much in the regular season, come playoff time, it could be the difference between a long run or being knocked out in the first round.
Lastly, let's look at two players who stood out during the homestand. The first was Conor Garland, who played the majority of the nine games in the top six. During the homestand, Garland finished tied for second on the team with eight points while finishing as the team leader in shots with 28. He also had five takeaways and threw ten hits while averaging 15:32 of ice time. Ultimately, he made a difference night after night and showed how versatile he can be in the Canucks lineup.
The other player who stood out was Vasily Podkolzin, who was a hitting machine. He led the team in hits with 40 and finished tied for first in takeaways with six. What was even more impressive is he had this success while averaging only 10:25 a night. Despite only having one point during the nine-game stretch, he left a mark on every game and showed he can play a physical style of game at the NHL level.
Overall, this homestand should serve as an excellent reminder to Vancouver that they need to start ramping up their game ahead of the postseason. This has been a message echoed by Rick Tocchet over the past few weeks as his team has experienced some sloppy play over the homestand. With a playoff berth secured, the hope is the Canucks can learn from these past nine games and make adjustments so that they are ready for the start of the playoffs.
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