A look at some of the analytics from the Canucks 2-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Welcome to this edition of "The Stats Behind The Game." This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Vancouver Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on the Canucks most recent 2-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Vancouver came out ahead on both the scoresheet and from an analytics perspective. At even-strength, they won the scoring chances battle by a count of 23-19 while holding a 16-8 advantage regarding high-danger scoring chances. They also posted an xGF% of 57.56%, which was the Canucks highest percentage since their last shutout, which came on Jan 13 versus the Buffalo Sabres.
When looking at the heatmap, it is clear why Vancouver was able to keep Chicago off the scoreboard. Outside of some opportunities on the power play, the Blackhawks had a hard time generating any chances that were close to the net. They also finished with an average shot distance at even strength of 47.95 feet, with Thatcher Demko only having to stop five high-danger shots on the night.
Natural Stat TrickAs for the Canucks, they drove the net and made life difficult for Petr Mrazek. He faced 11 even-strength high-danger shots, while Vancouver had an average shot distance of 36.38 feet. Creating opportunities close to the net is something Vancouver has done very well this season and is one of the many reasons they lead the league in even-strength, high-danger goals with 77.
One player who stood out was Andrei Kuzmenko, who finished the night with two assists. In 11:55 of even-strength ice time, he recorded an xGF% of 66.62 and was on the ice for seven high-danger chances compared to three against. It was arguably one of his better games of the season and, hopefully, one he can build on moving forward.
Lastly, one encouraging sign was that Filip Hronek and Nikita Zadorov looked good as a pairing. The duo played 12:46 together at even strength and finished with a 53.79 xGF% and had a 3-2 advantage regarding high-danger chances. While Chicago is not the toughest opponent in the NHL, it is positive that these two showed some chemistry as it allows head coach Rick Tocchet and his coaching staff to balance out the defensive group for the rest of the season.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
