A look at some of the analytics from the Canucks 3-1 overtime victory over the Vegas Golden Knights.
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 3-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights.
This was one of Vancouver's best defensive efforts of the year. While the Canucks did allow 17 even-strength scoring chances, they limited Vegas to only six even-strength high-danger chances. Despite a strong push in the third, the Golden Knights were unable to break through Vancouver's defensive structure, which is a testament to how strong the Canucks were in this game.
As for the heatmap, it is a good representation of how strong Vancouver was in front of Thatcher Demko. Most of Vegas' play was along the boards, with Demko only having to face one high-danger shot during the entire game. The Golden Knights couldn't even generate medium-danger chances on the night as Demko stopped all two medium-danger shots he faced. This is the type of performance Rick Tocchet can be proud of and one that will hopefully be replicated come playoff time.
Heatmap by Natural Stat Trick, VAN vs VGK. Feb 7, 2024Speaking of defensive play, the pairing of Ian Cole and Carson Soucy was fantastic for the Canucks. The duo played 15:31 at even strength together and finished the night with an xGF% of 70.90. Vancouver also had a 6-2 high-danger chances advantage with them on the ice while they combined for three hits and five blocks. It is clear the two play well together and should be able to act as a shutdown pair for the rest of the season.
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