The Stats Behind The Game: Canucks 5, Predators 2

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 5-2 win over the Nashville Predators.

Vancouver played one of their best games of the season versus Nashville. They weren't severely outplayed in the first, which has been a problem all season, and limited a Predators team that was averaging over 12 high-danger scoring chances a game at even strength to just six. Whether it was clogging up the middle of the ice in the defensive zone or the 13 takeaways they were credited with at even strength, the Canucks played the type of game head coach Rick Tocchet has been asking for since he arrived in Vancouver. 

The key to success for the Canucks in this game was their ability to crash the net. The average goal distance for Vancouver was 15.40 feet, which, as illustrated in the heatmap below, is right in front of the net. The only reason it isn't shorter is because of Pettersson's opening goal, where he ripped one past Juuse Saros from the faceoff dot. This is an area Vancouver has improved on and is paying dividends so far this season.

Shifting over to a player that stood out on the analytics side, that would be Brock Boeser. In 12:24 of even-strength ice time, he led all Canuck players with four shots, was credited with four individual scoring chances and had a takeaway. He also finished the night with an xGF% of 65.52 and a 9-2 lead on the shot clock when he was on the ice. Boeser's improvements in the defensive zone have been noticeable this season and have played a factor in his career year. 

To wrap things up, let's take a look at the pairing of Nikita Zadorov and Tyler Myers. The duo played 15:22 at even strength together and finished the night with an xGF% of 61.79. While they were outshot 7-6, they allowed just one high-danger chance while on the ice together. This pairing has looked very good over the past few weeks and will hopefully continue to be valuable to the Canucks for the rest of the campaign. 

Make sure to check back after the game against the Dallas Stars for another edition of "The Stats Behind The Game."