Edition 4 already, and we are looking at NHL team luck, expressed through shot and goal rates. Take Montreal for example, a team that not many people are expecting much from this season, other than the “Presse de Montreal”. But so far they have doing well, and at the time of writing they have a win percentage of over 60%, closely behind Boston and Toronto (to see current standings based on points and win percentage, check Puck Possessed 3).
Where other teams show luck, or lack thereof, with a shot ratio and goal ratio that strongly differ, Montreal have actually been both out-shooting and out-scoring their opponents more than 50% of the time.
Unfortunately, both shot and goals ratio have been slightly declining, which has also had it’s impact on their win ratio. The last graph on the dashboard, bottom right, follows the Habs on a game by game basis looking at both shot and goal ratio, so see any trends and variation. But other than their game on October 11, where they outshout LA but still were shut-out and lost, and their most recent game against the Sabres, where they lost 4-3 but were out-shot 42-22, they we’re in the area you want to be (around 50/50 and to the right and above).
I hope these charts provide some insights, or a different look at the NHL teams. Next up will be some video analysis.
Here’s the link.