It'll be interesting to see how the Caps respond after the break and two pretty ugly road games against Arizona and VGK.
Looking at the standings we are 7th overall in the league in points earned, just two points behind VGK for second [Tampa Bay comfortably ahead of the pack]. We are 10th in points earned percentage, which I guess factors in the number of games played. I realize stats don't always tell the whole story, but we are:
10th in goals for per game
18th in goals allowed per game
18th in PP percentage
22nd in PK percentage
16th in shots allowed per game, and
dead last in shot attempts per game.
Those are some pretty average stats for the record we have. It's like we don't doing anything particularly well, but aside from shots per game, we don't do anything particularly poorly.
Is this encouraging because there's so much upside? Or is it more concerning because we seem to be outperforming record wise considering how we've played?
Little column A, little column B
Bottom line is that this team is designed to score, and have Beagles group and Holtby do the heavy lifting.
So when the “talent” players, are not only not producing goals on a consistent basis, and are liabilities when they are not and/or trying to be, you’re assuridly going to see “smoke and mirrors”. The reason being, they win by blowouts, or games they shouldn’t
Prime example, shots on goal. Is it because you don’t have to because you’re holding a leads, or because you can’t get a shot off because of commuting turnovers with toe drags, no look passes, and losing board battles?
What those stats say, is our best player is between the pipes. Now granted, Hots numbers are down, and he’s let in (for him), many he should of had. But look at the mess in front he has to protect him. If you put 90% of the other goalies in the league in front of him, we could very easily be battling for a lottery pick right now.