Habs Stats: The First 50 games
Games 46-50 returned seven out of ten possible points. The team has played above a .600 point production for the last 30 games. The only blemish in the sequence was a single loss in regulation which hurts even more as it happened against a direct rival Buffalo Sabres team. Despite their consistency in point production, including a 11-3-2 record in their last 17 games exiting Game 50, all that the Habs have accomplished was to remain firmly within the top three in the Atlantic without being able to separate themselves from the teams racing behind them.
Statistically, the Habs have reverted to their old habits by going all out, scoring at a high rate at the expense of a sound defensive game. Both the power play and the penalty kill have also reverted to the yearly average. The goals scored statistic was greatly enhanced by two poor goaltending performances by Nikita Tolopilo of the Vancouver Canucks and Leevi Merilainen of the Ottawa Senators, with a combined .769 save percentage.
On Montreal’s side, all three goaltenders had starts. Although Montembeault had a .929 save percentage versus the Washington Capitals in a 3-2 OT loss, the four other games had save percentages averaging .853. Following the loss by Jacob Fowler in Buffalo on January 15th, the team announced that he was sent back to Laval which ended the three-goaltender rotation.
Advanced stats presented by NHL Edge are shown below. The team remains middle-of-the-pack in zone time and they remain effective shooters, ranking second in shooting percentage at 13.0%. They are particularly efficient in mid-range shot locations where they attain up to 20.0%. They are also consistently among the fastest teams in the league as shown by the number of speed bursts so far this season.
So far, the Habs have avoided the flat-line stint they had at the same time last year. They are now 10 points ahead of last year. They currently have 63 points, which was attained last year following Game 60 on March 1st, well after the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Although these numbers point to a season well ahead of their 91-point season last year, it is highly doubtful that 91 points will be enough to make the playoffs in the East this season. The current last spot in the Wild Card race held by the Boston Bruins is on pace for a 96-point season.
The Atlantic Division is particularly strong this season. Not only are the two wild card spots held by an Atlantic Division team, but a third team from the Atlantic Division (the Toronto Maple Leafs) is just behind Boston with a game in hand. The strength of the Atlantic is highlighted by the fact that the last-place Ottawa Senators have 53 points, the same total as the San Jose Sharks, who hold the last Wild Card spot in the West.
The excellent play this season by the Montreal Canadiens is undermined by the equally excellent play from all the teams in the Atlantic. Tampa Bay, Detroit, Montreal, Buffalo, and Toronto have records of .500 or more versus all four divisions. The only losing records are Florida’s 5-7-1 versus the Atlantic and Ottawa’s 4-8-1 versus the Central. This has made it very difficult for any team to distance itself from the pack.
Looking ahead to the Habs’ remaining games, 12 will be versus the Metropolitan Division, including three versus the Islanders who they have not played so far. It will also be interesting to watch Tampa Bay’s remaining games, where they will meet up against Ottawa and Toronto twice. They will also face Boston three times and Buffalo four times, both of which they have yet to face this season. Detroit has not seen much of the Central Division so far and they have yet to play the Avalanche and the Wild.