Game 1 Vs Boston 2-0 win April 14th, 2011

Gionta's offense translates to top grade among forwards

The Montreal Canadiens combined Carey Price's solid goaltending with some opportunistic scoring by Brian Gionta to take a 1-game lead on the Boston Bruins Thursday night.

Offensive-zone team averages by period

 The Habs were above average in 3 of 5 offensive-zone categories. They won 60% of the offensive-zone puck-battles, but were only able to complete 62% of their offensive-zone puck battles; compared to an average success-rate of 71% during the regular season

*Season average included on right

METRIC	AFTER 1ST	AFTER 2ND	TM WIN%	METRIC	SEASON AVERAGE
%OZPBW	59	61	60	%OZPBW	57
OZPASS%	57	58	62	OZPASS%	71
OZDEAK%	50	56	50	OZDEAK%	59
SKI%	85	80	76	SKI%	72
DI%	88	77	80	DI%	78
OZTA	5	7	12	OZTA

Offensive-zone player averages

Tomas Plekanec led all forwards with a 71% success-rate when engaging in offensive-zone puck-battles. His mark was followed closely by Gionta (69), and Gomez (67). Plekanec struggled completing offensive-zone passes (38%), while Gomez took top honours with a success-rate of 77%.

Mike Cammalleri (83%) and Plekanec (88%) were the most successful forwards when attempting to carry the puck into the offensive-zone, while most forwards, save for Cammalleri (33%), successfully completed the vast majority of their dump-ins.

METRIC	6	11	13	14	15	20	21	22	32	34	44	45	46	47	51	52	53	55	57	58	63	67	68	75	76	81	94	31	METRIC	TEAM TOT
%OZPBW	67	50	64	71		25	69		50		83		50			67	60	33	50	20				100	100	50	60		%OZPBW	60
OZPASS%	71	77	75	38		55	71		50		33		40			60	75	0	100						70	33	100		OZPASS%	62
OZDEAK%		50	100	100												100			0	0					0		0		OZDEAK%	50
SKI%		67	83	88		0	75		100				33			100	100			50					75	100	100		SKI%	76
DI%	100	100	33	100		100	60		60		75		100			67	100	100	50	50				75	89	75	100	100	DI%	80
OZTA	0	5	1	2		0	1		0		0		1			0	0	0	0	1				0	0	0	1	0	OZTA	12
	6	11	13	14	15	20	21	22	32	34	44	45	46	47	51	52	53	55	57	58	63	67	68	75	76	81	94	31		TEAM TOT

Defensive-zone team averages by period

The Habs struggled substantially with the Bruins forcheck. Montreal won only 48% of their defensive-zone puck-battles, but completed 71% of their defensive-zone pass-attempts; 5 percentage-points above the season-average

					SEASON AVERAGE
%DZPBW	43	45	48	%DZPBW	59
DZPASS%	76	71	66	DZPASS%	71
DZDEAK%	67	67	70	DZDEAK%	73
DZTA	14	25	38	DZTA
DZ-BL-SHOT	8	19	26	DZ-BL-SHOT
DZ-BL-PASS	1	2	4	DZ-BL-PASS
					SEASON AVERAGE

Defensive-zone player averages

PK Subban and Brent Sopel were the only defensemen able to win more than 50% of their defensive-zone puck battles. Plekanec, Ryan White and David Desharnais had the top winning percentage for DZPBs among forwards, while Lars Eller led all players with 6 defensive-zone takaways.

Brent Sopel blocked 5 shots, while Travis Moen led all forwards with 3 blocked shots.

	6	11	13	14	15	20	21	22	32	34	44	45	46	47	51	52	53	55	57	58	63	67	68	75	76	81	94	31		TEAM TOT
%DZPBW	40	40	43	67		40	50		38		47					50	67	63	50	67				50	67	0	29		%DZPBW	48
DZPASS%	67	78	33	63		72	50		100		76		29			100	100	50	67	100				50	64	63	40	100	DZPASS%	66
DZDEAK%		50	100						0		100		100						100						100				DZDEAK%	70
DZTA	1	1	1	3		4	2		2		2		2			0	1	1	2	0				6	4	6	0	0	DZTA	38
DZ-BL-SHOT	2	0	0	1		3	0		3		3		2			2	1	5	0	0				3	0	0	1	0	DZ-BL-SHOT	26
DZ-BL-PASS	1	0	0	1		0	0		0		0		0			0	0	0	0	0				1	1	0	0	0	DZ-BL-PASS	4
	6	11	13	14	15	20	21	22	32	34	44	45	46	47	51	52	53	55	57	58	63	67	68	75	76	81	94	31		TEAM TOT

Neutral-zone team averages

Except for the first 5 minutes of the hockey game, the Bruins were able to control the neutral-zone. Montreal was substantially below their season-average in all neutral-zone categories. Keep in mind that every loss in this metric is equivalent to a loss of puck possession.

METRIC	AFTER 1ST	AFTER 2ND	TM WIN%	METRIC	SEASON AVERAGE
%NZPBW	33	33	38	%NZPBW	56
NZPASS%	67	70	65	NZPASS%	74
NZDEAK%	50	67	50	NZDEAK%	77
NZTA	3	4	11	NZTA
METRIC	AFTER 1ST	AFTER 2ND	TM WIN%	METRIC	SEASON AVERAGE

Neutral-zone player average

Gomez and Gionta were the only forwards with success-rates for neutral-zone puck-battles above 50%, while Jaroslav Spacek led all defensemen with a 100% success-rate for NZPBs. Cammalleri (25%), Benoit Pouliot (13%) and Tom Pyatt (25%) experienced the most difficulty winning neutral-zone puck battles.

Plekanec had an uncharacteristic tough night completing neutral-zone passes, as only Mathieu Darche had a lower success-rate. Pyatt led all forwards with 3 neutral-zone takeaways.

	6	11	13	14	15	20	21	22	32	34	44	45	46	47	51	52	53	55	57	58	63	67	68	75	76	81	94	31		TEAM TOT
%NZPBW	100	67	25	38			67		40		40		50			0	0		13	43				50		50	25		%NZPBW	38
NZPASS%	0	100	67	50		100	67		67		67		100			33	0		0	100				100	100		0		NZPASS%	65
NZDEAK%		100				100														0									NZDEAK%	50
NZTA	0	1	1	2		0	0		1		0		0			0	0	1	0	1				0	0	1	3		NZTA	11
	6	11	13	14	15	20	21	22	32	34	44	45	46	47	51	52	53	55	57	58	63	67	68	75	76	81	94	31		TEAM TOT

Player shots through/ missed / blocked

SEASON AVERAGE

61

Boston did an excellent job limiting shots-through to the net. Montreal was only able to get 43% of their attempted shots through to the net. In fact, seven of 17 Habs that attempted shots through traffic weren't able to hit the net.

	6	11	13	14	15	20	21	22	32	34	44	45	46	47	51	52	53	55	57	58	63	67	68	75	76	81	94	31		TEAM TOT
PSTHRU%	0	0	50	50		43	25		100		0		0			0	0	67		100				100	60	100	0		PSTHRU%	43

Team and player faceoff totals

Montreal was above their season-average in only 2 faceoff categories, and won only 25% of their defensive-zone faceoffs. Their work in the defensive-zone faceoff circles is directly indicative of the large amount of time Boston was able to spend in the Habs' zone.

	11	13	14	53	58	81		TEAM TOT	SEASON AVERAGE
DZFOW%	14	100	0	0	100	33	DZFOW%	25	50
DZPKFOW%			100				DZPKFOW%	100	48
OZPPFOW%	50	0	100				OZPPFOW%	50	56
OZFOW%	71	0	0	100	0	67	OZFOW%	50	46
NZFOW%	0		33			67	NZFOW%	33	51
	11	13	14	53	58	81		TEAM TOT	SEASON AVERAGE

Individual raw data

	6	11	13	14	20	21	32	44	46	52	53	55	57	58	75	76	81	94	31		TM TOT
OZPBW	2	5	9	12	1	9	4	5	2	6	6	1	3	1	2	2	3	3		OZPBW	76
OZPBL	1	5	5	5	3	4	4	1	2	3	4	2	3	4			3	2		OZPBL	51
OZPASS+	5	10	6	3	6	5	2	1	2	3	3		1			7	1	3		OZPASS+	58
OZPASS-	2	3	2	5	5	2	2	2	3	2	1	1				3	2			OZPASS-	35
OZDEAK+		1	1	3						1										OZDEAK+	6
OZDEAK-		1											1	1		1		2		OZDEAK-	6
SKI +		2	5	7		3	2		1	1	1			1		3	1	2		SKI +	29
SKI-		1	1	1	1	1			2					1		1				SKI-	9
DI+	4	2	1	9	5	3	3	3	1	2	1	3	1	2	6	8	3	1	1	DI+	59
DI-			2			2	2	1		1			1	2	2	1	1			DI-	15
OZTA		5	1	2		1			1					1				1		OZTA	12
	6	11	13	14	20	21	32	44	46	52	53	55	57	58	75	76	81	94	31		TM TOT
DZPBW	6	4	3	4	4	3	3	8		2	2	5	2	2	11	10		2		DZPBW	71
DZPBL	9	6	4	2	6	3	5	9		2	1	3	2	1	11	5	3	5		DZPBL	77
DZPASS+	12	7	1	5	23	2	5	22	2	4	2	5	2	1	11	18	5	2	6	DZPASS+	135
DZPASS-	6	2	2	3	9	2		7	5			5	1		11	10	3	3		DZPASS-	69
DZDEAK+		1	1					1	1				1			2				DZDEAK+	7
DZDEAK-		1					2													DZDEAK-	3
DZTA	1	1	1	3	4	2	2	2	2		1	1	2		6	4	6			DZTA	38
DZ-BL-SHOT	2			1	3		3	3	2	2	1	5			3			1		DZ-BL-SHOT	26
DZ-BL-PASS	1			1											1	1				DZ-BL-PASS	4
	6	11	13	14	20	21	32	44	46	52	53	55	57	58	75	76	81	94	31		TM TOT
NZPBW	3	2	1	3		2	2	2	2				1	3	1		1	1		NZPBW	24
NZPBL		1	3	5		1	3	3	2	3	3		7	4	1		1	3		NZPBL	40
NZPASS+		2	2	1	2	2	2	2	1	1				1	2	2				NZPASS+	20
NZPASS-	1		1	1		1	1	1		2	1		1					1		NZPASS-	11
NZDEAK+		1			1															NZDEAK+	2
NZDEAK-														2						NZDEAK-	2
NZTA		1	1	2			1					1		1			1	3		NZTA	11
	6	11	13	14	20	21	32	44	46	52	53	55	57	58	75	76	81	94	31		TM TOT
DZFOW		1	1											1			2			DZFOW	5
DZFOL		6		3							2						4			DZFOL	15
DZPKFOW				3																DZPKFOW	3
DZPKFOL																				DZPKFOL	0
OZPPFOW		2		1																OZPPFOW	3
OZPPFOL		2	1																	OZPPFOL	3
OZFOW		5									2						2			OZFOW	9
OZFOL		2	1	3										2			1			OZFOL	9
NZFOW				2													2			NZFOW	4
NZFOL		3		4													1			NZFOL	8
	6	11	13	14	20	21	32	44	46	52	53	55	57	58	75	76	81	94	31		TM TOT
PS THRU			3	3	3	2	1					2		2	1	3	1			PS THRU	21
OZ PS BL	2	1	3	3	4	6		1	1	2	1	1				2		1		OZ PS BL	28
POINTS X2		4				4														POINTS X2	8
+/-		2			2	2		2		2										+/-	10
SHOTS			3	5	1	4	1					1		2		2	1			SHOTS	20
	6	11	13	14	20	21	32	44	46	52	53	55	57	58	75	76	81	94	31		TM TOT
WINS	36	58	42	66	55	44	31	51	17	24	17	24	13	20	44	62	31	19	7	WINS	656
BATTLES	57	90	65	105	81	64	50	74	32	37	32	36	29	35	69	85	48	36	7	BATTLES	1032
GRADE	63	64	65	63	68	69	62	69	53	65	53	67	45	57	64	73	65	53	100	GRADE	64
PLAYER	6	11	13	14	20	21	32	44	46	52	53	55	57	58	75	76	81	94	31		TM GR

Grades by period

PLAYER	6	11	13	14	20	21	32	44	46	52	53	55	57	58	75	76	81	94	31
AFTER 1ST	63	70	53	70	56	74	68	75	100	61	44	73	44	53	63	76	53	76	100
AFTER 2ND	55	60	68	61	67	60	66	72	40	60	52	68	53	63	61	73	77	59	100
GAME'S END	63	64	65	63	68	69	62	69	53	65	53	67	45	57	64	73	65	53	100
PLAYER	6	11	13	14	20	21	32	44	46	52	53	55	57	58	75	76	81	94	3

Average grade by line and defensive-duo

* I realize Kositsyn didn't play the entire game with Plekanec and Cammalleri. Unfortunately time-limitations didn't allow me to break down this metric further ( I apologize)*

FORWARDS
LINE			GRADE	GAME
32	81	94	60	2-0 W
57	58	53	52	2-0 W
52	11	21	66	2-0 W
13	14	46	60	2-0 W

DEFENSEMAN
PAIR		GRADE	GAME
6	55	65	2-0 W
75	76	69	2-0 W
44	20	69	2-0 W

Why the won
-Carey Price's goaltending
-Gomez's puck hunger
(He needs to stay hungry, as he's followed up most solid grades with substantially lower ones)
-Gionta's timely scoring