Vs Calgary 4-1 Loss October 13, 2011

Plekanec with top risk/reward


The Montreal Canadiens lost a battle of special teams in their home opener Thursday night. Montreal could not overcome a 3-1 first-period deficit, despite out-shooting the Calgary Flames 36-21. The Habs threw an incredible 14 powerplay shots at Mikka Kiprusoff, but were unable to score on any of their 4 powerplay opportunities.

Scott Gomez had the top grade. Gomez continues to direct shots at the front of the net; something he just wasn't doing last season. Mathieu Darche had the second-best grade. The lowest grade belonged to Andreas Engqvist. Number 63 went from having the one of the top grades against Winnipeg to the lowest grade in the home-opener. For his part, Travis Moen went from having the top grade against Winnipeg to the second-lowest grade against the Flames.

Aaron Palushaj was the Habs most active player against the Flames. Number 60 was always around the puck; averaging over 6 events-per-minute played. Engqvist was the least involved player, followed closely by Travis Moen. Tomas Plekanec had the top risk/reward rating. Number 14 was the only player with an overall risk/reward rating above 2.00. The team average was 1.39.

Aaron Palushaj was the Habs most involved player in the offensive-zone. Number 60 produced nearly 3 offensive-events per minute played. Brian Gionta was the second-most active player in the o-zone. Plekanec had the top offensive-zone risk/reward. Number 14 completed 8 of 11 attempted passes, and won 5 separate puck-races. Gionta had the second-best o-zone risk/reward rating. Other players with solid o-zone r/r's include Gomez, Erik Cole and Darche.

Aaron Palushaj had the lowest o-zone risk/reward, and was one of 4 players with risk/reward ratings in the negative. He won only 2 of 5 o-zone puck-battles, and completed only 50% of his attempted o-zone passes. Other players with o-zone ratings in the negative include Moen, Yannick Weber, and incredibly enough, PK Subban.  Number 76 was only able to complete 2 of 5 o-zone passes while playing at even-strength.

Raphael Diaz and PK Subban were the most active players in the defensive-zone; with Diaz averaging over 3 defensive-events per minute of ice time. Diaz also managed the top defensive-zone risk/reward rating. Diaz's grade was saved by his passing skills; he completed 22 of 28 attempted d-zone passes, but won only 1 of 7 d-zone puck-battles. Palushaj had the second-best d-zone risk/reward, followed closely by Weber. Number 68 completed 15 of 21 d-zone passes, while winning 5 of 7 puck-battles.

Erik Cole had the lowest d-zone risk/reward rating. Number 72 lost 2 of 7 d-zone puck-battles; including 3 lost puck-battles on a shift that eventually led to a goal against. Other players with negative d-zone risk/reward ratings include Desharnais and Gionta. Gionta had trouble winning d-zone puck-battles, while Desharnais failed to block passing lanes. 

Palushaj made it a clean sweep by also producing the most events-per-minute played in the neutral-zone. Other players with more than 1.20 n-zone events per minute played include Gionta, Desharnais and Cole. Desharnais had the top neutral-zone risk/reward rating. Number 51 successfully dumped or carried the puck into the offensive-zone on 6 separate occasions, while winning 2 puck-races and completing 67% of his passes. Darche also made strong neutral-zone puck-decisions. Number 52 completed all of his n-zone pass-attempts, while winning all of his puck-battles.

Travis Moen had the lowest n-zone risk/reward rating. Followed closely by Gionta and Engqvist. Moen and Gionta had trouble completing n-zone passes, while Engqvist  was not able to successfully carry the puck into the offensive-zone.

Darche and Hal Gill averaged the most events per minute-played while shorthanded. The top shorthanded risk/reward belonged to Diaz, followed closely by Gill. Number 75 blocked 3 separate passes, while winning 3 shorthanded puck-battles. Diaz's totals are less impressive when we take into account that he had only 22 seconds of shorthanded ice-time.

Weber and Engqvist were the only 2 players with negative short-handed risk/reward ratings.  Weber lost d-zone puck-battles, while Engqvist failed to block the passing lane 3 separate times.

PK Subban and Andrei Kostitsyn produced the most events per minute of ice-time while on the powerplay. Diaz, Pacioretty, Weber and Subban had the top powerplay risk/reward ratings. Subban and Pacioretty completed all of their PP pass-attempts, while Weber and Diaz combined for 5 powerplay shots through to the net.

Cole was the only player with a negative powerplay risk/reward rating. Number 72 also produced the least amount of events per-minute of powerplay ice-time.


*Special thanks to PricePkPatch from HF boards for the idea to do graphs.