Jonathan Quick, and goaltenders in general, are a case study in taking game samples block by block.
The position is mired in the ups and downs of a season, and a team record can often mirror that if they do not have means of winning outside of goaltending. Or, if you are like Montreal the last 10 games and also can't seem to shoot along with bad goaltending.
Another comparison. Montreal (She was cooooold as ice) 3-7-0 pic.twitter.com/xzOFrBSADj
— Jason Lewis (@SirJDL) January 4, 2016The Kings have been on another end of the spectrum. They are 6-3-1 in their last 10, and it is coming on the back of pretty darn good goaltending from Jonathan Quick. He was fittingly named first star of the week by the NHL for the week ending on January 3rd.
By comparison, LA Kings last 10 games. (6-3-1) pic.twitter.com/MwYufdv9Ch
— Jason Lewis (@SirJDL) January 4, 2016That .921 save percentage is in all-situations, but the real strength of JQ in the last 10 games has come in the version of 5v5 save percentage.
And wow has it been pretty good.
(Click to view larger version on imgur)
Look at those sparkling numbers.
A 95.18 save percentage, a 95.25 adjusted save percentage, and a ridiculous 95.24 HIGH DANGER save percentage. All while facing almost 30 shots a night at even strength.
Only two goalies getting regular starts have been better in the same timeframe (December 7 - January 4), and that is Roberto Luongo and Antii Niemi. However, NO goalie has been bette rin high danger save percentage at even strength. Quick's 95.24 high danger save percentage is almost 2% higher than the next closest goalie, Roberto Luongo (93.75). He has also faced an average of three shots more a night at evens than Luongo.
Quick save on Giroux pic.twitter.com/LaAI33gy1T
— Stephanie (@myregularface) January 2, 2016And to narrow the situation down even a bit more, let's look at Quick in close score situations in the last 10 games at both even strength and all-situations.
In games where the Kings are either leading by one, trailing by one, or tied (Close), Jonathan Quick is holding the second best adjusted save percentage in the league at even strength over the last 10 games. He is second only to Semyon Varlamov of Colorado. The real kicker? The high-danger save percentage, which sits at 100% over the last 10 games in close score situations. He has faced 31 high danger shots and turned away all of them during 5 on 5. That is, without a doubt, tops in the league within that sample size. In ALL situations close score games, the Kings netminder leads the league with a 95.11 adjusted save percentage and has a 95.63 high danger save percentage on 43 attempts. Basically, when teams are scoring on high danger attempts in close games it is coming on opposing powerplays.
The Kings have had penalty troubles this season and remain one of the most penalized teams in the league. This is definitely one of the things that has mired the Kings chances of winning night to night. Quick has been nothing short of outstanding at even strength. If teams are beating him it is coming with the extra man.
Peaks and valleys have been the name of the game for Jonathan Quick, and can often be so for many goalies in the league. This peak that the Kings caged combatant is on right now though maybe the peakiest of peaks for this season. If you compare almost all of these stats to his season average he is beating them...by A LOT.
5v5 season v last 10
AdjSv% - 93.35 -> 95.25 Sv%L - 95.44 -> 96.88 Sv%M - 92.63 -> 92.75 Sv%H - 90.81 -> 95.24
I hate to be the wet blanket, but those numbers will not last for that much longer.
As a whole, Quick has actually had a very respectable season thus far. If you group the 31 regular goaltenders in the league (18+ games), Quick is currently ranking at 10th in adjusted save percentage at even strength and 9th in all situations. He is also in the top half of the league in shorthanded save percentage. Goaltending around the 7-12 range is definitely good enough to win a lot of hockey games, and the Kings are doing so.
While some wins this season have relied on heavy offensive output or key special teams events, the last stretch of games have been solely on the shoulders of the 29-year old Quick. Now, let's see how the Kings handle when the inevitable and historically predictable valley happens.
As for right now though, he has been one of the best goaltenders in the league over this last stretch, and nothing short of spectacular in some of those performances.
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