Still another day until team teal is back in action, so let’s take a look at a bunch of statistics and see who’s directly above and below San Jose to see who they compare to around the league in each category for entertainment purposes.
Point Percentage: .583 (15th) – Above: Boston (.594) – Below: Calgary (.573)
Goals For Per Game: 2.69 (18th) – Above: Philadelphia (2.69) – Below: Ottawa (2.67)
Goals Against Per Game: 2.67 (17th) – Above: Calgary (2.60) – Below: Florida (2.69)
Power Play: 21.4% (7th) – Above: Pittsburgh (23.0%) – Below: Arizona (21.4%)
Penalty Kill: 81.5% (16th) – Above: Florida (81.6%) – Below: St. Louis (81.2%)
FaceOff %(All Situations): 51.6% (8th) – Above: Carolina (51.7%) – Below: Anaheim (51.6%)
FaceOff%(5v5): 51.7% (8th) – Above: Chicago (52.4%) – Below: Carolina (51.7%)
CF%: 51.2% (14th) – Above: Pittsburgh (51.4%) – Below: St. Louis (51.2%)
Score-Adjusted Fenwick: 50.6 (16th) – Above: Dallas (51.6) – Below: Carolina (50.4)
Save Percentage(5v5): 91.7% (22nd) – Above: Washington (91.8%) – Below: Tampa Bay (91.5%)
Shooting Percentage(5v5): 7.2% (26th) – Above: Los Angeles (7.3%) – Below: Edmonton (7.1%)
PDO: 98.9 (25th) – Above: Florida (99.0) – Below: Columbus (98.5)
Scoring Chances %: 50.2% (18th) – Above: Ottawa (50.3%) – Below: New Jersey (49.5%)
SA60 (5v5): 28.2 (15th) – Above: New Jersey (28.5) – Below: Calgary (28.2)
Goal Differential: -1 (17th) – Above: Los Angeles (+3) – Below: Ottawa (-2)
Ottawa/Carolina/New Jersey come up three times each and Los Angeles/Calgary each make two appearances in the above/below.
San Jose is largely average to below average in most of the categories. Without improving on most of these statistics they’re going to make life difficult for themselves moving towards the playoffs.
Four points separate San Jose, Vancouver, Los Angeles and Calgary. Two of those teams will face off in the first round of the playoffs and one more – potentially – will get a wild card. There is nothing safe about where San Jose is right now.
To be so tightly linked to three Eastern Conference teams that have slim hopes of being a playoff team should be concerning for the Sharks.
The Pacific Division has shaped up to be a very tight race behind Anaheim – with the Ducks basically locking up the division by the ASG – for all the wrong reasons. The division is fighting for the bottom of the playoff seeds rather than the top, which was expected prior to the season starting.
Probably the statistic that will make the most impact on the playoff chase will be if the Sharks can boost their shooting percentage. Sitting 26th in the league in Sh% is awful – especially when you know your goalie isn’t going to save you on the other end.
A lot of that has to do with Marleau, of course, and his struggles this year. If #12 can bust out of his troubles with a bang the Sharks could potentially roll into a post-season berth with ease. That’s providing the rest of the team doesn’t collapse around him when he gets going.
The Kings are in action tonight against Chicago, so here’s hoping LA gets a royal beat down. A loss by the Kings will keep them four points back and it will also even up the games played.
The Sharks are finally back in action tomorrow night against the Ducks at the SAP Center. Calgary, Dallas, Minnesota, Winnipeg and St. Louis are also in action tomorrow night. The stretch run begins!
Thanks for reading.