It is time again for another Fun With Numbers column. Let’s see how dangerous these numbers can really be. The playoffs often bring the wacky and abnormal in ways that sometimes not even a guy like John Druce could understand. Even Patrick Sundstrom called and wondered just what is going on here. The 2011-12 NHL Playoffs have been nothing short of crazy. If you thought you had it figured out, think when Claude Giroux pounded out a six point game or that Marc-Andre Fleury would be more porous than Spongebob Squarepants.
As Round 3 will draw to a close sometime over the weekend one way or the other, it got us thinking what numbers we might just use for the column. The goal was to come up with at least a half dozen and here is what we have to serve up.
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FUN WITH NUMBERS DEUX DEUX STYLE!
10 — This is still the most unbelievable stat in quite some time but think about this. Bryce Salvador had nine points all year (no goals) in 82 games yet has ten points in 16 playoff games this postseason. His three goals and seven assists are mind boggling but imagine the very fact that Salvador has as many points as Marian Gaborik. Gaborik is supposed to be a pretty good sniper but so far, just ten points in 18 games. Salvador has played both ends of the ice at an ungodly rate of effectiveness while Gaborik has been flat out horrid in vast stretches of this postseason.
3 — Its either a shutout or a not so good performance this round on Henrik Lundqvist “Shutout Derby”. In the wins, Lundqvist has given up nothing and in the losses, he has been a victim exactly three times in each game. The weird thing also is that the Rangers have scored three goals in the third period in both of their wins. The Rangers have outplayed the Devils according to the media a grand total of three periods. Does anyone have the feeling the number three has been given overkill status in this series? Again we are sorry.
22 — Here are the number of home goals Mike Smith has given up coming into tonight’s game between the Kings and Coyotes. That is only in eight games and yet Smith has given up just eight road goals in seven games. That 22 is an eye popper considering the six goals that Smith has given up in the third period with 2:00 or less. Add in the fact that the Phoenix netminder has faced a ton of shots whether on the road or at home almost does not matter. It just seems the goals go in at home.
26 — This one is to the goalie with the lightest workload out of the four remaining goalies and that would be Martin Brodeur, who has faced only 26 shots per game in the playoffs. It does not mean Brodeur has faced a ton of chances. Actually he has faced more chances than Lundqvist and Quick by a very miniscule margin. There is something about a forecheck by the Kings and a block party by the Rangers that may have a little to do with this. Mike Smith has faced 36.73 shots a game going into tonight.
17 — This is still the leading amount of points for playoff scoring leaders by Claude Giroux of course, who did it all in ten games. It does seem like eventually a couple players will break 20 points but remember back in 2003 when 18 points led the playoffs in scoring. We could wind up at least somewhat close to that number.
62 — Yes here is an odd one but we present the amount of hits Dustin Brown had before tonight’s game in just 13 playoff appearances. That comes out to almost five hits a game. Think about it, that does not lead the NHL in hitting average as Shane Doan has 73 hits in 15 games which edges Brown out by the smallest of margins but Brown has 15 points and seven goals to go along with all the punishment he has administered. Brown has an outside shot at 100 hits still…very outside.
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You never know what we may have next time on “Fun With Numbers”. Have fun chewing on these ladies and gentlemen.
