It’s nice to have hockey back and we’ve finally got the first full week in the books. But what did we learn from it? Let’s take a look back at the first week and find the good, the bad and the ugly.
The Good
- Chicago is off to a hot start at 4-0 with three wins on the road. Corey Crawford has been quietly taking advantage as the ‘Hawks goaltender.
- The league is averaging 5.67 goals per game right now and is under the 5.93 goals per game during the last lockout-shortened season of 1994-1995. Thirteen teams are averaging more than six total goals per game (for and against, combined).
- The Islanders and Bruins are still perfect on the penalty kill this season, the only two teams to not allow a power-play tally.
- We’re seeing plenty of multiple-goal scorers each day with four or five of them per day. We’ve seen names from all over the spectrum pop up on that list just this week alone. Sidney Crosby and James van Riemsdyk both appeared on the list in our first week.
- Craig Anderson of Ottawa has a 3-0 record with two goals allowed so far this season. He’s the only goaltender in the top five in wins, goals against average (0.67, 4th) and save percentage (.976, 4th).
- Dallas got Jamie Benn signed to a five-year deal and the Stars should have him ready to go by mid-week at the latest.
- Vladimir Tarasenko.
- The Tampa Bay offense.
- Goaltenders making 40 saves a night.
The Bad
- If you’re looking for power-play goals, look to the Rangers and the Flyers as they’ve been shorthanded 20 times this season. Phoenix and Dallas have been down a man 19 times each, the most in the Western Conference.
- Detroit was 0-for-15 on the power play heading into Friday’s game. LA is 0-for-19 with the man advantage. Detroit scored a couple with the man advantage so the Kings are the only team without a power play goal this season.
- Alexander Ovechkin has just one assist this season and was reportedly playing on the right wing. That’s going to change and Ovechkin will go back to the left side for the next week.
- Goaltenders making 40 saves a night and losing.
The Ugly
- First off, what was Evander Kane of the Jets thinking when he got a haircut and shaved this into his head?
- Washington is 0-3-1 and off to its worst start in 20 years. Calgary and Los Angeles are also winless.
- The Kings have the fewest goals in the league (4). Yes, they’ve been without Anze Kopitar but it can’t be all him.
- Patrick Marleau of the Sharks has six goals in three games. Marleau has outscored Philly, Detroit, New Jersey and LA this season.
- Mike Smith‘s first week between the pipes for Phoenix. Two starts. Ten goals allowed. No wins. Left Thursday’s game at the 11-minute mark with an unspecified lower body injury and hasn’t played since.
- The injury report for the Flyers with Scott Hartnell (foot) and Andre Meszaros (shoulder) both out for at least a month.
- Dallas has been out-shot by 12 shots per game and is still 2-1-1 this season; St. Louis has outshot its opponents by 13.8 shots per game and is 3-1.
