A playoff series tends to bring our attention to the narrowest of details, the battles within the battles which can sometimes turn the direction of a game, a series, and hence a team's entire season, in an instant. For the Ducks and Predators, one such battleground will be the faceoff dot.
So follow after the jump for a detailed look (by zone on the ice, and manning situation) at how some of the key faceoff guys in this series have fared this season...
Anaheim
Getzlaf is a relatively poor performer on the faceoff dot, especially on the power play, where guys usually win 52-53% of draws on average, as opposed to 50% at even strength.
| Def | Neu | Off | Totals | |
| PP | 6 - 7 | 18 - 36 | 101 - 251 | 125 - 294 |
| 85.7% | 50.0% | 40.2% | 42.5% | |
| EV | 129 - 288 | 198 - 407 | 77 - 158 | 404 - 853 |
| 44.8% | 48.6% | 48.7% | 47.4% | |
| PK | 11 - 29 | 1 - 3 | 1 - 4 | 13 - 36 |
| 37.9% | 33.3% | 25.0% | 36.1% | |
| Total | 146 - 324 | 217 - 446 | 179 - 413 | 542 - 1183 |
| 45.1% | 48.7% | 43.3% | 45.8% |
The veteran Finn is more effective generally on faceoffs, as part of his overall reputation for defensive prowess.
| Def | Neu | Off | Totals | |
| PP | 2 - 6 | 23 - 33 | 107 - 192 | 132 - 231 |
| 33.3% | 69.7% | 55.7% | 57.1% | |
| EV | 189 - 364 | 194 - 389 | 74 - 115 | 457 - 868 |
| 51.9% | 49.9% | 64.3% | 52.6% | |
| PK | 110 - 223 | 4 - 11 | 4 - 6 | 118 - 240 |
| 49.3% | 36.4% | 66.7% | 49.2% | |
| Total | 301 - 593 | 221 - 433 | 185 - 313 | 707 - 1339 |
| 50.8% | 51.0% | 59.1% | 52.8% |
Decent enough, but certainly not a difference maker.
| Def | Neu | Off | Totals | |
| PP | 0 - 0 | 1 - 3 | 1 - 1 | 2 - 4 |
| 0.0% | 33.3% | 100.0% | 50.0% | |
| EV | 76 - 135 | 73 - 148 | 40 - 93 | 189 - 376 |
| 56.3% | 49.3% | 43.0% | 50.3% | |
| PK | 50 - 119 | 19 - 42 | 3 - 7 | 72 - 168 |
| 42.0% | 45.2% | 42.9% | 42.9% | |
| Total | 126 - 254 | 93 - 193 | 44 - 101 | 263 - 548 |
| 49.6% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 48.0% |
Nashville
Generally sub-standard numbers across the board for Leggy. The best bet here is to give him as many of the neutral zone draws as possible and save the more important ones for the rest of the crew.
| Def | Neu | Off | Totals | |
| PP | 1 - 1 | 8 - 13 | 94 - 195 | 103 - 209 |
| 100.0% | 61.5% | 48.2% | 49.3% | |
| EV | 93 - 199 | 143 - 307 | 22 - 45 | 258 - 551 |
| 46.7% | 46.6% | 48.9% | 46.8% | |
| PK | 24 - 55 | 8 - 17 | 2 - 5 | 34 - 77 |
| 43.6% | 47.1% | 40.0% | 44.2% | |
| Total | 118 - 255 | 159 - 337 | 118 - 245 | 395 - 837 |
| 46.3% | 47.2% | 48.2% | 47.2% |
Hopefully, some of Fisher's underwater totals are due to the upper body injury which dogged him throughout most of the season. But these values probably won't inspire confidence.
| Def | Neu | Off | Totals | |
| PP | 2 - 6 | 16 - 25 | 128 - 273 | 146 - 304 |
| 33.3% | 64.0% | 46.9% | 48.0% | |
| EV | 143 - 291 | 187 - 395 | 72 - 139 | 402 - 825 |
| 49.1% | 47.3% | 51.8% | 48.7% | |
| PK | 48 - 94 | 4 - 17 | 2 - 6 | 54 - 117 |
| 51.1% | 23.5% | 33.3% | 46.2% | |
| Total | 193 - 391 | 207 - 437 | 202 - 418 | 602 - 1246 |
| 49.4% | 47.4% | 48.3% | 48.3% |
Now this is more like it! In my mind, Smitty's performance on the PK (which is perhaps Nashville's most critical need in this series) will be driven in good part by his ability to short-circuit the Anaheim power play and dominate Ryan Getzlaf on the dot. I like his odds there, and if he can get the better of the Ducks captain while killing penalties, he could neutralize Anaheim's greatest strength.
| Def | Neu | Off | Totals | |
| PP | 1 - 1 | 5 - 7 | 102 - 174 | 108 - 182 |
| 100.0% | 71.4% | 58.6% | 59.3% | |
| EV | 224 - 397 | 145 - 224 | 5 - 11 | 374 - 632 |
| 56.4% | 64.7% | 45.5% | 59.2% | |
| PK | 71 - 155 | 20 - 29 | 5 - 8 | 96 - 192 |
| 45.8% | 69.0% | 62.5% | 50.0% | |
| Total | 296 - 553 | 170 - 260 | 112 - 193 | 578 - 1006 |
| 53.5% | 65.4% | 58.0% | 57.5% |
Loading comments...