Faceoff Factor

Charting The Pens After 40 Games

Mike Adams | Report Cards

Jan 6, 11:15 AM | Hype this story!

As the season continues to go slip-slidin’ away, we examine where the Pens stand compared to last year after 40 games.

Record
2008-09: 19-17-4, 42 pts
2007-08: 22-16-2, 46 pts
Net: -4

Boy, what a contrast in 10-game stretches. Last year, the Pens went 7-3. This year, the exact opposite, 3-7. They went from four points ahead of last season’s pace to four behind. As if we need anymore evidence of how lousy they are playing…

Even strength goals for
2008-09: 88
2007-08: 79
Net: +9

Interestingly, despite their recent offensive woes, the Pens have actually scored more goals at even strength than they did last year. But if you look at the last 10 games, they have only scored 16. Last year in the same stretch they scored 24.

Even strength goals allowed
2008-09: 83
2007-08: 75
Net: -8

I asked at the 30-game point whether Fleury would be able to duplicate Conklin’s strong midseason play of last year. Thus far, the answer is a resounding NO.

Power play
2008-09: 30/182, 16.5%
2007-08: 35/186, 18.8%
Net: -2.3%

Interestingly, the power play was struggling at this time last year, too. But not to the tune of 0/32. Tell me again, what are Mike Yeo’s qualifications to coach a power play?

Penalty kill
2008-09: 144/179, 80.4%
2007-08: 145/181, 80.1%
Net: +1.6%

The Pens’ penalty kill is on par with last year’s, which was nothing to write home about. They are taking far more penalties recently, though. In the last 10 games, they were forced to kill 52 penalties, or 5.2 per game. And that included one game with only one penalty. Up until that point, the average had been 4.2. That’s what happens when you are always chasing the puck.

Shorthanded goals For/Against
2008-09: 2/6
2007-08: 3/3
Net: -4

Not only can’t they score on the power play, they give up shorties. Not only can’t they kill penalties, but they can’t score shorties.

Special Teams Action Rating
2008-09: 47.1
2007-08: 49.0
Net: -1.9

As noted yesterday, I have revised the STAR formula this year. But no matter which one you use, their special teams performance is far worse than it was last year, and is well below the league average.

Division Record:
2008-09: 6-3-3, .625
2007-08: 4-9-1, .318

Ah, at last we have a bright spot. They are doing much better within the division, though they are only 3-3-3 against teams not called the Islanders.