11 Shocking Stats About The Penguins Powerplay
Already at some point in this season, the Penguins powerplay has made you so mad/bewildered that you had to just stop watching and walk away.
Overall the Penguins powerplay is clicking at an embarrassing 12%. But it's not jsut the number that sucks. It's the overall horrid flow and basically the feeling of impending doom. Usually you want your team to get a powerplay. A lot of us have been wondering aloud if the Pens could just decline the powerplay.
The last few years Mike Yeo has been the target of the powerplay failures, but with his departure to coach Houston in the AHL a lot of questions are being thrown around. Is it Bylsma's fault? He is in fact the coach. Or does it fall on his assistants? Is it Crosby and Malkin's fault for not listening to the coaches?
No idea on who exactly to blame. All we know is that if the Penguins plan on righting the ship, the powerplay is going to have to be better than it was last season...and better than it has been in the first month of this one.
Here are some stats to ponder while you look for answers:
As bad as the powerplay has been, it actually ranks 12th in the NHL in goals scored on the powerplay, 8.
The Islanders of all teams lead the NHL with 15.
The Penguins' current PP% is 12.1%. ZERO powerplay goals in the third period of game this season.
Crosby and Malkin in 2010 = 8 points total. Jesus.
Plus powerplays were a little rarer in the late '90s.
In the opening game of the '95-'96 season, the Penguins scored 4 powerplay goals. Like we said, the Pens have 8 this year.
Even better, the second game of that '95-'96 season, the Pens scored 4 goals on the powerplay again.
Road powerplay is 3 for 34, with the third-most chances on the road in the NHL. The Penguins have had 66 chances on the powerplay. Most in the NHL. Joe Thornton, 9 points, has more powerplay points than the Penguins have PP goals. First 13 games of the 2002-2003 season, Pens powerplay scored 19 powerplay goals. Clicked at 26%. God help us. Only other thing in the world clicking at 12.1% is the unemployment in Darlington, South Carolina. Only took the 2006-2007 Penguins 6 games to score 8 powerplay goals.
We could go on and on, but you get the scoop. It is bad.
Props to LGP for their epic game logs. Some incredible stuff in there.