Its late and I am bored so I threw together some stats to put how great our Team defense has been to start the season.
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20 Games Played
15 games of giving up 2 goals or less
4 games of giving up 3 goals (2 in SO)
1 game of giving up 4
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In 60 periods of play we have given up 34 total goals.
+27 goal differential thru 20 Games Played: Next highest is ANA +16, MTL/BOST +15, PIT +12.
If you added all of the Western Conference teams with a positive goal differential it would land them only +3 higher than the Blackhawks.
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Although I always argue that goal differential is the most defining stat, this may be the best.
With more distance between this stat and our season point totals, the rest of the league must have not gotten the memo on a key to success>>>>
1st in Takeaways with 214
The nearest competitors are the New York Islanders with 162
The 52 takeaways separating us from 2nd is telling, but even more telling...The nearest team in contention is the San Jose Sharks at 9th with 134.
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For the stats blocked shots, hits, faceoff wins, goals against etc. there isn't anywhere near the discrepancy of 52 more takeaways the nearest team. I'll try and run some more numbers, but this team is seemingly changing the way NHL teams prepare for games and build there respective teams. After all, we are dead last in hits.
vs.
