When you are building your Daily Fantasy Hockey lineup it can be difficult to decide which team to target, which line to target and which power-play to target.
To try and make that decision easier, Dylan and I have created the Power-play report. Below you will find an in-depth look at how each team’s power-play will match-up with the opposition’s penalty-kill. We have also broken down how much their top power-play plays in comparison to their second unit.
Stats
- – All totals are per 60 minutes of 5v4 ice time.
- – SF/SA: Shots for/Shots against
- – SCF/SCA: Scoring Chances For/Against
- – HDCF/HDCA: High-Dangers Scoring Chances For/Against
- – PP1 Usage: The percentage of power-play time the top unit has played in the last five games.
Winnipeg Jets vs. Washington Capitals [8:00pm]
| Jets PP | Capitals PK | |
| PP%/PK% | 34.0% (1st) | 72.7% (28th) |
| PP/PK per Gm | 2.9 | 4.0 |
| SH%/SV% | 16.85 SH% (8th) | .768 SV% (30th) |
| Shots | 73.67 (1st) | 41.36 (5th) |
| Scoring Chances | 62.08 (2nd) | 42.56 (6th) |
| High-Danger Chances | 29.8 (2nd) | 22.78 (21st) |
| PP1 Usage | 72.3% | —– |
| Capitals PP | Jets PK | |
| PP%/PK% | 30.3% (2nd) | 81.0% (t-15th) |
| PP/PK per Gm | 3.3 | 3.9 |
| SH%/SV% | 22.06 SH% (1st) | .907 SV% (6th) |
| Shots | 46.85 (22nd) | 64.98 (27th) |
| Scoring Chances | 41.34 (26th) | 54.05 (24th) |
| High-Danger Chances | 13.09 (30th) | 21.86 (19th) |
| PP1 Usage | 72.1% | —– |
Analysis:
The Jets’ number-one ranked power-play is taking on the Capitals’ 28th-ranked penalty-kill, but the matchup isn’t as clear-cut as it looks on paper. The Capitals are actually doing a great job of suppressing shots and scoring chances while shorthanded but have been let down by their goaltending. A strong game from Braden Holtby could keep Winnipeg’s power-play in check, but you have to like their chances of burying at least one tonight.
As I continue to point out in these Power-Play Reports, the Capitals’ sky-high conversion rate on the power-play is grossly inflated by a 22.06 SH%. The lack of shots and scoring chances they create is already coming back to haunt them; the Caps are just 2 for their last 15 (13.3%) with the man advantage. The Jets could easily blank Washington’s mighty power-play with a strong performance from Hellebuyck.
Chicago Blackhawks vs. St. Louis Blues [8:00pm]
| Blackhawks PP | Blues PK | |
| PP%/PK% | 12.5% (30th) | 82.3% (t-10th) |
| PP/PK per Gm | 3.1 | 3.7 |
| SH%/SV% | 5.97 SH% (31st) | .873 SV% (17th) |
| Shots | 44.84 (28th) | 51.55 (16th) |
| Scoring Chances | 41.49 (25th) | 55.91 (28th) |
| High-Danger Chances | 19.41 (18th) | 20.33 (14th) |
| PP1 Usage | 63.1% | —– |
| Blues PP | Blackhawks PK | |
| PP%/PK% | 27.6% (5th) | 74.1% (t-26th) |
| PP/PK per Gm | 3.9 | 3.0 |
| SH%/SV% | 18.39 SH% (6th) | .854 SV% (21st) |
| Shots | 54.37 (13th) | 67.95 (29th) |
| Scoring Chances | 59.36 (3rd) | 59.46 (30th) |
| High-Danger Chances | 22.5 (13th) | 28.31 (31st) |
| PP1 Usage | 57.4% | —– |
Analysis:
Despite a league-worst 5.97 SH% with the man advantage, the Blackhawks’ dormant power-play isn’t likely to improve any time soon. Their shooting struggles are compounded by an inability to reliably create shots and scoring chances. They are unlikely to convert against a respectable penalty-killing team in the Blues.
The Blues’ power-play draws one of the best matchups of the night against one of the worst-penalty killing teams in the league. Chicago’s penalty-kill gives up more high-danger chances than anyone in the league and the third-most shots. Their ranking could fall even further if their .854 short-handed SV% starts to slip. The Blues’ power-play is almost certain to produce tonight.
Colorado Avalanche vs. Boston Bruins [10:00pm]
| Avalanche PP | Bruins PK | |
| PP%/PK% | 25.4% (7th) | 80.3% (t-18th) |
| PP/PK per Gm | 3.5 | 4.1 |
| SH%/SV% | 14.77 SH% (10th) | .901 SV% (8th) |
| Shots | 53.97 (15th) | 68.94 (30th) |
| Scoring Chances | 46.61 (19th) | 49.83 (16th) |
| High-Danger Chances | 22.69 (11th) | 21.16 (17th) |
| PP1 Usage | 63.5% | —– |
| Bruins PP | Avalanche PK | |
| PP%/PK% | 30.0% (3rd) | 82.8% (7th) |
| PP/PK per Gm | 3.5 | 4.1 |
| SH%/SV% | 17.11 SH% (7th) | .909 SV% (5th) |
| Shots | 51.35 (18th) | 57.78 (23rd) |
| Scoring Chances | 51.35 (12th) | 48.85 (15th) |
| High-Danger Chances | 20.27 (15th) | 23.64 (25th) |
| PP1 Usage | 65.1% | —– |
Analysis:
The Bruins’ penalty-kill seems content to give up a lot of shots so long as they’re limited to low-danger areas. Despite giving up the second-most shots in the league on the penalty-kill, Boston suppresses scoring and high-danger chances at a respectable rate. Still, Halak will need to be sharp to withstand a barrage of shots from Mackinnon, Rantanen, and Landeskog.
Colorado’s 82.8 PK% is in large part thanks to the play of Semyon Varlamov. They are doing a poor job of suppressing high-danger chances but boast the eighth-best short-handed SV% in the league. Varlamov has played well this season but he’ll have to bring his A-game if he wants to blank Pastrnak and company tonight. Boston’s first unit sees over 65% of the power-play ice time.
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Anaheim Ducks [10:30pm]
| Golden Knights PP | Ducks PK | |
| PP%/PK% | 16.7% (23rd) | 82.3% (t-10th) |
| PP/PK per Gm | 3.3 | 3.8 |
| SH%/SV% | 10.0 SH% (26th) | .898 SV% (9th) |
| Shots | 58.04 (6th) | 66.88 (28th) |
| Scoring Chances | 50.49 (14th) | 62.91 (31st) |
| High-Danger Chances | 19.15 (19th) | 27.2 (29th) |
| PP1 Usage | 54.0% | —– |
| Ducks PP | Golden Knights PK | |
| PP%/PK% | 15.4% (26th) | 84.3% (5th) |
| PP/PK per Gm | 2.7 | 2.9 |
| SH%/SV% | 12.7 SH% (16th) | .875 SV% (15th) |
| Shots | 46.39 (23rd) | 41.04 (4th) |
| Scoring Chances | 43.44 (22nd) | 39.58 (4th) |
| High-Danger Chances | 11.78 (31st) | 13.93 (3rd) |
| PP1 Usage | 54.9% | —– |
Analysis:
The Golden Knights’ bane on the man advantage has been their SH%, and it won’t be easy to correct that tonight against John Gibson. Much like their play at 5v5, the Ducks have absolutely been bailed out by Gibson on the penalty-kill. They give up some of the most shots and chances in the NHL but boast a top-ten ranking thanks to a .898 short-handed SV%. The excess amount of quality chances should help Vegas convert tonight, but Gibson is a tough shell to crack.
The Golden Knights’ possess one of the most all-around penalty-kills in the league and should have no problem against Anaheim tonight. The Ducks are generating the least high-danger chances in the NHL with the man advantage but their 12.7 SH% is keeping them above water. A half-decent performance from Fleury is all Vegas needs to blank the Ducks’ power-play tonight.
Top PP Advantages
1. St. Louis
2. Colorado
3. Boston
