History Says Canucks Have Already Lost Stanley Cup Finals (Amazing Stat Alert)

Business Insider ^ | 06/09/11 | Cork Gaines

[nhwingut]

Last night the Boston Bruins blew out the Vancouver Canucks for the second straight game. But while the series might now be even at two games apiece, the series is anything but even.

In sports, one of the best indicators of how good (or bad) a team really is, is to look at that team's goal/run/points differential. That is, the difference between the number of points they have scored and the number of points they have allowed. The bigger the difference, the better a team is.

And in the NHL playoffs, the results so far tell us that the Canucks are lucky they have even gotten this far.

[nhwingut]

Look at this stat. Only once has the Stanley Cup winner not been ranked #1 in goal differential. Even then they (Chicago) were #2. Vancouver is #12, not even in the black. I feel more confident than ever. Go B's!!

[C. Edmund Wright]

Wow. Hockey fan and Hurricanes ticket holder — and I never knew this stat was this indicative. I also would have thought the Lightning would have won this stat this year.

[massgopguy]

8 goals on Cam Neely Night and then 4 goals on Bobby Orr Night.

[driftdiver]

“I also would have thought the Lightning would have won this stat this year.”

yes you would think, unless of course you figure in paying off the refs

[TomGuy]

Looks like they sent the 3rd string to Boston. They have been pathetic.

Of course, they just barely won the first two games in Vancouver. Game 1 was 0-0 until they scored with 18 seconds left. Game 2 was even at 2-2 until they scored at the opening of the OT period.

Boston walked/skated all over them in Games 3 and 4.

[commish]

JUst to be clear this STAT is for PLAYOFF GAMES ONLY for the season the Cup was won. It makes sense that the team with the best differential IN THE PLAYOFFS wins the playoffs.

It is still a very telling and relevant stat, but it is not a full season stat.

[Charles Henrickson]

Only once has the Stanley Cup winner not been ranked #1 in goal differential. Even then they (Chicago) were #2.

I think you mean Pittsburgh in '09.

[C. Edmund Wright]

OK, that “splains” a lot - just the playoffs.

The 12-1 differential in the last two games explains most of this.

[Christian4Bush]

I’m rooting for Boston in the Finals. (Kings fan) After Game 2’s Vancouver win, I told a friend on Twitter, “I need to change strategy...seems like every team I’ve pulled for this postseason, hockey and basketball, has lost.” She said that I was a “cooler” and I said, “Yeah, but without Maria Bello.”

So I started pulling for the Canucks. Boston has outscored them 12-1 since, in tying the series.

So....GO CANUCKS!!!!!!!! (Boston, see you at your parade...erra erra ahhhhhh)

[jeffc]

I know I will get flamed for this but, I won't watch any more NHL games. I wanted to watch a hockey game last night, but all I saw the Bruins wanting more to fight than play hockey. The officiating was terrible: Bruin player hits at a Canuck player when he's hurt and down on the ice and AFTER the whistle blows, and the referee does nothing?

Both of my teams are out, and I really care nothing about either the Canucks or Bruins, but the officiating in these playoffs has been at the level that made me stop watching hockey back in the late 70's, that and the league seemed made up of fighters and not hockey players. Why doesn't the NHL just melt the ice, put twelve guys on the rink and have them fight it out - forget about pucks and scoring goals, heck, they half do that now.

[nhwingut]

Yep. My bad.

Still quite an amazing stat.

[nhwingut]

Why doesn't the NHL just melt the ice, put twelve guys on the rink and have them fight it out - forget about pucks and scoring goals, heck, they half do that now.

[sten]

i missed the 1st period and only saw 2 fights after that. 2 fights is nothing.

this is hockey.

not golf.

[rlmorel]

Haha...I heard them talking to Ray Bourque on the 850 this morning, and one of them suggested they have a night for him so they can score 77 goals...:)

[nhwingut]

8 goals on Cam Neely Night and then 4 goals on Bobby Orr Night.

That is bizarre! The Hockey Gods are with us!

[C. Edmund Wright]

You should get flamed - not for not liking hockey anymore, which is your choice. But comparing the NHL of the 70’s to the NHL of today? There have been several major overhauls of the game in that time.

[Alberta's Child]

That's a very interesting statistic, but in some cases it can be extremely deceptive if heavily influenced by a couple of lopsided games. The Canucks' 8-1 loss in Game 3 gave them a -7 in goal differential for one game, but it was still just one loss.

I'm pleased to see how well my 1995 Devils grade out on that table. They were easily among the most underrated teams of the last few decades, mainly because that was a strike-shortened season and they were the #5 seed in the Eastern Conference during the playoffs that year.

[rlmorel]

Hey...what Freeper could not appreciate a 36 year old man playing a young man's game, with THIS painted on his helmet (Front: "In God We Trust", Back: "Don't Tread On Me")

As a former goalie, I just love watching this guy play.

[Betis70]

Is Friday night the Chief’s night? (Johnny “Chief” Bucyk for those who don’t know)

[nhwingut]

I agree with the “one game” argument but the stat is based on entire playoffs, a pretty solid sample... These things tend to even out. I don’t think you can call it “deceptive” when every winning team has been #1 (other than one year, and they were #2) and I’m sure each had a blowout along the way.