Sittin' at the end of the bar

Some scribbles on an off day…

- True or false… The Caps have more players with ten or more goals than any other team in the league. Answer: False. Eleven teams have at least ten players with ten or more goals, and five of them have more than the ten that the Caps have. Buffalo leads with 12, followed by Chicago, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis, each with 11. Five others are tied with the Caps at ten.

- But no team in the league has more 20-goal scorers than the Caps (seven), none with more 30-goal scorers (three), and none with more 40-goal scorers (one). The Caps could add to their 40-goal scorers if Alexander Semin gets one in the final two games. The 30-goal scorers could jump if Mike Knuble should get a pair in the last two contests, and the 20-goal scorers could increase if Mike Green gets one in the last two games.

- 15 different Caps have game-winning goals this year.

- Only the Detroit Red Wings (19) have fewer fighting majors than the Caps (20). And in case you’re wondering, four of the top ten teams in fighting majors are in the playoff mix, five of the second ten, and seven of the bottom ten.

- No team has more game misconduct penalties than the Caps (five, tied with St. Louis).

- No team is more disciplined than the Red Wings… 4th fewest minor penalties taken, fewest misconducts, fewest game misconducts (none), 11th in bench minors. The Ducks are the, well, odd ducks here… most major penalties (78), fewest bench minors (two).

- The Caps actually have a better team plus-minus on the road (plus-40) than they do at home (plus-30). Only four other teams can say that, only Boston has a greater difference (plus-11 on the road, minus-16 at home).

- In 80 games this year, the Blackhawks have been outshot in games only 12 times, by far the lowest in the league. Oddly enough, they are also the only team that has not had a single game in which they and their opponent had the same number of shots on goal.

- Boston has played more extra-time games this year than anyone (26). They are 13-13 in those games. Phoenix has 18 wins in extra-time, three more than second-place Chicago.

- Phoenix plays on the edge. They have more one-goal wins (28) than any other team and the best winning percentage in one-gaol games (.700). But Detroit is most likely to be involved in a one-goal decision (35 times), one more than Phoenix.

- You might think that the Caps, as the highest scoring offense in the league, would have the most blowouts. You might think that, and if you did you would be wrong. Chicago and Vancouver have 22 three-goal or more wins. The Caps are third with 21. Tampa Bay is most likely to be involved in a three-goal or more decision, having been in one 32 times (11-21). Pittsburgh is next with 31 (16-15).

- You might not be surprised to know that Nashville, Phoenix, and Florida are tied with being shut out the most times (eight). They aren’t offensive powerhouses. But there is a fourth team in that group… Detroit. Bet you didn’t have that one. The Caps have been shut out the fewest times – once (Ryan Miller of the Sabres turned the trick on December 9th).

- At the other end of the spectrum, you might ponder which team has the most shutouts. Phoenix?... no. Buffalo?... no. New Jersey?... no. It’s Chicago. Yes, that Chicago, the one whose goaltenders are thought of as playoff road kill. The thing is, though, seven of their 11 shutouts came before Christmas.

Drive safely.