Ottawa @ Buffalo

BUF OTT # G EG S% G EG SV% Game 1: 2 1.6 90.2 5 4.1 87.5 Game 2: 3 3.9 85.2 4 2.7 92.3 Game 3: 0 0.4 97.3 1 3.7 100 Game 4: 3 3.9 90.9 2 2.2 92.3 Game 5: 2 2.4 84.2 3 1.9 91.7 Series [1-4] 10 12.2 90.4 15 14.6 91.8

These are the two best teams in the east; there are no Cinderella stories here. And as you can see from the percentages below this is a close series. Ottawa has expected goals on their side, but Miller has appears to be doing a lot better during the post season compared to his average regular season. Ottawa should be the better team here, but Buffalo always seems to surprise me.


This image displays the two team's records and goals for (GFA) and goals against (GAA) rates against only teams who made the playoffs. In addition I added my 'trademarked' estimated team value rating (I sum up all my estimated worth[$'s] of the current lineup) to give an idea about how good the lineup is in relation to the performance over the year. You can see the season series below that, and a small number in the bottom right is the number of penalties per game in the season series. The big percentage are the likelihood, based on a simplistic prediction model, of the team to win the series. The percentages are updated after every win or loss. F,D,G represent Forwards, Defense and Goaltending respectively, and are just my best guesses. If you think they're wrong tell my why and I'll likely change them.

BUF OTT Winner Even Strength GF 3.58 3.21 EGF 2.77 2.93 GA 2.5 2.33 EGA 2.29 2.4 SV% 89.1% 90.3% Power Play GF 5.93 7.31 EGF 4.91 7.05 GA 2.81 1.26 EGA 1.46 0.69 SV% 88% 89.1%

The winner column displays the dominant team in that category. The more pictures of the team's logo the more dominant the team is in that category

All the non-percentage numbers are scoring rates. For example on the first row, the Buffalo Sabres have an even strength scoring rate of 3.58 goal for per hour. [GF = goals for, GA = goals against Exx = expected xx, SV% = shot quality neutral save percentage].

In the power play section in order to calculate the expected scoring rates I multiplied the goals for rate of one team and the goals against rate of the other and divide by the league average in order to get the expected rate for these two teams combined. So for example, the Buffalo Sabres have a power play goals for rate of 6.57 and the Ottawa Senators have a penalty killing goals against rate of 5.87. So 6.57*5.87/6.5=5.93 [league average is 6.5].

Outperforming expected goals for is a sign of a lucky team. Outperforming expected goals against is a sign of either a good goaltender or luck as well.

Each category listed has a different importance to winning, so be careful how you read these. Being able to score short-handed isn't going to win a lot of hockey games.