Colorado @ Minnesota

MIN COL # G EG S% G EG SV% Game 1: 2 1.5 87.5 3 2.4 86.7 Game 2: 3 2.5 96.6 2 2.9 88.0 Game 3: 3 2.9 97.1 2 6.9 89.7 Game 4: 1 1.6 86.5 5 3.7 93.8 Game 5: 2 2.3 80.0 3 1.5 95.7 Game 6: 1 1.9 95.2 2 4.2 94.7 Series [2-4] 12 12.7 92.6 17 21.6 91.3

The only reason either of these teams are in the playoffs is because of their ability to beat the crappy teams. Colorado should be the favorite (despite being the road team), because of their trade deadline acquisitions. However, one should remember it's been 7 years since 2001 and most of those players are a little older now.

MIN COL Winner Even Strength GF 2.35 2.69 EGF 1.93 2.64 GA 2.32 2.41 EGA 2.26 2.63 SV% 89.7% 90.8% Power Play GF 7.46 4.5 EGF 7.31 6.5 GA 0.39 0.26 EGA 0.45 0.72 SV% 90.7% 90.3%

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 Minnesota Wild have an even strength scoring rate of 2.35 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 Minnesota Wild have a power play goals for rate of 7.1 and the Colorado Avalanche have a penalty killing goals against rate of 6.84. So 7.1*6.84/6.5=7.46 [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.