Canucks leave Detroit in a Statistical Storm
Vancouver’s premier ice hockey team emerged from a simply thrilling game in Motown with a dizzying array of numbers floating around their collective conscience, much like a scene from Russell Crowe’s spell binding mathematical thinker ‘A Beautiful Mind’.
Most importantly and certainly most impressively, the Canucks broke the back of The Detroit Red Wings’ 23 game home winning streak, coming out victorious in a thriller comprising a lofty total of 79 shots between the two teams.
The final result was ultimately thanks to another crafty deke and backhand off the stick of Alex Burrows, who is now 5 for 9 this season in the shootout, for an impressive scoring average of 55.5% (making him the lone Canuck over 50% this season).
It is a move that the vast majority of the NHL’s goaltenders must know is close to inevitable in its coming, but has proved very hard to stop.
On a very personal note for David Booth, he played his 344th game in the NHL against the Wings but it was the first time for the Detroit native to play in his hometown.
Booth played his 344th game in the NHL Thursday, but it was his first in his hometown.
It may have taken seven seasons to get there for Booth, but it was well worth it at the conclusion of the game as he stepped on the ice, in front of his ecstatic family, to join the jubilant Roberto Luongo and teammates after Burrows’ beauty.
This significant victory for the Canucks enables them to continue to own the league’s finest away record at 21-10-0-2.
This victory, even in a shootout, was a standout, but perhaps not so surprising coming when and where it did, as the Canucks are now also a stunning 6-1 in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a home winning percentage of greater than .600.
Those results on the road are a remarkable achievement in a league that features such parity as the NHL does.
Few teams dominate the standings and league statistics as the dynasties of the past did, such as Gretzky’s Oilers.
For instance, there have been ten different Stanley Cup champions over the past twelve seasons. But Van City has built a special team over the past three seasons.
One can only hope that a certain west coast team can make it eleven different winners in thirteen campaigns.
And just in case your an early 80′s movie fan. Below is the trailer for Mel Gibson’s Mad Max – Road Warrior.
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