Charlottetown Islanders Decemeber Analysis

By: Nathan A'Hearn
Follow him @TheTermiNathan

Last Month Keys To Success Check
1) Lower Shots Against - CHECK
2) Step Up In Chlapik`s absence - CHECK
3) Stronger Goaltending Performance - Not Check

Statistical Overview

Thoughts: Charlottetown boasted a number of bests in the month of December.  Including power play, penalty pill and goals per game.  However, it was the high goals against that factored into the wins/loss column being relatively even.  Charlottetown losses were all games where there were five-plus goals scored against.  The Islanders are current owners of the best penalty kill on the road clicking at 84.1 per cent.  Their overall goals per game and goals against numbers still rank near the bottom of the league.  Once this team is able cut back on it's goals against is when you will truly see the rise and what Islanders hockey is capable of.

Shot Analysis
(Shots For - On Top)

(Shots Against - Bottom)

December

For the first time this season, Charlottetown on average out-shot its opponent every game in December.  Look at how this compares to the November numbers: 

At a quick glance it appears that the Islanders were able to improve across the board.  Better average performance.  Wider margins on wins and closer on losses.  Very impressive for a young team such as this.  Although nine games is a relatively small sample size, it will be important to watch if the trend continues and what this will look like in January.

Trend: Shooting Percentage

Charlottetown currently shoots at the third lowest percentage in the QMJHL at 10.32 per cent.  If they can continue to get the upper hand on shots consistently, look. for this number to improve.  There are a number of players who have been unlucky so far and will look to get some more bounces in 2015.

Trend: Save Percentage

The Islander's sit middle of the pack for save percentage in the Q.  This is coming off a month where Charlottetown has been doing a noteworthy job at keeping shots against down but having the second highest total of goals against in a month as well.  Statistically December has been Mason McDonald's toughest but his season save percentage is much better.  Daryl MacCallum is also capable of of improving on his numbers thus far.

PIMs & Hits

We are starting to see some clear discrepancies in the hits and penalty minutes department. Charlottetown has quietly started to become a more physical team.  With Ross Johnston back in full swing and the acquisition of Quinn O`Brien along with the other body thumpers, it's not hard to tell why.  Now the Islanders are a team that finds itself on the losing end when they shy away from physical play (at-least in December) as far as penalties go.  The trend has always been the more composure the better.  With the Islanders being one of the most penalized teams in the Q, The Islanders tend to get out of hand in games they have all but lost.

Special Teams

(Taken from last 10 games)

Power PlaySprong - Kielly - Kennedy - Johnston - MacKinnon
Chlapik - Goulet - Johnston - Dechenes - MacKinnon
Cooper - Kennedy - Balmas - Dechenes - Weber

Rate for December: 23 per cent

Penalty Kill

Weber - Getson - Rydstrom - MacKinnon
Kielly/O'Brien - Cobbold - Weber/Rioux-Legault - MacKinnon

Rate for Decembe: 85.1 per cent

Both special teams were clicking at an improved rate during the month of December, both rates if sustained would make this team dangerous throughout the rest of the year.  Regression is possible but I am not quite convinced that regression is this team's norm.  It may be sustaining these numbers.  Charlottetown has not been rocky on the PK for quite some time and the addition of Quinn O'Brien has paid off dividends in the short term.

Coming Up In Part 2:

Shot Differential, PDO, Estimated Fenwick, Keys To January