Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities against (PPOA). The reason for applying those stats to this particular exercise is because they are the best indicator of a team’s scoring opportunities and we want to identify games with teams that possess the best combination of quality and quantity of scoring opportunities.
New York Rangers @ Calgary Flames
Totals: Highest 5.5 DK 5.5 FD 5.5
The New York Rangers (6-2-3) just had an 11 goal barnburner against the Oilers last night and now take on the Calgary Flames (6-1-3). The Rangers have had only one game with less than 4 goals this whole year and on the season their games are averaging 5.1 goals, 59.2 total shots on goal and 6.9 power plays.
New York’s place in the scoring chance rankings depicts a team prone to allowing plenty of offensive opportunities to their opponents, ranking 22nd in SCF (198), 5th in SCA (248), 31st HDF (47) and 9th in HDA (68). The Rangers league average shooting percentage (7.3% 14th) paired with their subpar scoring chance numbers suggest they’re playing near their ceiling right now.
The Flames, just like their opponent tonight, have only had one game on the year that didn’t reach the 4 goal mark and four of their games hit 7 or more goals. So far this season the Flames’ games average 5.6 goals, 64.8 total shots on goal and 6.6 power plays. The Flames check in at 9th in SCF (226), 29th in SCA (175), 25th in HDF (55) and 23rd in HDA (55). Calgary’s scoring chance rankings stand out mostly because of their top ten ranking in SCF and they should be able to take advantage of New York’s below average defense.
Vegas Golden Knights @ Montreal Canadiens
Totals: Highest 5.5 DK 5.5 FD 5.5
The Montreal Canadiens (3-9-0) are playing host to the Vegas Golden Knights (5-5-0) coming off a 6-2 loss to the Islanders and three of Montreal’s last four games featured 6 or more goals. Canadiens’ games this season are averaging 5.3 goals, 59.7 total shots on goal and 7 power plays. Montreal’s scoring chance numbers are absolutely gorgeous across the board, coming in at 3rd in SCF (249), 8th in SCA (237), 3rd in HDF (82) and 4th in HDA (79) and with their dreadful shooting percentage (5.4% 28th) due for positive regression this team is ready to erupt.
The Golden Knights have seen 6 or more goals in two of their last three games, including a 9 goal affair with the Ducks. To date Vegas’ games average 5.6 goals, a mouth watering 68.2 total shots on goal and 4 power plays. The Knights low power play opportunities and below average shooting percentage (6.7% 19th) are both going to start reverting to the mean and that will elevate their offensive numbers even more.
Vegas ranks 4th in SCF (235), 2nd in SCA (272), 4th in HDF (80) and 1st in HDA (101). This game sets up as an absolute track meet, both teams generate plenty of offense and play sieve like defense giving both of these teams the opportunity to reach the ceiling on their offense that we haven’t seen yet. This game has a great chance to be the highest scoring game on the slate tonight.
Seattle Kraken @ Arizona Coyotes
Totals: Highest 5.5 DK 5.5 FD 5.5
The expansion Seattle Kraken (4-6-1) head to the desert to take on the winless Arizona Coyotes (0-10-1). The Kraken just dropped 5 goals on the Sabres and five of their last seven games have featured 6 or more goals. Eleven games into their first season Seattle’s games are averaging 5.9 goals, 55.6 total shots on goal and 5.6 power plays.
The Kraken’s scoring chance stats show a team that has the ability to keep up with most offenses and can take advantage of even average defenses, checking in at 8th in SCF (227), 24th in SCA (188), 11th in HDF (66) and 26th in HDA (50).
The Coyotes are still trying to find their first win of the season and have been shut out in two of their last four games, needless to say they’re not going to be providing the offense in this one but their mistake prone defense should serve up plenty of chances to the Kraken. On the year Arizona’s games average 5.2 goals, 57.6 total shots on goal and 5.7 power plays and their 31st ranked shooting percentage (5.1%) doesn’t inspire any confidence.
The Coyotes rank 23rd in SCF (198), 12th in SCA (221), 20th in HDF (59) and 14th in HDA (65). The high point of the Coyotes scoring chance numbers is their SCA and HDA ranking in the top half of the league in both categories. The game sets up to be a one sided affair and a statement game for the Kraken.
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