PUCK POSSESSION BEGINS WITH FACE-OFFS:

It should be noted that the Canadians have been poor in the face-off circle since the beginning of the season. To be more precise we’re tied for 26th in the league with a 47.6% rate. First places sits at 54.2%. At first glance, this difference of less than ten 7% may seem negligible, however upon further deliberation it indicates a significant weakness on our team. Let’s assume for argument’s sake, that during the course of a game we have 50 face-offs. This would mean that the opposing team will have three or four more face-offs won during the course of the game. Just keep this number in mind for a second.

When our goal scoring trio, currently Kovalev’s line, steps on the ice and loses the face of, they will be spending the next 10 to 40 seconds chasing the puck around. More often than not, the opposing team will dump the puck behind Kovalev’s line to keep them in our zone and away from their goalie. Therefore, against a smart checking line, a lost face-off could lead to 40 seconds wasted away from the opposing goalie’s net. Given the high pace short shrift strategy our team possesses, a lost face-off could lead to a lost shift.

So getting back to the four face-offs lost per game, it basically translates into four loss to shifts for scoring line, which could be five or six scoring chances depending on the line. In a game, where matches are one and lost based on scoring chances, and where an average team will obtain ten to fifteen scoring chances per game, all of a sudden we’re talking about poor face-off performance cutting your scoring chances by 25% to 50%.

Of course all these numbers are assumptions, and during any given game they could be higher or lower, but the point remains that lost face offs equals loss to shifts, lost chances, and lost momentum. When Carbonneau joined the team last year, I recall one of the first things he did with the center’s was to do face of drills, and this might be a good time to get back to the basics, and run drills with our centers to ensure we control the puck. Puck possession is key, and it all begins with the face-off.