Monday, January 30, 2006
Parsing road records
So I'm thinking to myself earlier, "Gee, the Flames have had a lot of lousy road trips this season; I'm surprised they're even at .500". So I looked into it a bit more.
Calgary has played 27 games on the road so far this season (12-12-3). Their road schedule has consisted of two 5-game roadtrips, three 4-game roadtrips (not incl. tonight), and five single-game roadtrips (counting the consecutive games v. VAN on Dec. 23 & 26 as two trips, since they came home for Christmas in between). They have not played a single 3-game or 2-game trip.
I bring this up because there is one very favourable aspect of the Flames' road record thus far; call it the "playoff" context. Five times the Flames have left Calgary to play a single opponent; they're 4-1-0 in those games. (On the 4 & 5 game trips, they're 8-11-3).
The Oilers' road schedule (17-8-4) has been of an entirely different nature. They've played one 7-game roadtrip (4-3-0); no 4-, 5-, or 6-game roadtrips; three 3-game roadtrips (6-1-2); four 2-game roadtrips (5-1-2); and five 1-game roadtrips (2-3-0).
I'm not hacking on the Oilers here; they have more road wins than any team in the league. Also, all three of their losses in those 1-gamers came on very short trips to face a certain superior team at the top of their division. They're a very good road team, plain and simple.
But it is a relief to note that the Flames are at their road best on these mini-trips, which are the only kind there are when the games really matter.
Calgary has played 27 games on the road so far this season (12-12-3). Their road schedule has consisted of two 5-game roadtrips, three 4-game roadtrips (not incl. tonight), and five single-game roadtrips (counting the consecutive games v. VAN on Dec. 23 & 26 as two trips, since they came home for Christmas in between). They have not played a single 3-game or 2-game trip.
I bring this up because there is one very favourable aspect of the Flames' road record thus far; call it the "playoff" context. Five times the Flames have left Calgary to play a single opponent; they're 4-1-0 in those games. (On the 4 & 5 game trips, they're 8-11-3).
The Oilers' road schedule (17-8-4) has been of an entirely different nature. They've played one 7-game roadtrip (4-3-0); no 4-, 5-, or 6-game roadtrips; three 3-game roadtrips (6-1-2); four 2-game roadtrips (5-1-2); and five 1-game roadtrips (2-3-0).
I'm not hacking on the Oilers here; they have more road wins than any team in the league. Also, all three of their losses in those 1-gamers came on very short trips to face a certain superior team at the top of their division. They're a very good road team, plain and simple.
But it is a relief to note that the Flames are at their road best on these mini-trips, which are the only kind there are when the games really matter.
# posted by Matt @ 2:45 pm 
Comments:
Hey, it is even more interesting to note that on every single road trip except the current one, the Flames started off with a loss.
In principle, those games should be lumped with the one-game trips, since there is no "previous night spent with the hookers and bad cable tv in the hotel" excuse available.
Incidently, given the NHL playoff format, I like the Oil's 5-1-2 in two game trips. Looks like they might be coming home up 2-0 on the way to a first round upset.
Another tidbit. In half of the cases Calgary lost the subsequent home game after their one-game trips.
By comparison, the Oilers have won 6 of their 7 games to start off road trips (not including the one-gamers).
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Hey, it is even more interesting to note that on every single road trip except the current one, the Flames started off with a loss.
In principle, those games should be lumped with the one-game trips, since there is no "previous night spent with the hookers and bad cable tv in the hotel" excuse available.
Incidently, given the NHL playoff format, I like the Oil's 5-1-2 in two game trips. Looks like they might be coming home up 2-0 on the way to a first round upset.
Another tidbit. In half of the cases Calgary lost the subsequent home game after their one-game trips.
By comparison, the Oilers have won 6 of their 7 games to start off road trips (not including the one-gamers).
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