Analytics with Alison: Breaking down Anaheim - Seattle

We talk a lot about singular elements of the game or an individual player's skill set, but sometimes it's interesting to see how elements of a player or teams stack up as compared to one another. Of course goals scored, power play percentages and other core stats tell a story, but we can also dig a little deeper into the process that underlies how those numbers come to be and underscore themes to watch for in a game. Thanks to data provided by Sportslogiq, here's a look at tonight's matchup as Seattle hosts Anaheim.
Let's dig in.

Quality over Quantity

We know about dangerous areas on the ice and today's matchup brings together two teams whose offenses have been quite capable of getting to the places from where you're most likely to score, even if these teams aren't shooting a lot in the process.
The Ducks are firing off just 57.4 pucks on average per game, that's 23rd most in the league. Seattle sends 58.2 shot attempts toward the net. But when it comes to what kind of shots those are? These are two teams focusing on offensive quality.
Anaheim ranks 10th in the NHL currently in inner slot shots (7.4 season average) and Seattle comes in at fifth overall with a 7.5 per game season average. Another interesting wrinkle is that while the Kraken may not shoot a lot, they are strong at "holding the zone" meaning they maintain possession in the offensive zone, averaging 7:18 time holding onto the puck there. That's fourth best in the NHL, and having the puck is certainly one way to keep your opponent from generating chances of their own.

Dangerous Defense

So, we have two offenses that have elements that are working…here's where things could get interesting. Seattle also has some of the best defensive efforts in the league right now. They currently rank first in shot attempts allowed (meaning they allow the fewest against at 51.9); second in shots on goal allowed (26.9); third in shot quality allowed (2.53 expected goals), and when it comes to those inner slot shots we mentioned? The Kraken are second best in the league at limiting those dangerous chances against (4.2 per game). Head coach Dave Hakstol calls this "defending from the inside out," it's part of the team's identity and it's been well executed thus far.
Similarly, Seattle is holding true to its character in terms of limiting rush chances against (2nd best with an average of 4.6), and creating chances off the forecheck (2.5 average).
The Seattle defense versus the Ducks' offense will be a fascinating battle to watch.

Make the Most of Special Teams

Power plays give teams potentially some of the best windows to set up a scoring chance because you are playing with an extra skater. Tonight could be an opportunity for the Kraken to see if they can continue to build on a special teams unit that converted a power play last game in Vegas after building momentum off previous attempts.
The Kraken draw the 10th most penalties in the league right now (3.5 average) and the Ducks are averaging about 3.3 penalties taken per game. So, there's a good chance that Seattle can try to keep progressing on the man advantage as they likely will see a similar amount of ice time as they are used to.
On the flip side, if trends hold true, the Ducks will have to work to get an opportunity on the power play. Only three teams in the league take fewer penalties than the Kraken right now (2.9 average) and Anaheim is used to getting 3.4 power plays per game.
Of course, stats and data are only part of the story. There's a reason that the popular saying "that's why you play the game!" exists. But the nuances of the battle that lies ahead certainly make for some interesting games within the game.
All data via Sportlogiq and represents all situations unless otherwise stated.