Sniper Swede

Scoring goals in the NHL is a study in style and preference. Most pure scorers have a few specific ways in which they score the majority of their goals and even though those methods are well known, most defenders can’t do much to stop the inevitable red light.

This past season, Nicklas Backstrom quietly became a goal scorer, raising his goal total by 11 from his sophomore season. He joined an exclusive club of players with 30+ goals and 65+ assists in a season since the 2000-2001 season (Malkin, Crosby, Datsyuk, Jagr, Thornton) and joins Crosby as the only player on the list to put up such numbers while not leading his team in scoring.

So how did he do it? How did Nick become a 30+ goal scorer after being previously thought of as Alex Ovechkin’s set-up man? To find out, we once again go to the video replay. For Nick, we broke his goals up into the following categories:

1. One-timer snap/ slap shot in middle
2. Cross crease tap in
3. Shot off an offensive rush
4. Shot off loose puck/ turn over
5. Rebound/stuff-in
6. Play from behind the net/ wrap around
7. Tip in
8. Other shot in offensive zone

The majority of Nick’s goals were scored while floating in a position near or between the hash marks and came off a well placed one-timer snap or slap shot (10). Eight of Backstrom’s goals came off work down low, putting in rebounds or jamming home loose pucks. Another 4 goals came while on an offensive rush, including his thrilling OT winner against the Blackhawks. Nick scored 3 goals from cross-crease, back door passes, 3 goals when capitalizing on loose pucks or defensive turnovers, 2 on wrap-around type goals, 2 on tip-ins, and 1 from a spin-o-rama plain old, long range backhand.

The first thing that jumped out after reviewing Nick’s goals is the quality of his snap shot. While not in the same class as Ovechkin's missile, Nick's shot proved to be quite hard and deadly accurate enough, accounting for all but 5 of his goals on the season. His one-timer snapp shot often came while in high-traffic areas and was released with little or no wind-up. Also, his work from behind the net brought back visions of Peter Forsberg for some. It appears quite obvious that Nick has developed a few preferred ways to put the puck in the net.

Some of Nick’s increased goal scoring can be attributed to the almost 50 more shots taken than in his previous season. Nick’s shooting % also rose by over 2%, from 12.6% to 14.9% (better than every Cap but Knuble and Fleischmann). Somewhere, Backstrom not only decided to shoot more often, he learned how to score.

While Ovechkin and Semin tend to get all the attention as the Caps’ “Pure Scorers”, Nick Backstrom quietly helped the Caps lead the league in the number of 30 goal scorers. Based on his still-ascending goal scoring talent, the Caps could potentially have another 40 goal man in Nick. If he wants to be one, that is.

Thoughts on the Game: Atlanta, 10/29

I have a special place in my heart for goalies and goaltending. It takes a special type of person to stand in front of pucks for a living. I played in net for a number of seasons and it still remains a passion of mine, even though I'm not al that good any longer. So it pains me every time a goalie stands on his head for a team, just to watch the team in front of him goof off, take penalties, let up breakaways and just forget how to play defense. Last night's Caps game should have been a 3-0 shutout. Instead, Mike Knuble's empty net goal ends up being the game winner and Varly takes the hit for 3 goals against.

To the notes.

-It's time to stop pooping on Jeff Schultz people. The guy is playing like a top 4 defender this season. His outlet passes, pokechecks, and corner work are all top-notch so far this season. Maybe it does take the super tall guys longer to learn their game.

-It's like watching replays of the same game: Caps get up 3-0 and all of a sudden, Ovie, Semin and Green are attempting risky toe-drags and blind passes, Backstrom is going too deep and isn't able to help on the backcheck, and the defense is letting guys get behind them. I get it, you're an offensive team. I just how you learn that 3-0 is an offensive victory the same as 6-0.

-Zach Bogosian is the Shea Weber of Atlanta. The kid has wheels, a nice phisical presence, and a ton of offensive ability. The more I see these guys, the more I understand why Mike Green didn't win the Norris last season...I'd put Bouwmeester, Weber, Bogosian and Chara above Green right now, and I haven't even seen a lot of other D so far this season.

-For his career, counting the playoffs, Varly's stats look like this: 16-4-3, 2.65 GAA, .913 SV% (counting those 2 OT losses to Pittsburgh in the 'OTL' category). If you drop those stats into this years leaders, he's right in that Lundqvist/Nabokov range (not quite to the Jose Theodore range though).

-Last night looked to me like Forty's best game yet. He seemed calmer and more controlled in his movements than before, his focus was there for 60 minutes (unlike his teammates), and he never gives up on a shot.

-Forty's one save, in the 2nd period I believe, where he came out about 20 feet and took a slap shot to the belly, is the definition of 'cutting down the angle'. People might say 'wow, he was completely out of position'. If you watch the replay, Varly moves out a good 10 feet AFTER the shot is taken and before the puck hits him. Yes, if that had been a pass, there is a wide open net. But Varly knew it wasn't a pass.

-If I were Varly, I'd have walked into the locker room (which was probably a happy one), smashed my stick on the wall (everyone stops, looks, and gets quiet) and said to the room, in my broken English "What the f*** is wrong with you!? In the playoffs, we lose that game 6-2!". Nothing says 'wake up call' more than a quiet, off-the-boat goalie calling you out after a win.

-Kids, take note: Backstrom's saucer passes are what you should be studying. If you can make the pass that broke Ovie for his second goal, you can play in the NHL.

-And I take back my comments about Flash. He had a ton of scoring chances, some solid forechecking, and one shot that would have been a goal if not for a ridiculous save. That line looked solid all night long.

-Still loving Keith Aucoin. Someone said 'backcheck or you're going back to Hershey' and he started backchecking.