Some fans don't realize that hitting the post also could mean that was the only available spot to beat the goalie and had it been an inch the other way, it may hit a piece of equipment preventing it from even coming as close as it did. With that said, it's all speculation, because hitting the post an inch the other way could end up quickly going in the other direction. It's just that when you hear the sound and see it so close to going in, you tend to just throw your head up and say "Just our luck..."
Exactly. Hitting a post and not scoring means you couldn't score. That could have been caused by the goalie, a defender, or a simple lack of accuracy or execution. Any way you cut it, those who deserve the goals are the ones who actually scored them.
End of the day: coulda, woulda, shoulda. But didn't. The cup goes to those who did, not to those who didn't but almost did.
Clutch is a factor too. And guess who has the some of the most clutch playoff goals of active players in the NHL?
Chris Kreider.
Please tell me which models account for clutch, character, and dealing with pressure in big moments. None of them. If "deserved to score" really mattered, then our own Kaapo Kakko would be a first line player. But he's not because even though he has wonderful underlying metrics, he doesn't get points.
So he's a third liner on our squad.
Results are all that matter.