SSM Greyhounds 2023-24 Season Thread (Part 2)

[purple pharrt]

Shocked today when I saw that the Greyhounds are 5th best in the league for goals against (only 4 goals out of second though, and only 15 goals behind London for first).

Maybe this team is closer to being contention-ready than I give them credit?

he stats you refer to might be dependent on the quality strength of schedule and the opponents that your team has faced to date. How many games have they played vs top teams, as opposed to sub .500 teams ? If the majority of their future games are against the upper echelon of the league, those games might be far more indicative of the Hounds' chances in the playoffs. and their status as bona-fide contenders.

 

[HockeyPops]

he stats you refer to might be dependent on the quality strength of schedule and the opponents that your team has faced to date. How many games have they played vs top teams, as opposed to sub .500 teams ? If the majority of their future games are against the upper echelon of the league, those games might be far more indicative of the Hounds' chances in the playoffs. and their status as bona-fide contenders.

This is a good point, but I don't have the inclination to go and try to calculate S.O.S.

I will say that the Hounds typically have more games against the closer geographical centres. Some years those extra games help the Hounds, but a year like this it probably doesn't. Saginaw (8), Sudbury (6), North Bay (4) probably makes the overall Soo schedule one of the harder schedules in the league overall this season. But not sure what the breakdown is in terms of games already played vs. games remaining.

I do know that we still have Sarnia x3, Windsor x2, Flint x2, Peterborough left. So half of the remaining games against teams in the bottom 6 of the league. So maybe our first 52 games were weighted towards better opponents slightly?

 

[HF92]

Shocked today when I saw that the Greyhounds are 5th best in the league for goals against (only 4 goals out of second though, and only 15 goals behind London for first).

Maybe this team is closer to being contention-ready than I give them credit?

We are hard on them haha. I think they are closer to a contention team than we think but I also see what you’re saying. If they can tighten things up they’ll be a scary playoff team, for sure.

 

[BehindSooNet]

October 4/23 - London Knights suffer first LOSS of the season - 4 to 3 in a shootout. Opponent? SOO GREYHOUNDS!

December 10/23 - Last time London Knights lose in regulation time - 5 to 4. Opponent? SOO GREYHOUNDS!

Yes, the Knights' current point streak is amazing. And yes, our boys have been a bit "off" for the last 5 or 6 games. Here's hoping, however, the Hounds will get it together for a FULL 60 MINUTES tonight and end the point streak!

 

[HockeyPops]

It would be great to get a win tonight, but honestly I would just be happy with playing our game for 50+ minutes. Even if it's a loss. That's a very good team over there playing some very consistent hockey.

 

[Fischhaber]

Shocked today when I saw that the Greyhounds are 5th best in the league for goals against (only 4 goals out of second though, and only 15 goals behind London for first).

Maybe this team is closer to being contention-ready than I give them credit?

I'm not all that shocked. This is the most defensive minded team that we've had in a long time. We have the best defender in the league in Kudryavtsev and Allard is up there as well.

The goals against only tell part of the story. Our team save percentage is still abysmal, despite better play of late, so we've probably given up the least number of shots.

Look at last couple of games where we absolutely stymied a couple of top offenses. That was probably Saginaw's worst offensive performance of the year, despite stumbling into a luck fueled victory. It may have been one of Sudbury's worst as well.

 

[HockeyPops]

The goals against only tell part of the story. Our team save percentage is still abysmal, despite better play of late, so we've probably given up the least number of shots.

I don't know about abysmal. Certainly our shot suppression grades out more favourably than our save percentage, but based on my quick check, I think we are in a virtual tie for 4th in the Western Conference for save % with Kitchener. For shot suppression, I think only Saginaw in the West has faced fewer.

Team - Shots - Goals - Save %
LDN 1490 141 0.905
OS 1886 187 0.901
GUE 1523 154 0.899
SOO 1371 156 0.886
KIT 1485 169 0.886
SAG 1351 157 0.884
SAR 1597 201 0.874
ERI 1561 205 0.869
FLT 1438 203 0.859
WSR 1716 243 0.858

 

[Fischhaber]

I don't know about abysmal. Certainly our shot suppression grades out more favourably than our save percentage, but based on my quick check, I think we are in a virtual tie for 4th in the Western Conference for save % with Kitchener. For shot suppression, I think only Saginaw in the West has faced fewer.

Team - Shots - Goals - Save %
LDN 1490 141 0.905
OS 1886 187 0.901
GUE 1523 154 0.899
SOO 1371 156 0.886
KIT 1485 169 0.886
SAG 1351 157 0.884
SAR 1597 201 0.874
ERI 1561 205 0.869
FLT 1438 203 0.859
WSR 1716 243 0.858

The difference between our save percentage and London's is 26 goals, so it's not a small difference. I guess you could say it's average, but I'd like to see the Eastern Conference as well.

Schenkel is 15th of 24 qualified goaltenders and .886 is historically not very good for a contending team. Landon Miller has really stepped up lately, which has booked our numbers by quite a bit.

 

[BehindSooNet]

With memories of 'gutter' game fresh, London Knights brace for Soo Greyhounds

Since that memorable regulation loss in Sault Ste. Marie on Dec. 10, London has been the hottest team in junior hockey at 21-0-2.

lfpress.com

 

[HockeyPops]

Dressing 11/7. Does that mean Carlisle has been tapped to address the BMB headshot?

 

[HockeyPops]

That was a very entertaining first

 

[HockeyPops]

Watching this game, it's not surprising at all that the Knights are the most penalized team. Lots of stuff going uncalled too. They likely should have way more PIM on the year if this is any indication of how their games have been reffed this season.

 

[DWI Dale]

up 3 again now. let's hope the hounds stay smart when hunters boys head for the gutter, because you know they're going to.

 

[ottawarenegader613]

8-2 for the Hounds. Who saw that coming on Marc Methot night? Isiah George ejected, London getting a lot of penalties, and Dale Hunter acting like a crybaby to the refs. Looks like the Knights are human after all.

 

[DWI Dale]

wow! London is falling apart like wet paper! gotta love it! dale is gonna be crushing the wisers tonight!

 

[DWI Dale]

and we're in the gutter!

new London uniforms:

 

[HF92]

LETS GO!!!!

 

[LDN]

You have our number congrats! Looking forward to NOT facing you in the playoffs

 

[HockeyPops]

Well, Soo played a pretty good game but were the recipients of some pretty fortuitous bounces that really took the wind out of London's sails in the second. Game could have gotten silly but I didn't mind the way the refs managed it even if I didn't agree with some of the calls and non calls. I liked the fight the Greyhounds showed when London got physical (Karki, Martin, Virgilio, etc.)

To steal a line from Nelli, Hedon rating 10/10

 

[HF92]

Soo Thunderbirds won 17-0

That’s nuts haha

 

[HockeyPops]

The difference between our save percentage and London's is 26 goals, so it's not a small difference.

It's smaller now

 

[purple pharrt]

Gotta tip my hat to the Hounds for a game they totally deserved to win. That's going to be a confidence builder, for sure.

 

[Fischhaber]

Six unsportsmanlike conduct penalties for the Knights. Dale Hunter must be very proud of his boys. He played just like that.

I missed the game, but sounds like it was a fun one.

 

[bobber]

and we're in the gutter!

new London uniforms:

View attachment 821006

That guy should get tow minutes for looking so good!

 

[Gouin Street]

Hounds played a great road game. London wasn't their best. Add in couple odd goals for the Hounds, and that's how the score gets to that. Amazing they earned points in 23 consecutive games. Here's hoping the Hounds can continue earning points, but more importantly, playing great hockey heading into this final stretch.

Btw..... Saginaw lost in Sudbury. Hounds 4 points back of Saginaw and the #2 seed.