A top line for most of the quarter, Miller, Pettersson and Boeser have been point-per-game players who have fairly dominated territorially. Their Corsi ratings are elite and the trio has combined for a plus-27 goal-differential.
The second line has been far less consistent, both in composition and performance. Despite his even-strength scoring problems, Horvat still possesses a 53.8 per cent shorts-for percentage while drawing the most difficult matchups. His most common linemates, Tanner Pearson and , have combined for 10 goals and 19 points, and their Corsis of 51.6 and 49.1 are bottom-third among Canuck forwards.Third-liner Brandon Sutter , currently out with a groin injury, and fourth-liner Tim Schaller have been the best bottom-six forwards. There just isn’t much offence beyond them, although Josh Leivo has a 53.6 shots-for percentage, benefitting from ice time with the top two lines.
It shouldn’t be ignored, however, that Sutter, Beagle and Schaller have been key drivers of a penalty kill that has been top-10 all season and at one stage led the NHL.The six-man unit, Edler-Myers, Hughes-Tanev, Benn-Troy Stecher, has been significantly better than last year’s blue line.
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