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What’s Going On In The Pacific Division: All three Canadian teams in the division occupy a playoff spot
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Photo credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Nov 21, 2024, 17:00 ESTUpdated: Nov 21, 2024, 14:33 EST
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About a quarter of the way through the season, all three Canadian teams in the Pacific Division hold a playoff spot.
As it stands, there are seven teams in the division within six points of one another, with the San Jose Sharks seemingly making progress this season.
That begs the question, What’s Going On In The Pacific Division?

Anaheim Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks have been playing some good hockey in recent times. Losing 3-2 to the Vegas Golden Knights last Wednesday, but won their last three games, beating the Detroit Red Wings, Dallas Stars, and Chicago Blackhawks.
Since we’re around a quarter of the way through the season, it’s time to look at award candidates already. In other terms, it’s time for my weekly rant about how good Lukáš Dostál is, as he has a .924 save percentage and a 2.69 goals-against average in 13 games this season. Troy Terry is tied for goals with Leo Carlsson, both have six, while the two players are the only Ducks players with double-digit points.
The Ducks only have two games before next Wednesday, facing the Buffalo Sabres and the Seattle Kraken at home. Funnily enough, the Ducks play five consecutive games on Friday at home.

Calgary Flames

The Calgary Flames haven’t scored more than 3 goals in a game in 38 days. The Calgary Flames are also second in the Pacific Division with a 10-6-3 record and are 7-6-3 in that stretch. Since the last What’s Going On In The Pacific Division, they are 2-0 with victories over the Nashville Predators and New York Islanders.
Netminder Dustin Wolf is a big reason for that, as he picked up his first shutout against the Predators and has a .925 save percentage and a 2.36 goals-against average in 10 games played,  with a 7-2-1 record. Scoring, obviously, has been a problem, as Rasmus Andersson has five goals and 12 points to lead the team, while Jonathan Hubedeau’s six goals lead in that department. Along with Nazem Kadri, those three players are the only ones with double-digit points.
Over the next week, the Flames host the New York Rangers and Minnesota Wild, before heading to the Nation’s Capital in a tilt against the Ottawa Senators, a game that I’ll be attending.

Edmonton Oilers

The Calgary Flames’ little brother, the Edmonton Oilers, is doing solid as of late. Since the last WGOITPD article, they’ve gone 2-1-1 with wins over the Ottawa Senators and Nashville Predators, while being shutout 3-0 against the Montréal Canadiens.
Scoring outside of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl is questionable though, to say the least. Draisaitl has 14 goals and 27 points, while McDavid has nine goals and 24 points. Defencemen Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm are the only other players with double-digit points. Goaltending has been awful for the Oilers, simply put. Stuart Skinner has an .881 save percentage and a 3.18 goals-against average in 13 games, while Calvin Pickard has an .893 save percentage and a 2.44 goals-against average in eight games played.
The Oilers host the Minnesota Wild on Thursday and then the New York Rangers on Saturday. After that is a lengthy break in their schedule, before returning on Nov. 29.

Los Angeles Kings

Since the last WGOITPD article, the Los Angeles Kings have gone 1-2-0, with a victory over the Detroit Red Wings, but losses against the Colorado Avalanche and Buffalo Sabres. They sit third in the Pacific Division with a 10-7-3 record.
Captain Anže Kopitar is never going to slow down, as his 21 points lead the team. In terms of goal leaders, Adrian Kempe and Alex Laferriere each have nine goals. Moreover, Trevor Moore, Brandt Clarke, Kevin Fiala, Warren Foegele, and Phillip Danault all have double-digit points. Starter Darcy Kuemper was placed on Injured Reserve, leading to Erik Portillo being called up. David Rittich will surely get the bulk of games though, as he has an .897 save percentage and a 2.37 goals-against average in 11 games.
This week, the Kings have two games, hosting the Seattle Kraken on Saturday before heading north to face off against the San Jose Sharks on Monday.

San Jose Sharks

Speaking of the San Jose Sharks, it was an okay week against tough competition. They lost against last year’s first-placed and second-placed teams, the New York Rangers and Dallas Stars, while defeating the Detroit Red Wings in overtime and falling to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a shootout.
Goaltending has been the Sharks’ strong suit this season, as Mackenzie Blackwood has a .910 save percentage and a 2.98 goals-against average in 13 games. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, as will Mikael Granlund, who has nine goals and 22 points in 21 games. Tyler Toffoli also has nine goals, while William Eklund, Fabian Zetterlund, and Jake Walman each have double-digit points. Rookie sensation Macklin Celebrini has four goals and five points in nine games.
Over the next week, the Sharks face the St. Louis Blues on Thursday, before hosting the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday and the Los Angeles Kings on Monday.

Seattle Kraken

The Seattle Kraken’s play has improved over the past two weeks, as they are 5-1-0 in their last six games. This past week, they went 3-1-0 with wins over the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Islanders, and Nashville Predators, as well as a loss to the New York Rangers. They have a 10-9-1 record with 21 points.
Goaltending in the Pacific Division has been strong this season (except for the Edmonton Oilers). Joey Daccord is another goaltender with impressive results, as he has a .923 save percentage and a 2.32 goals-against average with an 8-3-1 record. Jared McCann has been their best skater, as he has nine goals and 21 points in 20 games, with Brandon Montour, Jaden Schwartz, Chandler Stephen, Jordan Eberle, Ryker Evans, and Matty Beniers all putting up double-digit points.
The Kraken head to the Los Angeles metropolitan area this week, as they face the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday and the Anaheim Ducks on Monday.

Vancouver Canucks

This past week wasn’t a good one for the Vancouver Canucks, as they went 1-3-0 with losses to the New York Islanders, Nashville Predators, and New York Rangers, while defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1.
Defenceman and captain Quinn Hughes leads the team with 19 points, while J.T. Miller has six goals and 16 points, but will be out for an indefinite amount of time. That’s a tough blow for the Canucks, as Miller is tied for the team lead in goals alongside Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, and Pius Suter. Goaltending has regressed as well, as Kevin Lankinen now has a .902 save percentage and a 2.71 goals-against average in 13 games played after a great start.
It’s hard to look at the Canucks’ six-game home stand and say they didn’t blow a real chance of picking up points, as they went 2-4-0. They now head on an Eastern Conference road trip where they’ll play the Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins. The good news for the Canucks is that they are 6-1-0 on the road.

Vegas Golden Knights

The division leaders, if only barely, are the Vegas Golden Knights, who have an 11-6-2 record. This past week, the 2023 Stanley Cup champions went 2-2-0, with losses to the Washington Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs, but defeating the Anaheim Ducks and the Utah Hockey Club.
Jack Eichel leads the team in points with 28 goals, while Pavel Dorofeyev’s nine goals lead the team. However, they have eight players with five or more goals, including injured captain Mark Stone who has six goals and 21 points in 13 games. Goaltending, on the other hand, has been an issue for the Golden Knights, as starter Adin Hill has an .888 save percentage and a 3.07 goals-against average in 13 games played.
The Golden Knights continue their Eastern Conference road trip this week, playing the Ottawa Senators, Montréal Canadiens, and Philadelphia Flyers.
Thanks for reading! You can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.

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