Examining the Vancouver Canucks numbers

Advantage Margin: -29
Another reason to appreciate goaltender Roberto Luongo’s brilliance: The Canucks finished first in the League in penalty-killing at 86.9 percent — despite allowing 42 more power plays than they received on the road. In the Canucks’ case, the goalie really was the best penalty-killer.

Even-Strength Goals Margin: +10
Daniel and Henrik Sedin both put up 80-point seasons, and both were plus-19. Daniel had 20 even-strength goals; no other Canuck had more than 15. The Canucks won with defense and goaltending, not offense. 

Special Teams Goal Margin: +10
Daniel Sedin (16) was the only player to hit double digits in power-play goals, The Canucks’ positive numbers on special teams came from their excellence in killing penalties: They were No. 1 at home (89.6 percent) and overall (86.9).

Goals by defensemen: 45
The Canucks got a lot of offense from their blue-line trio of Sami Salo (14), Mathias Ohlund (11) and surprising Kevin Bieksa, who had 12 goals and led Vancouver defensemen with 42 points.

Goals by forwards: 172
The Sedin twins have developed into elite NHL forwards: Henrik (10-71-81) passes and Daniel (36-48-84) finishes. Taylor Pyatt (23 goals) benefited from spending most of the season as their left wing. But to move up, the Canucks really need more than 24 goals from Markus Naslund and 20 from Brendan Morrison.

Overtime Record: 17-3-4 (OT: 12-3, SO: 5-4)
No team was anywhere close to the Canucks’ 12 overtime wins and .800 winning percentage — no other team won more than seven times in OT. The Canucks helped themselves with a league-best four power-play winners in the extra period.

Times Scored First/Record: 44 (Record: 34-6-4)
With a goalie like Luongo, getting the first goal makes a big difference. The Canucks’ .773 winning percentage was fourth in the NHL; they were only a .395 team when the opposition got the first goal.

Best 06-07 Number: 20
Power-play goals allowed at home by the Canucks, tying them with New Jersey for the fewest in the NHL. Vancouver didn’t allow more than one power-play goal in a home game until Jan. 11, their 23rd game at GM Place, and just three times all season.

Worst 06-07 Number: 6.0
Vancouver’s power-play percentage in the playoffs, 15th among the 16 teams that made the postseason and the worst among the eight second-round qualifiers. The Canucks were only 1-for-29 in their second-round loss to Vancouver.

Scheduling:
The Canucks open at home and play five of their first seven at GM Place; they also play their last four games at home. There are no long trips this year: The Canucks have no homestand or road trip longer that four games.