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LHH Power Rankings: Don't Hate the Numbers Edition

There's a new team in the top spot. You won't like it, but you likely won't see them up there for long, either.

By ICanSeeForIslesAndIsles

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So much YES.
So much YES.
Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Well this is...awkward.

This weekly power ranking computation comes out on Wednesdays, and is written up on Tuesdays based on running the formula from the results in the previous week. It stinks that the Isles usually play a game on Tuesdays, and that the rankings don't reflect those games. But the point is to compare the rankings to the opinion polls, some of which are already a day or two old by the time this is published.

Based on when those are typically published, this is the happiest medium. I say this because nobody's going to like who's sitting in first place. More on that in a moment.

Weekly Roundup of Opinion Polls

Site Updated New Ranking Prior Ranking Comments
1 CBS 1/13/2015 4 5 John Tavares can put this team on his back when he needs to, but that's rarely been necessary. He's still leading the team with 39 points and has been key to the club's recent run of success.
2 ESPN 1/12/2015 4 5 Oooohhh baby, nothing like a game at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night with bragging rights on the line.
3 TSN 1/12/2015 7 7 The Islanders have allowed 26 or fewer shots in 11 straight games, dropping their average shots allowed per game to 26.9, which is second behind Tampa Bay. Last year, they allowed 30.0 shots on goal per game. The top shot suppressor? D Thomas Hickey, who allows 24.8 shots per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play.
4 Fox --- --- 7 None this week.
5 USA Today 1/12/2015 6 6 Islanders take second-most shots in league, give up second fewest.
6 SI 1/13/2015 7 6 The three panel judge system they have voted the Isles for 4th, 5th and 9th. Averages out to 7 in their minds. If you use this thing called "math," it'd be 6th, but I digress.
Average 6 6 They're good on offense. They're good on defense. Maybe the MSG panel should take note.

So the Isles hold steady for the most part. Fox must be too busy with the NFC playoffs, as the power rankings site was completely blank as of Tuesday evening. For the most part, the Isles are ahead of their arch rivals, but two have the evil empire above us. It's a classic "who's hot now" versus "who has the better record" debate.

But is it really about who's hotter at the moment? Well....

LHH Power Rank--- Wait Don't Kill Me, I Can Explain!

For games through 1/12/15, so it doesn't include the beat down of the Rangers.

GP Reg W OT W SO OT L Reg L LHH Pts LHH Pct LHH Rating
1 New York Rangers 39 19 3 6 0 11 144 0.615 118
2 Nashville Predators 41 20 4 7 1 9 159 0.646 117
3 Pittsburgh Penguins 41 19 4 5 3 10 151 0.614 117
4 Tampa Bay Lightning 44 24 2 5 0 13 167 0.633 116
5 Chicago Blackhawks 43 21 2 6 1 13 154 0.597 116
6 Montreal Canadiens 41 20 1 6 2 12 146 0.593 114
7 Washington Capitals 42 19 3 4 5 11 148 0.587 113
8 New York Islanders 42 17 5 7 0 13 143 0.567 113
9 St. Louis Blues 42 19 3 6 1 13 146 0.579 112
10 Anaheim Ducks 43 17 4 10 2 10 152 0.589 109
11 Detroit Red Wings 42 18 3 8 2 11 148 0.587 108
12 Vancouver Canucks 40 18 3 3 2 14 133 0.554 108
13 Toronto Maple Leafs 43 18 1 4 2 18 128 0.496 107
14 San Jose Sharks 43 18 2 6 1 16 136 0.527 106
15 Los Angeles Kings 43 18 1 7 4 13 141 0.547 101
16 Florida Panthers 40 14 1 10 4 11 126 0.525 98
17 Winnipeg Jets 43 15 3 7 4 14 131 0.508 97
18 Calgary Flames 43 14 5 4 2 18 120 0.465 97
19 Dallas Stars 41 16 0 3 6 16 117 0.476 95
20 Boston Bruins 43 14 6 6 2 15 130 0.504 95
21 Minnesota Wild 41 14 2 3 4 18 109 0.443 93
22 Philadelphia Flyers 43 12 4 6 2 19 110 0.426 93
23 Ottawa Senators 41 11 3 7 4 16 107 0.435 91
24 Columbus Blue Jackets 40 12 2 5 2 19 99 0.413 89
25 Colorado Avalanche 43 11 2 7 6 17 107 0.415 88
26 New Jersey Devils 44 12 1 8 2 21 104 0.394 86
27 Arizona Coyotes 41 10 3 5 2 21 91 0.370 79
28 Carolina Hurricanes 42 10 1 6 1 24 84 0.333 78
29 Edmonton Oilers 43 9 0 4 6 24 78 0.302 75
30 Buffalo Sabres 43 7 1 7 2 26 71 0.275 73

So by this formula, the Isles are tied for seventh (with the Caps, no less), and the Rangers are all alone in first. So how on earth is this possible, when the formula is supposed to give no extra consideration for current hot streaks?

Well, for one, do you remember how I wrote about winning in regulation last week? I mentioned that the rankings formula gives much more credit for closing a game out in 60 minutes, on the theory that a better team doesn't have to resort to four-on-fours or skills competitions. The Rangers, prior to getting spanked by the Isles, were 19-11 in regulation. The Isles were "only" 17-13. Yes, many of the Rangers' recent victories were against sub-average teams, but they were winning in 60 minutes (which gets you about as much credit as an OT victory over a good club).

So it isn't so much about their streak, as it is about the total results they've gotten this year, particularly in regulation.

I should also mention at this point that things are a lot closer now near the top. And as a shining example of that (and to get back in your good graces), the shutout at MSG brings the Isles up to a tie for third.... with the Rangers, who drop two spots. This ignores all other games that happened on Tuesday night, but you get the point.

So chuckle at the king of the hill this week. He's already starting to slide off it.

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