Eberle heating up for Oilers; Trocheck, Simmonds, Perron, Ekman-Larsson, fantasy and more in Scott Cullen’s Statistically Speaking.

HEROES

Jordan Eberle – The Oilers winger put up two goals and an assist in a 7-2 rout at Ottawa. He now has 16 points (6 G, 10 A) in the past 16 games and could be primed for a big finish as he skates on Connor McDavid’s wing. Speaking of McDavid, he had a pair of assists, giving him five points (1 G, 4 A) in his first two games back from a broken collarbone.

Vincent Trocheck – In a 6-3 win over Detroit, the Panthers centre scored two goals and added an assist, giving him eight points (5 G, 3 A) during a four-game point streak. Trocheck is having a good run with linemates Jussi Jokinen and Reilly Smith. Jokinen added a pair of assists, and has seven points (1 G, 6 A) during a five-game point streak while Smith had a couple of assists, giving him eight points (4 G, 4 A) during a six-game point streak.

Wayne Simmonds – Turns out that playing with Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek helps a guy. Simmonds scored two goals and an assist in a 6-3 win at Nashville, and has 12 points (8 G, 4 A) and 40 shots on goal in the past nine games. Giroux also had two goals and an assist at Nashville, giving him 13 points (4 G, 9 A) in the past nine games, while Voracek added a two assists and has 15 points (4 G, 11 A) in the past nine games.

David Perron – With a goal and two assists in Anaheim’s 4-2 win at Los Angeles, Perron has eight points (3 G, 5 A) in six games since coming over in a trade from Pittsburgh.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Arizona’s playmaking blueliner had a goal and two assists in a 5-4 loss to Chicago. He has 17 points (8 G, 9 A) in the past 18 games.

Joonas Korpisalo – Columbus’ rookie goaltender stopped 37 of 38 shots in a 2-1 shootout win at Vancouver. He has a .938 save percentage in his past eight games.

ZEROES

Sergey Kalinin – The New Jersey rookie was unable to get out of his own end against Toronto, on the ice for one shot attempt for and 21 against (4.6 SAT%) in a 3-2 shootout loss.

Marian Gaborik – Had terrible possession stats (3 for, 15 against, 16.7 SAT%) and was on for three goals against in the Kings’ 4-2 loss to Anaheim.

Cody McLeod, John Mitchell and Jack Skille – The Colorado line was on the wrong end of the possession game (2 for, 11 against, 15.4 SAT%) in a 4-3 overtime loss to Dallas.

Max Domi, Martin Hanzal, Anthony Duclair – Had a hard time keeping up with the Blackhawks in Arizona’s 5-4 loss. The trio was on the ice for four shot attempts for and 14 against (22.2 SAT%).

Pekka Rinne – After allowing six goals on just 19 shots in a 6-3 loss to Philadelphia, Nashville’s highly-priced goaltender has a .903 save percentage in 43 games.

Craig Anderson – Was pulled after allowing three goals on 10 shots in 11:41 during Ottawa’s 7-2 loss to Edmonton. Anderson has a .884 save percentage in his past eight games.

Jonathan Quick – Was yanked from the Kings net after allowing three goals on nine shots in a 4-2 loss to Anaheim. He has a .878 save percentage in his past eight starts.

Jimmy Howard – Surrendered five goals on 32 shots in a 6-3 loss at Florida, and has a .872 save percentage in his past seven games.

VITAL SIGNS

Jarome Iginla – The veteran Avalanche winger played a career-low 9:11 (and contributed an assist) in a 4-3 overtime loss to Dallas. He has no goals, one assist, and four shots on goal in the past seven games.

Sean Couturier - Philadelphia's ace two-way pivot will miss the next four weeks with a lower-body injury.

Damon Severson – The second-year Devils defenceman was a healthy scratch at Toronto. He had no goals and two assists in the past 18 games, and was on the wrong side of the possession ledger (ie. under 50%) in five of the past six games.

Brandon Pirri – The Panthers winger returned to the lineup for the first time since January 18, and responded to his time in the press box as a healthy scratch with a goal and an assist in a 6-3 win over Detroit.

Cal Clutterbuck – The Islanders’ crash-and-bang winger suffered a lower-body injury during a 3-2 loss at Washington.

Ryan Ellis – The Nashville blueliner played a career-high 25:49 in a 6-3 loss to Philadelphia.

SHORT SHIFTS

Rangers C Derick Brassard had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 win vs. Minnesota, giving him eight points (3 G, 5 A) in the past three games…Rangers D Ryan McDonagh chipped in a goal and an assist, and has nine points (2 G, 7 A) in the past 11 games…Rangers LW J.T. Miller continued his hot streak, with a goal and an assist against Minnesota giving him eight points (7 G, 1 A) in the past six games…Capitals C Nicklas Backstrom had a goal and an assist in a 3-2 win vs. the Islanders, and has 16 points (7 G, 9 A) in the past 13 games…Capitals RW T.J. Oshie also had a goal and an assist, giving him five points (1 G, 4 A) in the past four games…Oilers C Leon Draisaitl contributed a goal and an assist in a 7-2 win at Ottawa, and has six points (4 G, 2 A) in the past six games…Oilers LW Benoit Pouliot had a couple of assists at Ottawa; he has 14 points (6 G, 8 A) in the past 16 games…Senators D Erik Karlsson assisted on both Ottawa goals, giving him 10 points (2 G, 8 A) in the past eight games…Devils D David Schlemko produced a goal and an assist in a 3-2 shootout loss at Toronto; he has six points (2 G, 4 A) and is averaging 21:24 time on ice in the past five games…Maple Leafs C Tyler Bozak had a goal and an assist, as well as winning 80% (24 of 30) of his faceoffs against New Jersey. He had no goals and two assists in his previous 11 games...Red Wings RW Dylan Larkin scored a couple of goals in a 6-3 loss at Florida, giving him five points (3 G, 2 A) in the past five games…Panthers RW Jaromir Jagr contributed a goal and two assists in the win, and has 11 points (5 G, 6 A) in the past 13 games…Sharks C Joe Pavelski had a couple of assists in a 3-1 win at St. Louis; he has 25 points (12 G, 13 A) in the past 21 games…Predators C Ryan Johansen had a goal and an assist in a 6-3 loss to Philadelphia; he has 12 points (4 G, 8 A) in 12 games since arriving in Nashville…Avalanche D Erik Johnson had a couple of assists in a 4-3 overtime loss to Dallas, and has 10 points (2 G, 8 A) in the past 12 games…Avalanche C Carl Soderberg contributed a goal and an assist against Dallas, giving him eight points (3 G, 5 A) in the past eight games…Blackhawks LW Artemi Panarin had three assists in a 5-4 win at Arizona, and has 11 points (3 G, 8 A) in the past nine games. For all the talk of Connor McDavid making a push for the Calder Trophy, Panarin now has 50 points in 55 games…Coyotes rookie LW Jordan Martinook had a goal and an assist against Chicago, and has five points (3 G, 2 A) in the past five games…Ducks C Ryan Getzlaf had a goal and an assist at Los Angeles; he has 11 points (1 G, 10 A) in the past 10 games…Kings C Anze Kopitar assisted on both Kings goals, and has 26 points (4 G, 22 A) in the past 18 games.

Maple Leafs RW P.A. Parenteau scored the shootout winner, had an assist and strong possession stats (31 for, 8 against, 79.5 SAT%) against New Jersey…The Stars defence pairing of Alex Goligoski and John Klingberg controlled play (28 for, 5 against, 84.9 SAT%) at Colorado.



Oilers G Cam Talbot turned away 36 of 38 shots in a 7-2 win at Ottawa, and has a .938 save percentage in his past 16 games…Devils G Keith Kinkaid stopped 37 of 39 shots in a 3-2 shootout loss at Toronto; he has a .927 save percentage in his past six appearances…Sharks G Martin Jones saved 26 of 27 shots in a 3-1 win at St. Louis, giving him a .928 save percentage in his past 11 starts.



FANTASY FOCUS

Players owned in 100% of TSN leagues that are struggling lately:

Bryan Little – Winnipeg’s number one centre has no points in the past five games.

Patrick Sharp – It’s been a good year in Dallas, but Sharp has no goals in the past 11 games and three assists in the past eight.

David Backes – Three assists and just three shots on goal in the past eight games.

Much of the data included comes from www.war-on-ice.com, stats.hockeyanalysis.com www.hockey-reference and www.naturalstattrick.com

Scott Cullen can be reached at scott.cullen@bellmedia.ca