Vancouver Canucks: Low-Percentage Plays Plaguing Team This Season

The Vancouver Canucks have begun the 2011-12 season much like seasons of the past and are barely .500 through October. Fans have become accustomed to poor October performances from the Canucks, but this year disgruntled fans are not used to losing, considering the team reached a Stanley Cup Finals berth just four months ago.

It is pretty easy to key onto the reasons why the Canucks have been inconsistent so far this season. It comes down to decision making and low-percentage plays.

Last night's 3-2 loss to Edmonton was a prime example of the Canucks' poor decision-making as of late. Most notably was Roberto Luongo's misplay of the puck behind his own net, which led to a goal for the Oilers. Luongo tried to make a sneaky play by tossing the puck between his legs, only to have it intercepted and thrown in front for a goal by Shawn Horcoff. Luongo, however, isn't the only Canucks player making low-percentage plays this season.

The Canucks have been able to bombard opposition goaltenders with shots early on this season with around 34 shots on goal per game. The issue here is that the shots for the most part are coming from low-percentage areas. These kind of shots are generally easy for goalies to stop and cover up, ending any potential threat. The Canucks wingers have opted to stay to the outside and shoot so far this season and most of the time they get in too deep and the shooting angle is too tight, resulting in misses or easy saves.

The Canucks need to start making better decisions on their shots. They may rack up a lot of shots on goal each game, but they would surely trade in quantity for quality and goals to help themselves win games.

In addition to low-percentage shots, the Canuck defensemen have been making poor decisions on the point. More often than not they try to shoot through the opposition instead of passing to the open man. The Canucks have allowed too many blocked shots, resulting in odd-man rushes down ice by the opposition.

The low-percentage and poor decision making plays of the Canucks has plagued them so far this season, and if they don't smarten up soon, it could keep the Canucks from the top of the Northwest Division.