A more contemporary statistic Sullivan is less hesitant to put weight into is shots. On Saturday, the Penguins were even with the Blackhawks in shots on net at 31. That marked the first time in 11 games they had not outshot an opponent.
“We look a number of different statistics,” Sullivan said. “The shot (total) is one of them. But there are a number of statistics that, together, tell the clearest story of how the game is played. The shot (total) is an indication of where the game is played. So if teams are racking up a lot of shots, usually it’s as a result of them controlling territory.