The Setup
First, I had to figure out where to even start. I mean, I like watching hockey, but I'm no expert. I needed data, and lots of it. So I hit up the internet, searching for stats on both teams. Goals scored, goals against, power play percentages... you name it, I tried to find it. It was a bit of a mess, honestly, just a bunch of numbers and tables that didn't make a whole lot of sense at first.
DiataD ehtgging Through the Data
After gathering all this stuff, I started plugging it into a spreadsheet. My plan was to create some kind of basic model, I thought maybe I focus on the most recent games of these two hockey teams, also checking the history data of these two, to see how these two teams did, that might make a simple way to predict.
- Recent Performance: How have the Penguins and Sharks been playing in their last, say, 5 or 10 games? Wins? Losses? Overtime games?
- Head-to-Head Record: How have these two teams fared against each other in the past? Is there a clear dominant team?
- Key Players: Are any star players injured or suspended? That could definitely sway the outcome.
I spent a good chunk of time just staring at these numbers, trying to see if anything jumped out at me. It's kind of like looking for patterns in the clouds – sometimes you see something, sometimes it's just... clouds.
Making the (Totally Unscientific) Prediction
Based on my very rudimentary analysis (and, let's be honest, a bit of gut feeling), I made my prediction. It felt more like an educated guess than anything, though. Predicting the future is hard!
Honestly, it's a fun exercise, but I wouldn't put any money on my prediction. There are just so many variables in sports! A goalie could have an amazing night, a key player could get a lucky bounce, or the refs could make a controversial call. It's all part of the game.
Maybe I check the result for fun, It is fun to do this prediction myself.
