Stats Don’t Lie: Who’s winning the Johansen vs Kesler battle?

It’s probably been the most publicized feud in all of hockey during this season’s NHL Stanley Cup playoffs: Ryan versus Ryan. That is, Nashville Predators top line playmaker Ryan Johansen versus Anaheim Ducks agitator and defensive specialist Ryan Kesler.

Through 3 games of the Western Conference Final the two Ryan’s have been paired against each other so much that they’ve developed a genuine animosity on the ice. In fact, the animosity is so strong that it has spilled off the ice and into postgame media interviews. After game 2’s loss for the Preds, Johansen claimed, “his family and friends, I don’t know how they can cheer for a guy like that.” Kesler only smiled and took the criticism as a compliment to his gritty play.

So, 2-1 Preds series lead aside, who’s winning the battle between the two Ryans? Well, thankfully the stats don’t lie. And, despite being visibly frustrated by Kesler’s antics, it appears that Johansen holds the upper hand thus far. In nearly 25 minutes of 5 on 5 play, the Preds have attempted 33 shots on goal during the time the two were on the ice. The Ducks? Just 15. 

Cherry picked stat? Maybe, the Ducks certainly don’t rely on offence from Kesler’s line in the same way that the Preds rely on offence from Johansen’s line, but the fact remains that the Preds are out chancing the Ducks by a two-to-one margin when Johansen is on the ice. This is maybe less an indictment of Kesler, and more a endorsement of Johansen. After all, could you imagine what the stat line would read if Johansen were freed from Kesler’s grasp? Preds fans can only imagine.