Play to our strengths and win!

[yababy8]

 

---

. “Individuals must get better at what they are good at and enjoy doing. Only then will a team work at its optimal capacity and have long-term sustainable growth.” –Vahick Yedgarian (Forbes article Vahick is quoted in)

As soon as you find yourself in a role that requires you to play to one of your nontalents-or area of low skills or knowledge-a weakness is born.

Donald O. Clifton, Now, Discover Your Strengths

 

Last night I decided to watch the first period of the Duluth game again.  A couple of things were peeking my curiosity: One, I wanted to check out how many times our defensmen possesed the puck up top at the blue line after we gained the zone in 5 on 5 situations and two, I wanted to take a look at the no goal call (if you want to call it that since it wasn't even reviewed).

What I saw when I watched was quite telling to say the least. So hear goes...

First of all let me say this, I think most would agree we have, top to bottom, one of the best if not the best defensive groups in country and it is a very very offensive minded group.  Given this, I think it should/would be a primary focus to work to get the puck up top to the blue line upon gaining the zone, unless of course there is an opportunity through time and space for a quick strike during the transition. This is especially true given our D-men's ability to drive to the net as well as feed our dynamic forwards.

So with this in mind I sought to count the number of times this occurred in the 1st period of the Duluth game.  Here is what I found;

In the entirety of 5 on 5 hockey in the 1st period we gained the zone and got the puck up top a grand total of twice.  The first time it was only a single defensmen who touched the puck and then shot it...

The second time (at the 7min mark) we gained the zone and got it to the point. It was moved D to D this time and ironically, this was the play that resulted in the goal which was not counted nor did it get reviewed. (0% chance that wasn't a goal unless there was a force field along the goal line which the puck bounced off of in lieu of the goalie pad which was clearly well inside the net). The fact that that was not reviewed is a very big mystery in my mind.  We all remember the nearly 10min review we had to endure earlier this year of a play there was 0 question on....Anyway, I digress...

Back to my observations:

I noticed a little more in my re-watch worth mentioning...
We were horrible at transitions through the neutral zone.  We gave the puck away more than we didn't. Very unlike us?  And when we actually got to the blue line we would kind of half ass dump the puck into the zone.  Most of the time it seemed more like a pass to them as they clogged the middle.  Way to many give aways. Yikes!!... When we were successful dumping it in it was down low and we were out maned and lost puck battles.  There was no cycle for us.

...I should say this, I think the one area we are not as dominant at this year is cycling -In the past yes- not so much this team.  The Pogo line can do it but really what we are better at is the chipping the puck with little passes and giving constant puck support and keep it moving while alluding the body.  When we are rolling we come in wave after wave of relentless attack where everyone is involved.  In the Duluth game we seemed more interested in being physical with the body.  It appeared deliberate and looked to me as it was the game plan.  Trying to out physical a team by focusing on body checks is absolutely NOT playing to our strenghths and a huge mistake IMHO... again, smart simple passes, hustle wisely and give constant puck support in waves.  We can do that way better than anyone else in the country and it works the best when quarterbacked from the blueline. When our defensmen have the puck at the blueline I see good things happening and I want good things to happen.  

Go Sioux!!  The time for #8 is now!!

[burd]

I always cringe when fans call for old-time Sioux hockey, as if that will magically bring back the Banner glory.   Physical play is important, but the game has changed.   In the NCAAs, you go in knowing a lot of hits will get you nothing but a PK and a lost chance to roll 4 lines.   Speed, hustle, and smart hockey wins these days, and York's success in the modern game is ample proof.   I think this UND team has shown it can play top-notch defensive hockey without relying to big hitting.   It's about, as you say, smart simple passes, keeping the feet moving and giving puck support (and back-checking).    This team has the tools and has been playing the game.   Hopefully, Cam plays well and we get a bounce or two. 

[yzerman19]

add to the words smart and simple, the word short as descriptors of the passing needed.  We love open ice, CBS chews up teams that give them open ice.  There will be no more open ice.  So, need to work in small spaces, which means short passes.

[Cratter]

When the D has the puck inside the blue line (not counting pp of course) isn't that a risky play that could easily lead to a turn over and breakaway? And thus the reason it's rarely passed to them in the zone.

[burd]

40 minutes ago, Cratter said:

When the D has the puck inside the blue line (not counting pp of course) isn't that a risky play that could easily lead to a turn over and breakaway? And thus the reason it's rarely passed to them in the zone.

That was my thought as well Cratter.  

[fightingsioux4life]

4 hours ago, burd said:

I always cringe when fans call for old-time Sioux hockey, as if that will magically bring back the Banner glory.   Physical play is important, but the game has changed.   In the NCAAs, you go in knowing a lot of hits will get you nothing but a PK and a lost chance to roll 4 lines.   Speed, hustle, and smart hockey wins these days, and York's success in the modern game is ample proof.   I think this UND team has shown it can play top-notch defensive hockey without relying to big hitting.   It's about, as you say, smart simple passes, keeping the feet moving and giving puck support (and back-checking).    This team has the tools and has been playing the game.   Hopefully, Cam plays well and we get a bounce or two. 

York basically copied what Blais built in Grand Forks in the mid to late 1990's and it worked for him too. And I don't recall Boston College having problems finding space for their forwards to work their magic in the playoffs. If we can dictate the tempo of the game from the opening face-off and turn it into a track meet, we shouldn't have any problem with Northeastern or any other team for that matter.

[stoneySIOUX]

2 minutes ago, fightingsioux4life said:

York basically copied what Blais built in Grand Forks in the mid to late 1990's and it worked for him too. And I don't recall Boston College having problems finding space for their forwards to work their magic in the playoffs. If we can dictate the tempo of the game from the opening face-off and turn it into a track meet, we shouldn't have any problem with Northeastern or any other team for that matter.

I agree. If anyone can find space in the playoffs, it will be the CBS. I don't believe NE is the most defensively sound team and I know we are going to get our chances. HAVE TO bury them, unlike the entire Frozen Faceoff.

[brianvf]

2 minutes ago, stoneySIOUX said:

I agree. If anyone can find space in the playoffs, it will be the CBS. I don't believe NE is the most defensively sound team and I know we are going to get our chances. HAVE TO bury them, unlike the entire Frozen Faceoff.

I think we're in a regional with 3 not very defensively sound teams.  CBS and others should hopefully be able to take advantage.
Boeser was especially snake bit during the Frozen Faceoff.  He had a lot of pucks hop over his stick and (especially) UMD knew to put a body on him instantly when he got the puck in the offensive zone.  I expect Boeser to break out a bit with a few goals this regional.

[stoneySIOUX]

Just now, brianvf said:

I think we're in a regional with 3 not very defensively sound teams.  CBS and others should hopefully be able to take advantage.
Boeser was especially snake bit during the Frozen Faceoff.  He had a lot of pucks hop over his stick and (especially) UMD knew to put a body on him instantly when he got the puck in the offensive zone.  I expect Boeser to break out a bit with a few goals this regional.

Team Defense:

UND -- 3rd, 1.85
Notre Dame -- 14th, 2.31
Northeastern -- 20th, 2.48
Michigan -- 38th, 3.00

Team's GAA for goalies:

UND -- Cam, 1.64, 2nd
Notre Dame -- Cal Petersen, 2.19, 24th
Northeastern -- Ryan Ruck, 2.26, 26th
Michigan -- Steve Racine, 2.89, 55th

UND's two Frozen Faceoff opponents:

UMD -- 8th, 2.05, Kaskisuo, 11th, 1.93
DU -- 13th, 2.29, Cowley, 19th, 2.07
 

Particularly against Duluth, we had no chance to get through the middle. We'll see how this goes against NE. The last two games, we played two teams who were better and two goalies who are statistically much better.

I'd expect to see more space, but again, we just need to bury. Bury early and bury the Pups.

[Oxbow6]

If UND can stop hitting pipes they'll be ok.

[scpa0305]

1 hour ago, Cratter said:

When the D has the puck inside the blue line (not counting pp of course) isn't that a risky play that could easily lead to a turn over and breakaway? And thus the reason it's rarely passed to them in the zone.

Sure it is a risk but the puck should always cycle to  our best players....and that is our D.  UND plays a pro game which an outlet back to the D is used a lot.  That's my favorite way to play.  If you watch NHL hockey you'll see that a ton.  The game is played on the walls, once you get space one of your best options (if no one is open in the slot, D or F) is to throw it back to the D.  From there they try to get something on net and hopefully the tendy is being screened.

IMO, using the Dman in the O-zone is under-utilized in many levels of hockey.  Cleary the NHL uses it given their awareness and vision, but even at the college level I see forwards trying to bull rush to the net and turning it over rather then keeping possession and passing to their open Dman.  UND does not have this problem whatsoever.  We go to our D a ton.

[stoneySIOUX]

1 hour ago, Oxbow6 said:

If UND can stop hitting pipes they'll be ok.

Oh my god, soooo true, UGH. I was losing my mind at the TC.

[siouxfan512]

1 hour ago, Oxbow6 said:

If UND can stop hitting pipes they'll be ok.

Coach Bombay: I go in, I triple deke. I fake the goalie right out of his pads.
The puck's headed in, and then, Clang! Hits the post.
We lost in overtime.
A quarter of an inch this way and it would have gone in.
A quarter of an inch, Charlie.
Charlie: Yeah, but a quarter inch the other way and you'd have missed completely.

 

HEY CHARLIE, ON THE SCOREBOARD, HITTING A PIPE IS THE SAME AS MISSING COMPLETELY!!!!   Kid should have been benched for saying that one. 

 

[yababy8]

2 hours ago, Cratter said:

When the D has the puck inside the blue line (not counting pp of course) isn't that a risky play that could easily lead to a turn over and breakaway? And thus the reason it's rarely passed to them in the zone.

Depends on who you have at the points. I'm not suggesting we do this as some sort of NEW strategy.  All teams utilize the defensemen in the zone.  We have been doing this effectively the last couple of seasons.  Our current group has had very little issue with turnovers and odd man rushes and in the rare instances where it has happened they have been very effective at breaking thrm up.  

My point is not that we should start using our D-men in the zone but that we were out of character not doing so on Friday at the TC.

[ibleedgreen]

The one thing i noticed from the Duluth game was the amount of offsides called on UND. I dont know why but it really stuck out when I was watching. Seemed like it was way more than average.

[yababy8]

Tonight I decided to watch the 2nd and third period of the semifinal Duluth game to see how active the D men were in the offensive zone in those periods. (In the first post of this thread I outlined the first period)...

-yes runaroundsioux I can't sleep either...

So here is what I found.  Actually even though I went into the whole analysis of last Friday's game wanting to check out how involved our D core was or was not offensively, I have to say what I found was quite astonishing.  So much so that I'm starting to wonder if it was maybe by design?

Anyway,

During 5 on 5 play in the entirety of the game(all 60 min) we had a Defensmen posses the puck and then pass it in the zone a grand total of four times.

The first time, as I mentioned earlier, it was at the 7 min mark of the first and that possesion resulted in a goal.(I confirmed this tonight also by zooming and changing contast settings on my tv I was able to see the puck, I took a pic of it with my camera.  I just need to download it to my pc to upload here...it was a goal)..

Here is what happens the rest of the way.  Follow along to see what happens next time we have a D man pass the puck in the zone...

 

2nd period

12:29 Thompson shot of a loose puck

11:00 two keep ins by D

8:20 passed to Stecher and he one timed it.

7:30 Duluth goes up with 3-1. At this point in the game North Dakota has only had one instance where they get in the zone, got it to a defenseman and he made a pass. And this resulted in a goal which did not count precisely one period earlier.

5:20 This is the second time in the game  North Dakota got it to the defenseman and he move the puck around i.e. passed it.  This resulted in a goal by Stecher!!!

...So yes folks that right, two offensive zone possesions and passes by our awesome D-core have occured in the entirety of 5 on 5 play up to this point in the game and they both have resulted in a goal....

4:40 Simonson pass to Poolman who shoots it. No d pass or skate..

3:05 d to d.  Stecher shots. * first d to d pass in the game which DOESN'T  result in a goal.  Yes folks that is correct...

1:15  Asmus single possesion, shots it.

:15 Thompson single possesion. He Shoots it.

3rd period

16:50 two keep ins by LaDue

15:40 Stecher joins the rush and turns it over.

11:00 Tonanado spears poolman and dives throwing up his hands. Lol...

7:10  one possesion, one pass to schmaltz .  Announcer said they were buzzing..

4:32 D man keeps it in.

Thats all... game over....

Four times in the entire game our defenseman posses the puck and passes it.  Two result in Goals while one other results in the announcer saying were "buzzing".

Here is what all of this says to me:

Get it to our D and we will destroy anyone in the tournament.  Play to our strenghts and we will win.

Go Sioux!!

 

[jdub27]

On ‎3‎/‎22‎/‎2016 at 10:51 AM, Oxbow6 said:

If UND can stop hitting pipes they'll be ok.

That's assuming the pucks are going a quarter inch to the inside and not the outside.