New Defensive Style

[dagies]

Here is an interesting article from today's Herald.  Essentially says that Blais has decided this team is not going to be an offensive force this year and is going to change to a more defensive style of play.  My first response to that is UGH.  I have seen this team go into a defensive shell in the 3rd period of the Mankato Friday game where we were up like 5-2 or so and it stunk.

I hope the whole games will not look like that.  Not only boring but we weren't that good at it.

http://web.northscape.com/content/gfherald...VFFRONT1228.htm

[sprig]

Apparently posting same topic at same time. Great minds think alike:}

I'm hoping that in changing styles the frosh learn to play in their own end. Need to get rid of the "pylon style prevent" that we saw in third periods of the HOF and again in the Wisco debaucle.

(Edited by sprig at 8:47 am on Dec. 28, 2001)

[dagies]

Now do I have to respond to your other thread to, or should we just cut this down to one?

I was wondering how much of this might be related to remedial training for the younger guys.  Lets hope they are quick learners.

[ScottM]

I hope this new defensive "style" is more an emphasis on the fundamentals rather than some scheme designed to keep the guys sitting on the blue line for 55 minutes.  I would suspect that Blais still expects a solid offensive/PP effort, but is more concerned about getting the team to tighten up in our zone and during transitions.

[HKNTSMN]

Do you change style with two practices and expect success?

[sprig]

Don't know what will happen with this team, but the teams of the last two years played run and gun and gave up loads of oddman rushes throughout the season, but still usually won.

During the postseason in those same years, however, they tightened up defensively, and rarely gave an odd man rush during the NCAA's. At the same time they maintained an aggressive two man forecheck, relying on third forward high defensive positioning.

Good teams can get both right. This team has not learned how to play both ends. Hopefully the concentration on D will bring about big improvements by March.

(Edited by sprig at 10:28 am on Dec. 28, 2001)

[ZapPoke]

I gotta agree with HKNTSMN.  Hope coach's comments are just a ploy, cuz changing your style midseason is likely to cause more problems than it solves.

[ZapPoke]

Hey!  Cool!  I'm not a newbie anymore!

[dagies]

HKN, I have to agree with some of what you say.

[Goon]

Actually Blais said that he would never resort to the-Trap (a full blown Neutral Zone Trap), Yuck.

Actually last year during the playoff the Sioux actually played a quazi-trap. Left Wing high is like one correct terms actually, all to me it really means is line up at the Blue line and send only one forchecker into the offensive zone. The trap is boring to watch but it actually takes a lot of talent to pull off a good system...

The WWF style of hockey that Wisconsin plays is because they are too damb slow and untalented to keep up with teams like UND, SCCC, C.C., UofMinnesota.

SCCC used to play that type of hockey too before their current crop of talented forwards and defense. That type of hockey works if you have a good goalie or a hot goalie.

(Edited by Goon at 11:26 am on Dec. 28, 2001)

[sprig]

I didn't see the left wing lock in neutral ice in the playoffs, but they certainly played the conventional center low in the defensive end, center high in the offensive end.

Don't know if anyone noticed on Kolanos winning goal, the Sioux were lined up three across at the blue line, with Panzer in the middle (this after an excellent Sioux chance, a tip by Spiewak, just missed, with both Sioux wings on the forecheck). Kolanos basically got Schneekloth to lean inside, where there was absolutely no room to go, then beat him outside. A successful one on three, not too cool. The defensive positioning, however, was excellent, the Schneekloth whiff, very poor.

I'd love to see them committ to playing this style. It will bring success to this young, talented team, much more quickly than an all out three man forecheck. And will also pay dividends in the future, even if it doesn't happen this year.

(Edited by sprig at 12:03 pm on Dec. 28, 2001)

[CAUNDfan]

This team MUST tighten up defensively.  That is all Blais is saying, IMO.  The freshmen can't be counted on to score consistently, so this team has to start with solid defense and use that to control the puck toward the offensive zone.

UND can't be a team of individuals all trying to score goals.  There has been too much of that in the first half.  The leaders of the USHL need to learn that the college level requires a much more solid team effort that includes more of a checking and puck-control focus.  To that end, I agree that Blais should change the team's focus.

Go Sioux.

[Goon]

Sprig Said,I didn't see the left wing lock in neutral ice in the playoffs, but they certainly played the conventional center low in the defensive end, center high in the offensive end.

Yeah that is kind of what I  mean. I played Football so Hockey though I love the sport and is my favorite sport I might not always know all of the defensive schemes/terminology. When I watch hockey I am more interested in the one on one battles and the fights... Hence the name goon...

[dagies]

"Don't know if anyone noticed on Kolanos winning goal, the Sioux were lined up three across at the blue line, with Panzer in the middle (this after an excellent Sioux chance, a tip by Spiewak, just missed, with both Sioux wings on the forecheck). Kolanos basically got Schneekloth to lean inside, where there was absolutely no room to go, then beat him outside. A successful one on three, not too cool. The defensive positioning, however, was excellent, the Schneekloth whiff, very poor"

Sprig, this is the kind of hockey talk a novice like me really appreciates.  Now I want to go watch the end of that game to see what you are talking about.  

Never played the game, but try learn about the game as I go.

[CAUNDfan]

Yes, Schneeks got beat big time by a fast skater who snuck by him on the outside.  If it were one-on-one or an odd-man rush, that would have been more acceptable, but Schneeks had help.  I bet he'd give anything to have that chance again.

I was at the game and saw him laid out, face down in front of the Sioux bench afterwards, mortified by what happened.  Teammates were trying to console him.  At that point, I knew he would train hard in the Summer and have his best season now.  So far, so good.  Schneeks is one of the only players on the team living up to his potential.

Go Sioux

[sprig]

Unfortunately, in a close game, one whiff can make the difference. As it did in OT. Didn't see a Sioux whiff the entire game before that, just one goalie giveaway and one ill-advised dman's stick deflecting a shot from a terrible angle that Karl would have easily stopped.

Haven't seen the Sioux on TV much this year. Glad to hear Scheeks has been solid. He certainly has the skills to play good defensive hockey, hope it remains that way.

(Edited by sprig at 2:51 pm on Dec. 28, 2001)

[Speez]

Quote: from CAUNDfan on 12:24 pm on Dec. 28, 2001

This team MUST tighten up defensively

[Kuhninca]

Great win for the Sioux.  What I didn't see, though, was any difference in their approach to today's game.

Brandt played just-well-enough to give the team a chance to win.  Win they did, but it was a "squeaker" at best.

From what I read on the USCHO scores board, it sounded like the defense was as loose as ever.  I think Dean wants the team to focus more on defense than before, but I still don't see it.

Here's to a better defensive game tomorrow.

Go Sioux!

[sprig]

Defense was tight in period one, but as soon as the Sioux got the lead, it turned soft. Not a prevent, but they sure give opponents a load of room when they get the lead.

Specialty teams were very bad; no setup on the PP, and a very unaggressive PK that gave Mich a ton of great chances.

[dagies]

I'm getting tied of poor play on the special teams.  With all due respect to Notermann and Spiewak who are very effective on the PK, they don't have much else going well on PP or PK, in my opinion, and haven't when I have watched games this year.

I hope they can figure that out somehow.  I haven't played the game so I don't know what it takes.  Anyone have any insight?

[ScottM]

I think one of the big problems on defense this season, which others have alluded to, is that the team gets too comfortable with a one or two point lead, especially going into the third where the other coaches have had time to adjust to the Sioux lines/plays.  If they keep up the pressure throughout the game they have a better chance of winning the close ones rather than getting lazy and looking up at the clock.

[dagies]

"Blais now thinks his young players are figuring out how to play as a team.

"We took our lumps early with 10 freshmen. They had to learn how to play without the puck," Blais said. "When they came here, you could see it in the first month

[CAUNDfan]

In hindsight, the article and quotes from Blais were overstating the emphasis UND is putting on defense.  Blais wants the team to pay more attention to play away from the puck, but during the GLI they were aggresive offensively and it worked well.

One of the most surprising stats so far is that NOONE has broken into double figures in goals scored.  That sucks.

What this team really needs is to find a balance with a solid checking and coverage game that also puts emphasis on team speed and lots of shots.  Perhaps the top line of Bayda-Skarp-Massen will finally be the answer.

Go Sioux

[sprig]

Quote: from CAUNDfan on 6:38 pm on Jan. 4, 2002

In hindsight, the article and quotes from Blais were overstating the emphasis UND is putting on defense.

[iluvdebbies]

Here is an interesting article from today's Herald. Essentially says that Blais has decided this team is not going to be an offensive force this year and is going to change to a more defensive style of play. My first response to that is UGH. I have seen this team go into a defensive shell in the 3rd period of the Mankato Friday game where we were up like 5-2 or so and it stunk.

I hope the whole games will not look like that. Not only boring but we weren't that good at it.

http://web.northscap...VFFRONT1228.htm

What?