This was a night that saw the Black team unable to do anything. Forced to start without top pick Brett, the Black team had the dauting task of facing Dave in his first start of the year in net. At the outset it looked as though the White team would have a decided edge in net, but goaltending really didn't make a difference. The black team barely generated any offense in game one, losing 5-0, with Dave barely breaking a sweat. At the other end, Jack, who was also making his season debut, shook off early rust and played very well, yet still suffered the defeat.
Brett made it for Game 2, yet the Black team still fell behind early. They started generating some scoring chances though, as Mike D struck first, followed by 2 consecutive goals by John. Unfortunately that's as far as they got as the White team won the game 5-3.
Game 3 was more of the same, with the same results - a 5-3 victory by the White team. The top line of Jared, Cliff, and Brendon paced the offense all night, while Joe, Mike W, Chris, and Dale did a good job pinching in and breaking up the chances the Black team had.
Game 4 finally saw the Black team avoided defeat - the accomplishment of the night! Perhaps something to build on for next week?
Game notes:
Cliff was the standout offensively equaling the number of goals the Black team scored (8).
Very strong play by Dave for his debut. The Black team was outplayed overall, but if the White team had weaker goaltending the Black team might have snuck out a game.
The Black team's biggest struggles were positioning and mobility from their D. Too often guys weren't in position for rebounds, forwards were caught too deep and lost too many one-on-one battles. Defensively they couldn't match the speed of the White team which led to many odd-man rushes. Even when they were back in position the D did not do a good job tying up their man.
Despite a 4 goal night from Mike D, and some strong puck carrying from Brett, the Black team never really was consistent on offense. Expect a much better effort next week.
9 comments:
12/14/08
If Defense wins championships, it can absolutely lose championships.(keep in mind i missed the first game and part of the second, i arrived with the score 2-0)
5 Brett - Seemed to be the only reason the dark team generated offense. Who scores for the dark team if He doesn't carry the play?(rhetorical question, but the answer is probably no one)
4 Jack - If you were to feel bad for a player on the dark team it would be him. This veteran played his heart out. Sometimes even miracles aren't enough.
3 Brendan - While his point totals were underquestion even by his own teamates, he still took a page out of JR's book and got himself open and capitalized on all his opportunities. A word to the wise. Don't be a sore winner. Saying game winner (and meanig it) after you score the final goal is just rubbing it in. Have some class. Good job still.
2 (1B) Cliff - No corner of the net was safe from this sniper. Picking apart Jack on all his breakaways. May have even got the raw deal on his point totals. they might be lower than they should be a source has told me. His performance speaks for itelf anyway. Keep clombing the ranks.
1 JARED !!!!!!! - Jared exposed the defense's lack of defense all night. He started to wear out the court by streaking up the middle so many times. Enjoy This moment Jared. I hope we'll see you at the top again soon.
It took all i had to not make this week a week of the top five worst. It would have been all dark team by the way.
Brendon, I'm going to agree with Brett on this. I got the same impression. I don't think you meant it to be rubbing it in, but if someone from the other team shouted that after scoring a goal on me I would be annoyed by it. Especially at that point, we had already won every game so far, without any of them being very close. I don't think you meant it to be rubbing it in, but as Brett says, it would be WISER not to shout 'gamewinner'.
--Dave
What? Are you seroius? Brett maded the power ranks? First of all, if you want to count jack as a sentimental favorite, then give him honorabel mention but dave was better and had a shutout plus three wins. Second, how does Brett get on the list? Oh, yeah that's right i forgot who wrote it. Two members of the dark team are on and they didnt win a game! Joe had more points than either johhny or brett and if anyone on the dark team makes the list its johnny who had more points than anyone else on their team. Mike w desrves to be on the list because he played better defense than offense from anyone on the black team plus he had a game winner to boot. big board should take all factors into consideration and show us the real picture - the big pitcure - to counter this horrible, horrible, self indulgant ranking list.
The REAL top five power rankings are
5 Joe - had 6 points (better than anyone on the black team) and played very well on offense and defense
4 dave - shutout and 3 wins should land yo on the list
3 mike w - played better defense than anyone and chipped in on offense well with the gw
2 jared - had 7 points, second best
1 cliff - 10 points, most by anyone, played his heart out
as a member of the dark team Brendon ran right beside me as he shouted - gmae winner - and threw / slid his stick across the floor.
I found it more funny than anything esle because of how the games were going.
it's not like he screamed it in someones face, but I'm also not the one in net either.
On the way home Logan said this on his own "Did your team even have defensemen?", "Who was the guy with the white shirt with the #1 on it (Jared) he was really good", "That guy who stabbed Lee was all over the place"
Just some unbiased commments and Nick who was in the car heard them as well.
Did the dark team need Brett?
Based on the fact that he was the 1st overall pick, that is a yes.
I never heard the "Game Winner" comment. I'm going to echo the preceding comments. I can understand Brendon got excited, and didn't mean to be rubbing it in - however, Brendon: with how things went on Sunday night, if I had heard it I probably would have Griffed you as you went by :)
you left brendan of your top five annonymous? Why? he had alot of points.
The power rankings have never been completely about the stats.
The players are listed based on what effect they had on the team.
What if a guy gets 10 goals cause all of the shots went in off his butt? He won't get on the rankings, but the guy who carried the puck and got himself open to take the shot and who got 10 assists and 0 goals will make the list.
If you let me know who this is i can leave you off the board if that's what you prefere.
I'm not about to debate all my chosen power rankers, but be assured i have reasons for all of them
and i never try to favor a certin player, but you have your own opinion
All I have to say that all this talk (thats what it is ) is all for not. Not only are the stats inacurate but also misleading.
For example I had 4 goals 4 assists sunday night. 2 of my points were given to cliff.
And wheres my game winning goal?
If we won 5-0 and I scored the first two goals shouldn't I have one in the game winners column?
Hey not bad for my first comment, altho it being somewhat a negative one...LOL
Just call me the Avery of the saugus hockey.
Joe
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