LaxPower Back-Up Stick

The Orfling wrote: ↑Tue Apr 16, 2024 9:11 pm And Yale fends off Hofstra for the 16-12 win. A very rough day at the X (7 for 31 but #19 hung in there and kept battling) was ultimately balanced out by a good day in net 64% with both goalies playing well and another big Brandau outing (5G, 4A). Some exciting plays, including a couple of doorstep saves by Conrad had in the second half. And first-year Cole Cashion is coming on strong with a hat trick.

Nice composure by the team to pull out another win on the road. A lot of Hofstra’s shots seemed okay, not great; another team might have made the possession advantage count for more. Looking forward, even with all the injuries this year already, these injuries to the #1 and #2 FOGOs, if serious, may be the proverbial straws that break the camel’s back. But that’s a worry for another day — tonight, Yale gets the W.

Lax3 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 16, 2024 9:01 pm Yale wins it by four, 16-12. Brandau with nine points - 5 goals, 4 assists - and the goalkeepers are the stars as they were lights out against over 50 shots from Hofstra. Yale sat its top two FOGOs and got crushed, losing 24 out of 31 faceoffs. Yale also played Paquette in the first half and Conrad in the second half as part of a planned substitution according to the announcers. Seems that Yale didn't look at this game as a crucial one - which seems like the correct view going in - with those substitutions and the two FOGOs sitting out. Win is a win.
...

10stone5 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 3:51 am Brandau,

"He is moving like a tremendous machine!"

Lax3 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 12:52 pm FOGOs were not scheduled to play according to a discussion the announcer had with Shay the night before the game. So the goalie split and the lack of top two FOGOs were both planned ahead of time. Very nice win after getting so crushed on the faceoffs.

FannOLax wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 8:13 am I cannot remember the last time Yale's opponent dominated face-offs so thoroughly; must have been before 2017. Gutsy win last night on the Island.

So, the goalkeeping split sounds clearly pre-planned, but the FOGO situation, well, sounds less clear. Gotta have Rodriguez or Ramsey, preferably both, back healthy and playing to win games in May, and probably in late April against Princeton. Brandau terrific, and it's nice to see Cashion coming on while Moynihan adds to his goal tally. Here's hoping the wheels stay on this bus.

The Orfling wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 3:02 pm

Lax3 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 12:52 pm FOGOs were not scheduled to play according to a discussion the announcer had with Shay the night before the game. So the goalie split and the lack of top two FOGOs were both planned ahead of time. Very nice win after getting so crushed on the faceoffs.

FannOLax wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 8:13 am I cannot remember the last time Yale's opponent dominated face-offs so thoroughly; must have been before 2017. Gutsy win last night on the Island.

So, the goalkeeping split sounds clearly pre-planned, but the FOGO situation, well, sounds less clear. Gotta have Rodriguez or Ramsey, preferably both, back healthy and playing to win games in May, and probably in late April against Princeton. Brandau terrific, and it's nice to see Cashion coming on while Moynihan adds to his goal tally. Here's hoping the wheels stay on this bus.

Thanks, Lax3, that's good info from the stream of the game. Fann, I agree that for longterm prospects Yale probably needs #8 or #37, preferably both, to return to the field. That's said with full appreciation for #19's first-year FOGO initiation by fire. Hofstra came into the game as a good (53%) but not dominant faceoff team, and as Finster said, Albany is even better at the X (56%), not to mention having a great defense (looking forward to watching Albany's Jake Piseno who is elite).

This is one of the times I miss the input from our LaxPower/Fanlax forum friend calourie, who had such a good historical knowledge of Yale men's lax, but without remembering game by game I can say that Yale's been blessed for over a decade with strong performers at the X: Dylan Levings, Jonathan Reese, Conor Mackie, TD Ierlan, and since 2022 Nicholas Ramsey and Mac Rodriguez. The team hasn't had to figure out alternate strategies for opposing FOGO domination all that much; a Friday turn-around is tough but if #8/#37 stay out that might be an emphasis in practice this week. Yale had LSMs (Michalik then Stuzin) take a few attempts, including on Yale's final goal with a minute to play when Stuzin took the faceoff and Hofstra won the clamp but turned it over with pressure from Stuzin and a Yale shorty, so we might see more of that as well. Yale also adjusted better down the stretch to not allow the Hofstra FOGO to win with the forward pop leading to fast break opportunities (as we've seen Mac R do so well this year for the Bulldogs).

The Orfling wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 3:02 pm ...without remembering game by game I can say that Yale's been blessed for over a decade with strong performers at the X: Dylan Levings, Jonathan Reese, Conor Mackie, TD Ierlan, and since 2022 Nicholas Ramsey and Mac Rodriguez. The team hasn't had to figure out alternate strategies for opposing FOGO domination all that much; a Friday turn-around is tough but if #8/#37 stay out that might be an emphasis in practice this week. Yale had LSMs (Michalik then Stuzin) take a few attempts, including on Yale's final goal with a minute to play when Stuzin took the faceoff and Hofstra won the clamp but turned it over with pressure from Stuzin and a Yale shorty, so we might see more of that as well. Yale also adjusted better down the stretch to not allow the Hofstra FOGO to win with the forward pop leading to fast break opportunities (as we've seen Mac R do so well this year for the Bulldogs).

FannOLax wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 4:34 pm

The Orfling wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 3:02 pm ...without remembering game by game I can say that Yale's been blessed for over a decade with strong performers at the X: Dylan Levings, Jonathan Reese, Conor Mackie, TD Ierlan, and since 2022 Nicholas Ramsey and Mac Rodriguez. The team hasn't had to figure out alternate strategies for opposing FOGO domination all that much; a Friday turn-around is tough but if #8/#37 stay out that might be an emphasis in practice this week. Yale had LSMs (Michalik then Stuzin) take a few attempts, including on Yale's final goal with a minute to play when Stuzin took the faceoff and Hofstra won the clamp but turned it over with pressure from Stuzin and a Yale shorty, so we might see more of that as well. Yale also adjusted better down the stretch to not allow the Hofstra FOGO to win with the forward pop leading to fast break opportunities (as we've seen Mac R do so well this year for the Bulldogs).

As an aside, during TD Ierlan's two years with Albany, Conor Mackie completely held his own, and was over 50%, against TD.

After TD, Yale has pretty much relied on a tandem approach, with Ramsey and Rodriguez complemented by Ball in 2022 (although against Harvard this year, the Bulldogs leaned very heavily on Rodri). I'll be very happy if Yale can get back to a tandem approach by the April 27th Princeton game.

10stone5 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 16, 2024 10:06 pm Brandau could surpass 100 points in regular season play
which would be astounding,

I’m don’t believe even Lyle Thompson accomplished that.

faircornell wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 10:51 pm

10stone5 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 16, 2024 10:06 pm Brandau could surpass 100 points in regular season play
which would be astounding,

I’m don’t believe even Lyle Thompson accomplished that.

I was curious about this as well. According to the U Albany website, below are Lyle Thompson's seasons as an upperclassman at Albany:

2015: 121 points
2014: 128 points
2013: 113 points

If Brandau maintains his average from the past 5 games (8 points/game), and plays 2 regular season, 2 ILT games and 2 NCAA rounds, he'd end up with 134 points. He'd need to average 7 points per game for 6 games to tie Kyle Thomas' record. A tall order in many ways.