51percentcorn wrote: ↑Sun Mar 05, 2023 9:55 am
wgdsr wrote: ↑Sun Mar 05, 2023 8:59 am
congrats to hopkins on the dub, and glad they're getting guys back. makes for a bigger game this week, hope it's a good one.
I hope it's not 10-0 out of the gate or whatever like last year - there should be no moral victories in that locker room but aside from being at home it's hard to see Hopkins with a bunch of advantages. UVA does present a very conspicuous set of problems that you have to solve:
- Their face-off man - as good as anyone - is averaging 60% and 1.5 goals per game. If he was on Hopkins roster he would be tied for 5th in goals. A really tall order for Dunn who took 32 face-offs yesterday (LaSalla took 26). Callahan will likely HAVE to contribute as I equate Narewski to Cage from Pet Semetary - he might come back but he also probably will not be like he was before. That kids has battled for sure.
- They are close to 70% on EMO - 6 trips to the box like yesterday with some full time could mean 4-6-8 goals goals - take your pick
- It seems like a team where you have to take away - or try - the attack to whatever degree you can. Cormier/Dickson and Shellenberger have 40 of the 84 goals. You can't play them straight up and think you'll be successful. Cormier with 5/Dickson with 4 and Shellenberger with 2-3 while passing out 5 helpers is how you get boat raced. I would give someone like Carson Brown a very simple assignment - you follow Cormier everywhere - you don't slide - you don't do anything but stay in front of him. If the Virginia middies have a field day - shake their hand at the end of the game but you probably can't play an attack averaging over 16 - I repeat 16 - points per game with a standard approach.
- Oh their defense has a couple monsters with wingspans like condors
I’m not certain Cormier is the guy you shadow. It’s Shellenberger who makes UVA’s offense tick. The reason Cormier is getting goals is because 1) he’s strong and can get shots off fast but 2) other teams haven’t had three solid defensemen, so they assign 1+2 to Shellenberger and Dickson, leaving Cormier to work picks and get a shortie. The guy you assign to Cormier has to be strong; I think Cormier weighs around 220.
I don’t know Hopkins’ team. Do you have three solid defenders? Is your goalie good to great? Is your FOGO able to win a majority against Lasalla?
I wouldn’t say UVA’s defense is exceptional; on the other hand they rarely need to defend since the FOGO wins so much and the offense takes care of business. The Hoos aren’t easy to game plan for if your FOGO can’t win 60%.
As for the UVA midfield, they’re very good and very deep. But because Shellenberger and Dickson make everyone around them much better, I’m not certain we know yet just how good the middies are.
The way to beat UVA is to win possessions. If they get shots, they’re going to can them because that offense uses tons of cuts and gets frequent doorstep shots. It seemed like the Harvard game, the Harvard goalie often had his head looking the opposite way of the shot.
Good luck.