At 01:42 AM 11/19/95 -0500, Leigh Torbin wrote:
 
>        In the first period UMass came out firing and outshot PC 13-3,
>quite an accomplishment given the Friars defensively minded game plan.
 
For reasons I'll explain below I'd have to disagree that this was much of an
accomplishment.  I was far more impressed with the Friars only having 4 shots
on goal (according to the box) and being up 3-0.  Its not quantity but
quality that usually matters.
 
> In the end, UMass held a 37-24 shot
>advantage though, something coach Joe Mallen took a sense of
>accomplishment in after the game. Much was said of PC's Devilesque
>neutral zone trap and defense-first mantra, but Friday night UMass scored
>five times in PC, and although goalie Dan Dennis made some big saves to
>secure the win, UMass still significantly outshot the first place team in
>Hockey East.
 
a few comments here:
 
PC Coach Paul Pooley took a time out after PC scored their 5th goal to
reopen their 3 goal margin.  (How often do you see a timeout taken under
those circumstances?)  I thought it was pretty obvious that his intent was
to tell the team he didn't want to see anymore M'man tallies, not because
that's how you win the game but because PC had begun to run around and had
gotten completely out of their system.  Coach Mallen probably should take
more sense of accomplishment in getting PC back out of their game.  Of course,
he'll have to share some of that with referrees McBride and Fowkes who made it
impossible for the game to have any kind of flow.
 
There's no doubt that at PC it's "defense first."  Pooley has said it time
and again that's how the team would play.  What I wonder (and hope to find
out someday in the future) is if he had the snipers would that change?  As
far as the "Devilesque
neutral zone trap," well I'm not sure at all that's what they're doing.
They'll
give you the neutral zone if they have to, but once inside the zone they try
to limit the _quality_ of the shots you get and quickly put any rebounds where
nothing good can come of them. There's nothing exceptionally new or insightful
about that. I'm no tactician,so I'd be interested in hearing others assessments
on how they accomplish it.  Also, is it simply the Lake St style as many
assume, or has Pooley adapted that?
 
other stuff deleted
 
>        PC is a solid team, but I wouldn't hand them the crown just yet.
>There's still a few kinks in their armor, but at 7-2-1 you can't argue
>with the results.
 
I'd agree with you on both points.
 
 
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Bill Schneller                                  home-> [log in to unmask]
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