Both the Chesapeake Bayhawks and the Ohio Machine are looking to get the best of their opponent on the Fourth of July and this could provide some fireworks for the audience. The defending champion Bayhawks did not think that they would be in this position, resting at the bottom of the league standings. The Machine keep looking like they will turn a corner and the rest of the league takes another leap forward above them.
What is at stake here is the loser will be at the bottom of the pecking order looking up. So there will be a lot of pride on the line in this tilt. Statistically, both teams are quite similar, so there is not a glaring weakness that will make this a lopsided contest. If both rosters are not missing pieces, this will be a great match up.
The top six for each team are similar, but Ohio certainly has a slight advantage here. Peter Baum leads the pack for the Machine in terms of point production with 30 points. At a glance, the Machine has played together more as a unit, using fewer players in total compared to the Bayhawks. Chemistry will be key if one team gets a hefty lead over another.
For the Machine offensively it is a simple formula: Steele Stanwick distributes the ball and it is up to the rest of the team to finish those chances. Stanwick has 20 assists on the season with three goals added. The next closest distributor is Marcus Holman, who was recently named to the World Team for USA. He has eight assists. The Bayhawks would need to focus on having someone other than Stanwick setting up the offense for Ohio.
Even though the Machine has their top six players in double digits scoring, the Bayhawks spread out their scoring even more. In part this might be due to the rash of injuries in their lineup, but this means that scoring in a given contest can come from anywhere. The top seven scorers are in double digits for the Bayhawks, with Brendan Mundorf leading the way on 17 goals, six assists.
Joe Walters has only played in four games for Chesapeake and has 16 points. Matt Mackrides has been a nice addition to the regular rotation, adding 18 points of his own. Walters leads in assists with 11 in just those four games. He also might want to show off some more with being left off the USA roster, as well as players like Drew Westervelt and Jeff Reynolds.
The goalie situation for both is interesting as well. Tyler Fiorito has come in to relieve the injured Kip Turner. His goals against average stands at 11.22 and he is saving .545 percent of the shots he sees. Certainly he would like to even his record at 2-2 with this game. Brian Phipps has been saving less than half the shots he has faced. At a percentage of .487, he will have to be better if the Bayhawks can get shots on cage.
The defenses should be tested on both sides. The Bayhawks are without Brian Spallina and only two have played in all nine games to date: Brian Megill and Nicky Polanco. Jesse Bernhardt and Michael Evans are both bound for Denver with Team USA, so there is no telling if that will affect their contribution. Evans has been nursing an injury has well. For Ohio, they have the resources of Chad Wiedmaier, Max Schmidt, Greg Bice, Chris Lightner, Dana Wilber, and Brian Farrell all ready and capable to play. Only Bice has played in less than five games for the Machine.
The game can come down to who is ready to withstand the first run by the opposition. The Bayhawks have a few Team USA bound players that might be mentally looking ahead, the injuries that have limited the rosters potential, but they have the ability to put up points as seen by their latest win against Florida with 18. Ohio is equally adept offensively, but, like the Bayhawks, they can give up goals in bunches. The first team to make a run looks to be able to cruise to a victory in this tilt.
