The Rochester Rattlers and Denver Outlaws face off tonight for the league championship. Denver is looking for their first title in their ninth post season appearance while Rochester is looking for their second title ever. What are the keys to victory for both teams?
Denver
1. Shoot in Front of the Net- How do you beat John Galloway? Stop trying to shoot from twenty yards out. Try to break in on the net. Denver succeeds in front of the net as it is and the Outlaws midfield has some good shots, but if I’m Rochester I’d rather take my chances there than on shots down low. Denver did a great job against the Lizards getting in front of the net and that’s how they scored. They need to find a way to get in front against that very aggressive Rochester defense.
2. Stop Rochester Transition– This will be very hard for Denver since Rochester’s defense is their bread and butter. They’re great at it. However, Denver has some good defensemen and they have a chance at trying to limit them. Try to win ground ball battles to prevent this.
3. Protect Schwartzman- Against the Lizards the Outlaws allowed so many shots in tight on Jesse Schwartzman. They have to stop the Rattlers from getting in tight because that’s when the Rattlers have the ability to score. Jordan Wolf is so good in front of the net, they need to limit this.
Rochester
1. TRANSITION– Rochester will win this game on transition. If they don’t have their transition going, they will lose. It’s really that simple for them. The Rattlers can outrun the Denver defense and get in front of the net if they can run past them with transition.
2. Focus on Grant– Grant scored six times last week and Denver has such a good offense it’s really hard to focus on just one guy, but if they need to stop one player it is John Grant Jr.
3. Did I Say Transition?– Did I mention that Rochester needs to use transition to win? They really do.
