Undoubtedly teams and players feel a sense of urgency in this last week of the MLL regular season. For the playoff-bound teams that sense of urgency is tied to fine tuning their game for peak performance in when it matters the most. For those teams that missed the cut there is always playing for pride.
Coaches and players will tell you that playing these games are just as important, that they’re an opportunity to evaluate personnel, and that no one ever likes to lose. Yes, those statements are true. Nevertheless, anyone who has played on a losing team or a team that vastly underperformed there’s a sense of relief that the pain is about the end.
Last week the New York Lizards got owned by a hungry Ohio Machine team. Greg Gurenlian apparently spent the game in a different dimension of sight and sound because he went 10 for 26 against Ohio’s Greg Puskuldjian. If you expect The Beast to brush off this performance and just “let it go” you obviously have never seen or heard him before. One glance at Beast’s twitter feed tells you how myopic it would be to underestimate him.
Remember, a few weeks ago, when Denver rolled into New York and The Beast decimated both Anthony Kelly and Geoff Snider at the dot? It will likely be even worse this week. The rivalry is thick between these two teams. For Denver, Snider won’t suit up and Kelly asked to be released by the team in hopes to sign on with a playoff team. Last week Denver re-acquired Brent Hiken, who split draws with Michael Simon and combined to go 20 for 37 against Florida. But against The Beast? I’m not holding my breath for a repeat performance. Hiken and Simon have been a decent M*A*S*H unit at the dot, but Gurenlian is in a league unto himself. If his win percentage is north of 80% will anyone bat an eye? 90%? Didn’t think so.
(I’m not trying to take anything away from Hiken. Gurenlian himself has reportedly said the kid has the goods to make it in MLL, but with one game this year and limited draws last season it seems unlikely he’ll dethrone the king.)
The problem with ceding the faceoff game to New York is that it allows the Lizards even more opportunities to flagellate Denver’s weakness: it’s defense. Everyone wants to talk about Rabil and Pannell, and sure that’s fine. But the Lizards have shown throughout the year that players like Palasek, Gibson, Stone, Walsh, et al. are the ones sneaking up behind you in the alley with a knife to your throat while you’re staring wide-eyed down the barrel of a Rabil/Pannell gun.
It will be interesting to see if the Outlaws keep Matt Bocklet at close defense again this week after he performed so well last week against Florida’s potent attack. Bocklet is an important piece of the transition puzzle, but Michael Simon is another stellar LSM who can pick up the slack. Denver may be better suited to keeping Bocklet on the field the whole game and using his speed to cover attackmen and his stick skills to jump start transition.
At the other end of the field the Bocklet x2 + Grant attack unit looked solid last week, as the Brothers Bocklet went off in a major way. Denver’s offense is capable of great feats. They proved that at home against Rochester and Florida. However, without possessions (and remember this is an Outlaws team that turns the ball over more than any other team in the league) their only chance may end up being a late rally that ultimately falls short, just like the last time these two played.
Expect New York to dictate the pace of this game. If (when?) New York builds an early lead they may elect to save some of their players for next week. No one likes to lose, and coaches and players hate rationalizing losing. But the Lizards have taken the long view all year. If they have to lose in sub time in order to win next week, will they care in hindsight? You don’t need a magic 8 ball to know the answer to that question.
