On the heels of a desultory performance by the Pioneers last night in which they were thoroughly outplayed by an energetic Sioux team, there is one Denver player's performance on which I would like to comment.
After a terrific freshman year in which he was named the WCHA freshman of the year, Joey LaLeggia suffered the proverbial "sophomore slump" last season. Frankly, late in 2012-2013 I thought there were extended periods of time when LaLeggia was Denver's biggest liability in the defensive zone. Yes, his point production and plus/minus rating took nosedives from his freshman year, but more tellingly there were times he committed egregious turnovers which led to scoring opportunities and/or goals for the opposition.
LaLeggia's performance last night--and throughout this season as a junior--has been, and is, reminiscent of his stellar campaign as a freshman. Last night he initiated countless sorties from deep within Denver's defensive zone, through and then well into, Denver's attacking zone. Carrying the puck up the left boards and then breaking outside a converging Sioux defenseman, LaLeggia was responsible for initiating more time for Denver in the offensive zone than any of his teammates.
With his draft rights being held by the Edmonton Oilers, and with the Oilers well on their well to yet another abysmal season in the NHL, I've continued to wonder if LaLeggia will understandably not return for his senior season and "take the money and run" to start his professional hockey career at an as of yet to be determined spot in Edmonton's system of minor league affiliates. Frankly, whenever Denver's current season ends I won't be the least bit surprised if LaLeggia announces his immediate departure to an Edmonton affiliate. He has been superb this season far beyond his point production and it's a continuing pleasure to watch his resurgence.
Denver scored twice last night with both goals coming on the power play. Said in other words, it was a game in which Denver failed to score an even strength goal. My own assessment is that the current group of Denver forwards/centers lacks the ability/talent to create "time and space" for itself and other teammates which produce scoring opportunities and/or goals while playing at equal strength. Yes, Denver has scored frequently on the power play when both "time and space" are relatively more easy to produce owing to the manpower advantage. Most of the time in any game is spent being played at equal strength. With the team now 25 games into a 36 game regular season schedule enough time has passed to assess the strenghts and weaknesses of various elements of this season's Denver team. The forwrads/centers have not demonstrated they have the ability to score in equal strength situations. Until the current group develops such adeptness, or until such players are recruited who have such an ability, Denver's record will suffer.
Sam Brittain cannot be burdened with needing to hold the opposing team to zero, one or two goals each night in the hopes that his teammates will score just enough goals to win. The defensemen--who have produced goals far beyond reasonable expectation to this point in the season--cannot be saddled with the dual repsonsibilities of having to prevent the other team from scoring while needing to produce the bulk of the Pioneers' offense as well.
Denver has more than sufficient talent in goal and on the blueline to be competitive this season. With an eye to future seasons I think a demonstration of Jim Montgomery and his staff's effectiveness to recruit will be borne out by the number of scorers they are able to recruit--not merely for next season--but for seasons beyond that one.
Good luck to the team tonight. With an open week on the schedule next week, and seven of eight games on the road after that, a win tonight is of paramount importance in the quest to secure home ice for the playoffs.
beating up on the last place Redhawks. Rico may soon be heading south to FL to join his mentor.