Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2018-19: The Motzko Era Begins!
Schierhorn had a comment that really caught my attention after the Gophers 7-1 win over U18 last Sat. When asked about U18s puck movement and whether they're difficult to defend against, he commented, "Oh yeah...they seem to always carry the puck into the offensive zone and control play. They hardly ever dump the puck in".
Unlike in previous seasons, it was great to see the Gophers FINALLY doing the same thing throughout the game. I saw very little dump and chase.
SOG and Gs were down last season partially due to playing it safe far too much (especially at the beginning of last season) with a dump/chase, forecheck and cycle system. I'm hoping Motzko continues to stress more controlled zone entry tactics vs. a safe dump and chase.
I posted a stat graphic in the offseason thread which indicated when a team carries the puck into the offensive zone, they produce twice as much offense per entry than if they dumped it in.
The major disadvantage of a 'dump and chase' tactic is giving up possession of the puck. Losing possession on a dump-and-chase play can be very problematic if you're playing an offensive system where players can get caught. For example, if you send two players deep (past the hashmarks) and one to the net and you lose possession, the opponent gets the chance for an odd-man rush going the other way because the forwards are caught out of the play once the opponent breaks out.
There are times when D & C is effective, especially during line changes, when a strong skater lacks stickhandling skills, or instead of going solo against the D.
But in terms of scoring, the controlled offensive zone entry is king.
Not convinced?? Here's another graphic:
<img src="http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/imported_assets/2282240/carries-vs.-dumps.jpg" class="irc_mi" style="margin-top: 10px;" height="260" width="480">
The last row in the graphic "Rest of League" is the most valid stat as it's not just representing a handful of teams but that of the entire NHL.