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Message: [QUOTE="Powellfan, post: 4571786, member: 4819"] The bad: Face-offs - I think I saw Gibbs get in there for one near the end. Feels like they could have tried something different at the face-off X. Richiusa against Vermont and especially Albany seemed to be getting better as the game went on, but this game didn't feel like that. Hate, hate, hate not having a decent FOGO, as it's just such a defeating feeling. That said Loyola defeated Maryland last week winning just four. Have to find other ways to win. Short stick defense - just a pitiful performance. Bad on ball, bad on switches, bad off ball. SU needs to enter the 21st century and realize that you need at least two or three SSDMs over six feet tall. Maryland had a clear strategy to pick on whoever the shorty was and Syracuse had no answer. I expect other defenses will try and replicate it. Aviles coming back will help but still feels like we need one or two more guys who can hold their own. Canadian Connection - Simmons and Thomson did not play well today, though they connected at the end of the game for a meaningless EMO score. Thomson seemed to have trouble corralling the ball and also had a silly penalty after turning over the ball which I can't stand. Simmons had four turnovers. Those two need to play much better moving forward. The good: Will Mark - obviously without the new goaltender Maryland probably scores in the high 20s. Thought he would have to have a good game and he was pretty fearless today. 18 saves says it all. Midfielders - nice to see the offense score so many unassisted goals as that had been a big question mark of the unit. Kudos to the coaches for not panicking and rolling out the first unit each time, given that possessions were in such short supply. They did this last year with pretty bad results, and each member of the second unit scored a goal today. Overall if you had told me SU will lose to the defending champs by just three, I would be happy most times. But this game felt much different than just a three goal loss. Maryland were good, they had some really nice ball movement and they have some serious shooters. That said, it feels like SU has some pretty serious issues, at the face-off x and at the short stick d-middie spot. Not sure what there is to be done at the face-off x. Richiusa needs to show a little more fight and not give up free possesions so easily. Need to have someone in there who can counter if they don't win the initial clamp. Good news for the shorties is Aviles comes back soon, but again it feels like this unit will once again hold the team back. [/QUOTE]

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