The Laval Rocket took down Syracuse 5-2 in this one, led by their big weapons. Terry had four points, while Scherbak and Cracknell each had three.
It was a tough game for Laval in Corsi and scoring chances (Syracuse led 32-27 and 16-12, respectively), but I didn’t leave with the impression that the Rocket were dominated.
Five Thoughts
(1) When the Habs traded Peter Holland for Adam Cracknell, I thought it was a clear downgrade. Holland had 19 points in 20 games, while Cracknell had just three in 15. Instead, Cracknell has already grabbed seven points in nine games, and dented a few crossbars along the way. The offensive contributions have been virtually identical, with Cracknell grabbing 2.25 dangerous shot contributions to Holland’s 2.44. Cracknell has also produced a full primary shot contribution more than Holland, as he’s racking up more shot attempts. The big difference is what they bring in terms of style. Cracknell plays a heavier game, wins battles–he contributes in certain manners that Holland did not. While I would assume I’m rarely placed in the intangibles boat, I do see significant value in having Cracknell. First, these traits work well alongside Scherbak and Terry, providing a “McCarron-like” presence on the line. Second, this also frees up McCarron (who seems unable to elude an anchor on his left wing), to play weaker competition. It’s a fine swap, and I’m glad Cracknell’s on the roster.
(2) Lernout has been recalled to the NHL, which is not shocking at all. He fits what the organization appears to building with their blue line, and he’s a fast–explosive, even–skater. His breakaway goal was a great example of that. While the data I’ve gathered hasn’t been too kind (or, you know, the viewings), the Lernout recall makes sense. He’s a third-year pro, Juulsen is still green at the professional level, we already know what Taormina is, and Parisi’s play has trended down lately. The tools and the actual results have been disconnected from each other with Lernout’s game, but I will say that his puck skills have come a long way. Now, the key is activating them. He’s making controlled exits just 55% of the time, only ahead of the “yikes” pairing (my affectionate name for Gélinas and Leblanc). And the thing is, Lernout can make some accurate, hard breakout passes and carry the puck. I do wonder if that will change in the NHL. Of course, it seems unlikely, but he has a tendency to pigeon-hole himself when given time–something he won’t have in the NHL. We shall see, but all-in-all, I’m really hope he impresses in the NHL. Those tools are drool-inducing.
(3) Scherbak was brilliant. He had three points, more controlled entries than anyone else had both controlled and uncontrolled, and led the team in dangerous shot contributions. Some of the decisions he makes with the puck are just baffling, but the other side of the equation is that some of those plays he makes are breath taking. In the third period, he rushed up the ice, and tried this weird slowdown-and-stickhandle to the outside for no reason, instead of shooting from the slot. That’s baffling. What’s breath taking is the play he made just seconds into the game, or that ridiculous snipe.
This is the type of play that Scherbak wouldn’t make previously, but what’s bringing his offence to a new level. He drives his leg through the backchecker’s stick, skates right into the defender’s face, and then does the smart play. He drops the puck back to his open teammate, utilizing all that space he just created. Last year, he likely would’ve tried to walk right through that defender, with a predictable result. Scherbak creates all sorts of space, and now, he’s starting to use it.
(4) Syracuse only tried to gain the zone on Juulsen’s side once, but they absolutely attacked Parisi, and he relinquished the zone all five times. I have no idea what that means for Juulsen, but I do know that it wasn’t a particularly impressive game for both Juulsen and Parisi. Juulsen had a few miscues, while Parisi decision-making wasn’t too sharp. It was a bit tougher to find fault with Juulsen’s game than Parisi’s. I felt that Juulsen was on a bit of an island sometimes. One sequence stood out, where the opposition opened up extended possession, and the Rocket all collapsed around their net and stood still. Juulsen had to skate across the slot and to the other side to retrieve the puck, because the three closer players had decided screening Lindgren was their job now. Shortly after, Juulsen juked a defender and gained the zone, setting up an extended offensive zone shift for the Rocket.
But whatever my personal thoughts are, the Parisi-Juulsen tandem was one the ice for eight scoring chances for and four against, the best rate on the team. Juulsen posted a 60% Corsi and 15.27% Relative. Since his return, only McCarron and Scherbak generate better Corsi numbers, and somehow, he’s a producing a five more Corsi-for per 60 than the second-best defenceman.
(5) Niki Petti’s (AHL contract) versatility has not gone unnoticed, as he’s become a regular, seeing PK time and even PP time recently. He’s fast, strong, and can make the odd nice play. He’s slowly clawing his way out of the Corsi grave that is the team’s fourth line. Having players like him in the line up, who are young, fast, and versatile is something the roster needs more of.
Data
5v5 only.
| Skater | CF | CA | CF% | SCF | SCA | SCF% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Cracknell | 12 | 5 | 70.59% | 7 | 4 | 63.64% |
| Nikita Scherbak | 11 | 6 | 64.71% | 6 | 3 | 66.67% |
| Chris Terry | 9 | 5 | 64.29% | 5 | 3 | 62.50% |
| Antoine Waked* | 6 | 4 | 60.00% | 3 | 2 | 60.00% |
| Noah Juulsen | 12 | 8 | 60.00% | 8 | 4 | 66.67% |
| Tom Parisi | 11 | 9 | 55.00% | 8 | 4 | 66.67% |
| Daniel Audette | 6 | 6 | 50.00% | 3 | 2 | 60.00% |
| Jeremy Grégoire | 7 | 7 | 50.00% | 4 | 1 | 80.00% |
| Matt Taormina | 13 | 15 | 46.43% | 3 | 9 | 25.00% |
| Brett Lernout | 14 | 17 | 45.16% | 4 | 10 | 28.57% |
| Jordan Boucher* (AHL) | 5 | 8 | 38.46% | 3 | 4 | 42.86% |
| Michael McCarron | 6 | 12 | 33.33% | 3 | 3 | 50.00% |
| Niki Petti* (AHL) | 3 | 6 | 33.33% | 0 | 3 | 0.00% |
| Yannick Veilleux (AHL) | 6 | 13 | 31.58% | 1 | 8 | 11.11% |
| Kyle Baun | 5 | 11 | 31.25% | 0 | 6 | 0.00% |
| Markus Eisenschmid | 5 | 12 | 29.41% | 1 | 8 | 11.11% |
| Éric Gélinas (AHL) | 2 | 5 | 28.57% | 1 | 1 | 50.00% |
| Stefan Leblanc* (AHL) | 2 | 10 | 16.67% | 0 | 4 | 0.00% |
MB Hockey 