GK, my thoughts,
The regular season and the padded/bogus regular season stats are immaterial for post-season discussion. On top of that, different coaches approach the regular season differently; knowing that trophies are not handed out for regular season games.
We had a postseason where all playoff teams played; the jrDucks, by all post season metrics, were 2nd fiddle.
As for the regular season, any argument based on those metrics disintegrates in a gentle breeze.
Exhibit A) Some coaches allow regular season scores to be run up, leading to padding stats on weaker teams. GSE-1 did not score more than 8 goals in a game because the coach directed players to stop scoring; more than one 3rd period was spent practicing scissor passes in the offensive zone. Kudos to him, teaching these 11-13 year olds that respecting the game and respecting the opponent does not involve running up 15-0 scores in a regular season game against an overwhelmed opponent.
- Now, if CAHA wants re-write their rules to say regular season goals for (GF) are more than just a tiebreaker for playoff seeding - let them do it and everyone will operate with the same objectives. Trying to point to goals for, in the absence of those ground rules, is actually an indictment of that team/club and not an argument for post-season results.
Exhibit B) Some teams, whether by ignorance, incompetence or deceit; rendered goalie metrics for their team bogus... In particular, the JrDucks yielded 28 goals as a team... but if you add up goals against for JD#31 (1 ga) and JD#32 (8 ga) you get 9 goals yielded. Considering the JrDucks record, I am not buying that there were 19 empty net goals against the JrDucks. The fact is that the JrDucks under-reported goals against their goalies by 65% (28 v 9)... (IceDogs1 underreported 75%; 34 v 9.)
- so 1, 2, 3, & 5 in the goalie metrics are bogus...
- Now GSE-1 gave up 22 goals as a team: #33=8 ga & #77=14 ga. Shocking how they managed to be 100% accurate in their reporting... so, the legitimate best goalie in CAHA 12U AA looks to be the kid CAHA has erroneously in 4th...
- Heck, the JrDuck kid listed in 1st w/ 1 goal yielded all season gave up 7 In the final game alone.
Exhibit C) GSE-1 ran 5on5 in the regular season with all kids on equal shifts; save a little bench time to reflect on knuckle-headed/pre-teen plays. So the 15th best skater had a chance to develop and play with the top players. While getting a ticket to the post-season is important for all, some coaches use the regular season games to, wait for it, develop the kids on the back half of the roster to make them better. Other teams run the same top 2-3 players for extended shifts while the back 5 might be lucky to see 10 minutes of ice. The latter is not what 12U hockey should be about; so again - that second approach is an indictment of the team/club, not an argument for post-season titles.
Clearly, regular season CAHA metrics are not valid as listed and any argument for post-season placement that attempts to use them is invalid from the word Go.
So, we find ourselves back to actual post-season accomplishments.
1) GSE-1
2) JrDucks
3) IceDogs1
4) JrKings1
But again, no champion or a 4 way co-champion was the way to go, in my mind.
All that said, I am happy to indulge the what ifs and regular season trends:
GSE-1 had only been together as a team for 7 weeks of practice, when they played the JrDucks to a 1-2 result in October’s first CAHA weekend. 17 kids that were coming from 6 different clubs and 7 different teams (7+4+2+1+1+1+1). A post-season rematch with the JrDucks, where the GSE-1 kids have the benefit of more than seven weeks with a new coach, learning a new system, and playing with new teammates - yeah; that weighs very, very, very heavily in the favor of GSE-1. (That GSE-1 held the Ducks close at 1-2, despite the above, kind of reflects negatively on the JrDucks desired mythos.)
GSE-1 ended the CAHA regular season on a 7 game win streak. In that span, they registered the only 2 shutouts to be posted against a team to make the post-season: 4-0 over the JrFlyers and 5-0 over GR2. (The last CAHA goal yielded by GSE-1’s #33 net minder was half way though the second period of an eventual 2-2 tie with IceDogs1, on Nov 8, 2019.)
GSE-1’s last non-win (of any kind) was to the JrKings1 team at the start of January, a 2-5 loss.
- worth noting, GSE-1’s 2nd goalie was in net (‘08 minor). Conscious decision by the coaching staff to let her face a top-tier team... regular season game, team was already a lock for post-season; great opportunity to get next year’s #1 some heavy work. Kudos to the coaches for thinking long term and giving her the game.
- GSE-1 (3rd seed) beat the JrKings1 (2nd seed) in the post-season 4-2 (in regulation) with their #1 goalie in net. With #33 in net, GSE-1 kept all 3 other Final Four playoff opponents to just 2 goals in their previous match ups. GSE-1 legitimately ended the regular season as Clearly the best defense in CAHA with only 22 CAHA goals yielded all season. #2 JrDucks: 28. #3 IceDogs1: 34.
So GSE-1 had stout defense from the beginning. The regular season allowed the skaters a chance to learn a new coach, a new system and new teammates.
Add to the above, JrDucks yield 7 goals in their last regular season game... Next, the JrDucks need over-time to beat 8th seed in the playoffs.
Clearly, JrDucks were trending down, while GSE-1 has been trending up. So yeah, *all* signs pointed to GSE-1 coming out on top in a head to match up.
We will never know... The season was cancelled, those two teams will not be the same next year, and #33 may well be playing in SoCal next year...
- Beebe has him rostered 07AAA Chi-town tourney next month
- Kabanets for 07AAA Sweden/Belarus tourney back half of April
- Khomchenko for 07AAA St Petersburg tourney in Aug
Looking forward to meeting more families from SoCal on those trips.
Topic: PW AA 2019-2020 (Read 242461 times)