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Leatherneckmike · 12-08-2022, 04:40 PM

The Great Falls Grizzlies may have a great youth movement as discussed in my previous deep dive (which got better by the way because Matt Ox updated with a massive update to give GFG the most people over 200 in the class after that week but I digress).

But this season has not gone well for GFG. like at all. With 25 to go the team sits 2nd to last in the league only above a massively struggling Kelona Knights team with a gigantic -87 goal difference (for comparison GFG is -31 which is actually only 4th worst).

So today I will try and dive in and take a look and see just what is going on in Great Falls.

The totals: GFG has allowed the 3rd most goals in the Atlantic conference and have scored the 3rd fewest, however they rank last in the conference in points. What this immediately tells you is things may not be as impossibly bad as they seem. They also have, you guessed it, the 3rd worst goal difference in the conference. So what is wrong with GFG? Well in a small sense, they aren’t lucky enough. Being consistent in 3 major categories but that’s not where you are in the standings means there is consistently a translation issue.

The translation: Major losses. For example: 10/23/34 Grizzlies lose 7-0 to Regina, 10/30/34 Grizzlies lose 6-1 to Vancouver. Two losses of 5 or more goals. They have no 5 or more goal wins. In fact, losing by 4 or more goals, has happened to the Griz 4 times. Winning by 4+ goals has happened just once. So what does that mean? Well it means GFG plays a bunch of tight games and they are losing those games. Because it shows the goal difference is tighter than it actually is. In game decided by one goal, GFG is 9-12, they are sub .500, If you make that even say.. 11-10 and reverse a little mis fortune. Suddenly GFG would be on 41 points… oh look at that. 3rd to bottom in the conference and 10th in the J as a whole, above Vancouver who has a -16 goal difference.

There is no reason to panic in Great Falls. The young team is playing within reason and.. Well like a young team. The quicker the days of getting the doors blown off go away, the luck can come too. No one is gonna lose by 6 or 7 goals forever. And eventually those 1 goal games will turn around and get closer to your favor.

Where to get better: It’s pretty clear, the Grizzlies simply have to get better on defense. It is not performing well and is all too often getting the doors blown off, needing a young offense to carry it to victory. There is also another glaring issue. The worst home record in the league. 7-10-1 is the worst mark in the SMJHL and it’s a big part of the reason they aren’t doing as well. Gotta defend home ice better and… well defend better in general, and the Grizzlies could turn things around quick!

525 words

*CptSquall* · 12-09-2022, 12:25 PM

Approved, +5 TPE to @Leatherneckmike

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