Robert Morris has not traditionally been a strong team, so getting blown out by the Colonials is not a good look (they aren’t particularly good this year either, for what it’s worth). A loss is pretty easily explainable, but to this degree was a major disappointment.
Tempo-Free
From the official box score, a look at the tempo-free stats:
| Robert Morris 2017 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | Robert Morris | ||
| Faceoff Wins | 14 | Faceoff Wins | 11 |
| Clearing | 16-20 | Clearing | 21-23 |
| Possessions | 36 | Possessions | 38 |
| Goals | 6 | Goals | 15 |
| Offensive Efficiency | .167 | Offensive Efficiency | .395 |
The Titans were about even in possession (despite being sloppy on the clear), but were dominated in both ends of the field otherwise. The offensive output was quite bad, the defensive effort was worse, and the reasons for each are related…
Notes
The primary reason for struggles on both ends of the field? Turnovers! That old UDM bugaboo reared its ugly head once more. Robert Morris forced the Titans into 12 turnovers and Detroit players committed 11 more on their own accord for 23 giveaways on 36 offensive possessions (63.9%). That’s no bueno. Sean Birney committed five turnovers, Alec Gilhooly four, Matthew Vangalen three, and both Seth Mendell and Adam Susalla had a pair. Those around the UDM program won’t say it – mostly in defense of the guys currently on the field – but they could really used Mark Anstead back.
How did that impact the defense? Six of Robert Morris’s 15 goals were scored within a minute of a Titan turnover (and four of those within ten seconds of the turnover, thanks to sudden-change situations that were effectively fast-breaks). When the offense is so sloppy with the ball, the defense is not only on its heels – and on the field, getting tired – the whole time, but there are situations in which it’s simply impossible for them to get a stop based on anything other than outstanding goalie play or sheer luck.
Speaking of goalie play, Jason Weber saved only .400 of shots on goal, one of the worst marks you’ll see him accomplish. There are obviously contributing factors (the aforementioned fast-break situations, RMU assists on 10 of 15 goals), but when he’s not stealing a game for UDM – as he wasn’t on this day – the team in front of him has to play much better to get wins.
It wan’t all bad for the offensive personnel. Vangalen had four assists to partially make up for those three turnovers, Donavon Dempsey had two goals and an assist (without turning the ball over at all), Patrick Walsh potted two goals, and Kyle Beauregard had a goal and an assist. The pieces are there for a good offense, but the limiting factor is so consistent across personnel, and so crippling, that UDM can’t overcome it regularly enough to be successful.
Alex Jarzembowski was the faceoff star in this one, winning 14 of 21 draws after Ben Gjokaj (0/3) got a quick hook. Nobody is consistent enough game-to-game to be confident in this faceoff unit, but there are enough good pieces there that things should always be at least OK except when facing the best faceoff teams on the schedule.
This was a game that was never really in doubt, for what it’s worth. The Titans found the back of the net first on an EMO strike, but Robert Morris spent the remainder of the first half (and much of the third quarter) responding, taking a 9-1 lead by the time UDM scored again. 13 of UDM’s 23 turnovers came in the first half, and the 14th was in the third quarterback before the Titans broke the dry spell.
Elsewhere
Detroit recap. Robert Morris recap. Boxscore. Highlights.
Up Next
Detroit went 1-1 in their annual trip to Milwaukee, with a mostly-expected win and a very-expected loss.