D1 MLAX 2021 Season to Date: Top EGA Games
| Each week, we will look back at the games that were to see which players had the largest individual performances. I say largest because the contributions that we can measure (from play by play) tend to be things that are easy to count. This includes, goals, shots, assists, turnovers, penalties, etc. We can’t measure a defender who shuts down an opposing player so completely that he doesn’t even touch the ball. Still, it iseresting to be able to identify the players that really filled it up each weekend and give them a shout out here. | |
| For a bit of background, in order to rank single game performances, we needed a way to condense box score statso a single number for each player. In order to do this, we relied on our expected goal values methodology, which assigns a goal value to each type of play depending on how often it leads to a goal in the next 60 seconds. By adding up all the expected goals added for each player, we can get to that single number and these rankings. | |
| We have also tagged each performance with the opponent’s ELO rating. The higher the number, the stronger the opponent. This should help to give some context for each performance. Did the player feast on the dregs of D1 or did they put up these numbers against a quality opponent? | |
Top Single Game Scores of the week |
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#1 – Petey LaSalla (Virginia) – 7.35 goals added
Feb 6 vs Towson Opp ELO: 1531
The Cavaliers destroyed Towson, and they had a lot of players score a lot of goals. It was a dominating performance. Yes, Towson does not have a strong FO unit (they ended last year ranked 63rd). Those are the caveats.
Still, UVA was +16 in possessions against the Tigers. That is an enormous gap. They did force 6 failed clears, but a lot of that margin was down to LaSalla at X. With the surprise announcement that UVA will play Army this weekend, he should have another shot to pad those stats. The Black Knights ended the 2020 season with the 56th ranked opponent-adjusted faceoff unit. LR Pro View
 Career EGA/gm
3.44
Career Percentile
99th
Goals
Assists
Shots (OG)
1
1
1 (1)
GBs
FO Won
FO Pct
14
19
82%
Turnovers
Penalties
Caused TO
1
0
0
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#2 – Chris Gray (North Carolina) – 6.41 goals added
Feb 7 vs Denver Opp ELO: 1718
I think when we look back at these early weekends, we will be surprised at how little anyone accounted for the fact that Denver played 2 games in 3 days. And with a not super deep bench no less. Certainly Chris Gray had the most iridescent game among the Tar Heels, but I do not anticipate that things will always be this easy for them.
Still, with this performance, Gray bumps his career EGA/gm figure up to 4.24. What may be more impressive though, is that his 2 CTs bumped him up into the 93rd percentile for career caused turnovers (21 total). LR Pro View
Career EGA/gm
4.24
Career Percentile
99th
Goals
Assists
Shots (OG)
6
1
12 (8)
GBs
FO Won
FO Pct
1
0
N/A
Turnovers
Penalties
Caused TO
2
0
2
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#3 – Ashton Wood (Mercer) – 6.29 goals added
Jan 30 vs Bellarmine Opp ELO: 1327
Ashton Wood is one of those guys at a less-well known program who has been doing great things over his career. He’s the kind of guy that the objectiveness of EGA was made for.
After his 18-1 record against Bellarmine, Wood gained 39 fElo points for a final rating of 1689. That puts him in the 13th slot among all FOGOs since 2015. Mercer’s faceoff unit ended the 2020 season ranked 13th on an opponent-adjusted basis. If they can get the defense up to snuff, this starts to look like a really interesting team. LR Pro View
Career EGA/gm
4.68
Career Percentile
99th
Goals
Assists
Shots (OG)
1
0
2 (2)
GBs
FO Won
FO Pct
11
18
94%
Turnovers
Penalties
Caused TO
0
0
0
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#4 – Alec Stathakis (Denver) – 5.82 goals added
Feb 5 vs Duke Opp ELO: 1785
Stathakis has been sort of a forgotten man since the news that TD Ierlan intends to end up in Denver. But he is no slouch at the faceoff x, as he showed against Duke. Denver was able to get out to their big lead in part thanks to the 12-8 possession advantage they had in the first half, which was largely down to the fact that Stathakis won every Q1 faceoff.
This weekend suggests that Denver may have to win craftily, and having a FOGO that can consistently get you the ball is a big part of that. LR Pro View
Career EGA/gm
4.09
Career Percentile
99th
Goals
Assists
Shots (OG)
0
0
2 (0)
GBs
FO Won
FO Pct
12
19
76%
Turnovers
Penalties
Caused TO
1
0
0
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#5 – Connor Shellenberger (Virginia) – 5.70 goals added
Feb 6 vs Towson Opp ELO: 1531
Quite a debut. Aside from the possession machine in the #1 slot above, Shellenberger had the best day of any of the Cavaliers. Cormier may have had the gaudiest goal count, but thanks to several assists, no turnovers and 3 GBs, Shellenberger ended up with the top stat line.
LR Pro View
Career EGA/gm
5.70
Career Percentile
99th
Goals
Assists
Shots (OG)
4
3
6 (5)
GBs
FO Won
FO Pct
3
0
N/A
Turnovers
Penalties
Caused TO
1
0
1
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#6 – Cole Brams (Utah) – 5.60 goals added
Feb 6 vs Bellarmine Opp ELO: 1348
I introduced my new Faceoff Elo ratings earlier this year. The idea is to use an Elo algorithm to assign points for every faceoff win as a way to get to an apples-to-apples comparison of all FOGOs, no matter who they were up against over the course of their career.
I bring this up because so far, Cole Brams has made the biggest move in the Elo rankings of any of the FOGOs who have played so far. His 64.3% win rate over 2 games has meant a +98 jump in his fElo rating. LR Pro View
Career EGA/gm
4.06
Career Percentile
99th
Goals
Assists
Shots (OG)
0
1
0 (0)
GBs
FO Won
FO Pct
13
15
68%
Turnovers
Penalties
Caused TO
2
0
1
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#7 – Charlie Bertrand (Virginia) – 5.38 goals added
Feb 6 vs Towson Opp ELO: 1531
On the day, he tallied 4 goals and 2 assists against Towson in a game that Virginia won 20 – 11. As if that wasn’t enough, don’t forget the 3 ground balls.
LR Pro View
Career EGA/gm
3.87
Career Percentile
99th
Goals
Assists
Shots (OG)
4
2
6 (5)
GBs
FO Won
FO Pct
3
0
N/A
Turnovers
Penalties
Caused TO
3
0
0
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#8 – Jake Naso (Duke) – 5.21 goals added
Feb 7 vs Robert Morris Opp ELO: 1610
One of the few players to make this list without scoring any goals, he did drive the offense, chipping in 1 assist against Robert Morris in a game that Duke won 16 – 12. As if that wasn’t enough, don’t forget the 9 ground balls and 19 faceoff wins.
LR Pro View
Career EGA/gm
2.60
Career Percentile
97th
Goals
Assists
Shots (OG)
0
1
0 (0)
GBs
FO Won
FO Pct
9
19
67%
Turnovers
Penalties
Caused TO
2
0
0
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#9 – Jack Hannah (Denver) – 5.14 goals added
Feb 7 vs North Carolina Opp ELO: 1678
On the day, he tallied 4 goals and 1 assist against North Carolina in a game that Denver lost 24 – 13. Add in 5 ground balls and you’ve got a pretty full stat sheet. No trillion-club here.
Throw in North Carolina’s ELO rating of 1678, and these stats take on whole new meaning. LR Pro View
Career EGA/gm
2.64
Career Percentile
97th
Goals
Assists
Shots (OG)
4
1
11 (9)
GBs
FO Won
FO Pct
5
0
N/A
Turnovers
Penalties
Caused TO
3
0
0
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#10 – Payton Cormier (Virginia) – 4.84 goals added
Feb 6 vs Towson Opp ELO: 1531
In this one, he scored 6 goals and added 1 assist against Towson in a game that Virginia won 20 – 11. As if that wasn’t enough, don’t forget the 1 ground ball.
LR Pro View
Career EGA/gm
2.65
Career Percentile
97th
Goals
Assists
Shots (OG)
6
1
11 (9)
GBs
FO Won
FO Pct
1
0
N/A
Turnovers
Penalties
Caused TO
3
0
0
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