Max Adler’s best performance of the season showed the chemistry and preparation of the entire Vancouver Warriors’ ball team.
In Vancouver’s matchup against the Georgia Swarm, Adler went 19-for-25 on draws. The showing helped fuel what the Warriors considered one of their most complete games of the season, as the team executed a well-prepared plan that relied on timing, communication, and relentless work from the players around him.
After returning to the game following a three-year hiatus, Adler says his focus has been on steady improvement as he works his way back into top form.
“Having been part of championship teams, and all the teams I've been on, have gotten better as the season went on. Individually, I want to get better as the season goes on, too, so it's really just continuing to take it week by week,” Adler said.
Preparation is a big part of Adler’s approach. He spends a lot of time studying opposing faceoff tendencies and counters on film and going over it with Warriors’ Head Coach and GM Curt Malawsky. From there, Alder works through the strategies in-week leading up to games.
“They had great effort all the way around and it started in the circle with Max, he was 76% on the draw,” Malawsky said after the win against Georgia. “We got a lot of good possessions, we had a good scheme getting the balls off the back line – Owen Grant and Reid Bowering played amazing out there, and then the rest of the faceoff team clamped down on their guys. The big thing for us was taking care of possession, taking care of the ball early.”
While Adler’s numbers stood out, it was a collective effort by the Warriors’ ball team in converting those wins into possessions. The group includes iterations of Matt Beers, Owen Grant, Reid Bowering, Steph Charbonneau, Jeff Cornwall, and Ryan Dilks, and they consistently pounced on loose balls and executed the game plan.
The result looked a bit like a game of Hungry Hungry Hippos. Bowering led the way, scooping up 13 loose balls, while Dilks picked up eight. Grant and Cornwall each added seven, helping Vancouver quickly transition from the faceoff circle into offence.
As Adler has spent more time with the group, the timing and chemistry between the faceoff specialist and the defenders around him have continued to grow. More reps and consistent training in Vancouver have also helped him settle into a rhythm.
“Being on the same page as Reid Bowering and Owen Grant and us becoming more familiar and comfortable with each other has been really helpful and I think it really showed against Georgia with how many loose balls when they picked up,” Adler said.
“Reid’s just really good on the loose ball team, he's exceptional. So, it makes it easy playing with him and OG.”
The faceoff circle is far from a solo job. Success often depends on where the ball goes next and how quickly teammates react.
“It definitely has a big team aspect,” Adler said. Speaking for myself, our ball team does a lot. In all honesty, yes, percentage-wise I had a good game, but Georgia didn't really have a faceoff guy, and our ball team picked up almost all of the face off wins. Curt laid out a really good game plan for us too, where I felt comfortable where I was putting the ball and the ball team felt comfortable where it would go in.”
Off the floor, the group has naturally become closer over the past couple of months. Something Adler believes is translating into stronger play during games.
"As I play more, I get more comfortable and then honestly the group is great too, just spending more time with them has been a lot of fun,” Adler said. “Georgia's a good team, so it was a must-win game for us, that's how we felt. It was good to put it all together.”
Adler said the game against Georgia gives the group momentum to build on, and after watching film from last week, he says the focus is on small adjustments and continuing to refine the details.
“I just watched the film, and there's a lot I still really need to work on, and a lot I could do a lot better. So, I think I’ve got to continue to make tweaks to get better and better every week, and stick to the process,” he said.
The numbers are encouraging that the process is working and how well the group executed together in the circle. The Warriors ball team is hoping to continue to create possessions and be a factor down the stretch.