May 24, 2024
By Sam Weiger
Minnesota Wind Chill at Madison Radicals | Super Series
Friday, May 24 - 8:00 PM/ET - Watch link
Is the Central Division witnessing a changing of the guard? The Wind Chill and Union have ruled since 2021, but the previously unheralded Radicals now hold the lead. The upcoming Minnesota-Madison game, their 32nd meeting, will shed some light on this intriguing development.
The Madison Radicals stand alone as the division's only undefeated team, having crushed their first two opponents. However, those victories came against the unimpressive Detroit Mechanix and Pittsburgh Thunderbirds.
But there’s no question that Madison looks like a better team this season, particularly on defense. They're generating blocks at a much higher clip than last season. This matchup against Minnesota, a defensive powerhouse, will be a crucial test to see if they can continue this trend.
Madison's defensive dominance this season can't be fully explained without mentioning Anthony Gutowsky. Used sparingly on defense last year, Gutowsky's newfound role as a two-way player has been instrumental in their upswing.
In Madison’s big win over Pittsburgh in their season opener, Gutowsky, Andrew Meshnick, and Pieran Robert led the Radicals in blocks. While Meshnick's ability to get blocks is well-known, there's anticipation to observe Gutowsky and newcomer Robert's defensive skills against the Wind Chill.
Madison’s O-line also looked impressive in their win against the Thunderbirds. This can be attributed to the return of Kai Marcus, who missed most of the past two seasons with injuries. Friday’s game will be his first test against a high-caliber UFA team in over two years. Both he and Gabe Vordick, a rookie who has impressed in his first two outings, deserve close attention.
The Wind Chill are looking to bounce back after a surprising home loss to Pittsburgh last week. Boasting a stellar home record in recent seasons, Minnesota’s defeat to a seemingly weaker opponent has raised concerns. However, fans shouldn't hit the panic button just yet, despite the team committing 28 turnovers and completing only 89 percent of their passes.
Last season, they encountered similar issues in several games, but that didn’t stop them from almost reaching the UFA Championship Game. The culprit for those issues was often strong winds, and they once again battled the wind against Pittsburgh last week. Wind isn't expected to be a major factor in Madison this weekend.
Another undeniable factor in last week's struggles was the absence of Dylan DeClerck. A cornerstone of Minnesota's D-line for many years, his goal-scoring presence has been noticeably lacking in the last two games. But DeClerck is set to return to the roster this week, along with two other notable players who missed last week’s game against Pittsburgh: Josh Klane and Colin Berry.
There’s another reason for Wind Chill fans to feel optimistic - two fresh faces have been making a big impact. Matthew Rehder has emerged as a dual threat on the O-line, racking up eight scores and six blocks in just three games. Meanwhile, rookie Thomas Shope has seamlessly integrated into the already strong D-line, adding five blocks in his first two UFA games.
Minnesota has not lost to Madison since July 2019, but the Radicals are expected to give the Wind Chill a run for their money this weekend. Last season, two of their three meetings were tight, low-scoring battles. With both teams boasting stingy defenses this season, another defensive slugfest wouldn't be a surprise.
One Big Number:
19.5 - The Radicals lead the UFA with a dominant 19.5 blocks per game this season, a stark contrast to their 9.5 blocks per game last season.
305 - DeClerck has the highest plus/minus (305) in Wind Chill history.
Chicago Union at Austin Sol | Game of the Week
Saturday, May 25 - 8:00 PM/ET - Watch link
Five weeks into the season, the moment has finally arrived to witness the Sol take on a playoff contender. Get ready for an electrifying display as Austin shines brightest at home against tough competition.
Austin's dominance at home since 2022 is evident, with only one loss, a close defeat to the Carolina Flyers by two goals last year. While facing predominantly lesser opponents on home turf, they secured notable wins over Carolina twice and Atlanta once.
Never before have the Sol welcomed the Chicago Union to The Pitch, setting the stage for just the second-ever clash between these seasoned UFA rivals. Chicago emerged victorious in their first encounter with a crucial home win by a narrow margin of three goals, with the game hanging in the balance until the final quarter.
But Chicago just isn't the powerhouse they were in 2022, and because of their uninspiring offense, it's widely expected that they will fall short against Austin this time around. This season, they’ve struggled to capitalize on red zone opportunities. Even in their lopsided Week 2 win against Detroit, they only managed a modest red zone conversion rate of 74 percent.
Chicago standout Jeff Weis, who made his season debut against Minnesota in Week 3, was expected to help resolve these red zone difficulties in his first UFA game since his stellar 2022 season with the Union. Unexpectedly, things took a different turn. Weis had a rough night against the Wind Chill, looking rusty in the red zone and finishing the game with six costly turnovers. He's going to be one of the main players to observe for the Union.
Another player to watch, star acquisition John Lithio, has wasted no time becoming a key figure in Chicago’s offense. Lithio has wasted no time making his mark, already tied for the team lead in goals after just two games. The Union will need players like him, Andrew Sjogren, and Jack Shanahan to make big plays in the end zone against the Sol.
Chicago's offense, averaging only 18.5 goals per game since the start 2023, will need to have their best game of the season if they’re going to keep up with Austin's high-octane attack. Austin’s offense, led by the Evan Swiatek-Kyle Henke-Mark Evans trio, is seldom held below 18 goals.
Swiatek, Henke, and Evans have been Austin’s top stars for over two years, and they were the club’s top performers against the Union in 2022.
While many things remain the same for the Sol, their lineup could be seeing a shakeup. While their core remains familiar, a big change sees former QB1 Jake Radack primarily deployed on defense this season. However, head coach Steven Naji might have been strategically testing the waters in the early, easy games. Whether Radack returns to offense in this tougher matchup will be a point of interest.
Over the offseason, Naji suggested increased offensive roles for Matthew Armour and Joey Wylie, but their impact hasn't materialized yet. Armour will miss this game, but we’ll still get a chance to see if Wylie gets increased playing time on the O-line this weekend.
One Big Number:
4.57 - Since 2022, Chicago’s goal scoring has seen a decline. In 2023 and 2024, they've averaged 4.57 fewer goals per game.
2 - The Sol have been held to under 18 goals in just two of their past 32 games.