Friday, April 24, 2015

MLU Snapshots (2015)

A regular look at the numbers and trends in Major League Ultimate.

Week 14 (August 8)
MLU Championship
Boston Whitecaps beat Seattle Rainmakers 31-17 to win the 2014 MLU Championship in Chester, Pennsylvania.

With their 2 wins in the postseason, Boston Whitecaps extend their consecutive winning streak to 7 games. Only 1 other team (Portland) won more than 6 games in the MLU this season.

-14 = largest point differential in a Seattle 2015 loss. (A 15-goal regular season defeat vs Vancouver in June 2014 was Rainmakers largest loss.)

(2-0) = Boston's 2015 record in all games when they score 30+ points

(9-3) Boston Whitecaps 2015 record, including playoffs

(2-3) = Boston's 2015 record in games when they allowed at least 17 goals

Eastern Conference teams are undefeated (3-0) in the MLU Championship game

31 = ties for the most goals scored ever by Boston Whitecaps. via
(The only other time Boston scored over 30 goals was a win on June 6, 2015.)

Jeff Graham (Whitecaps) is the only two-time MLU Championship MVP. via

# of goals scored by runner-up in MLU Championship
2015: 17 goals
2014: 17 goals
2013: 15 goals

The MLU Championship on August 8 was Major League Ultimate's 3rd inter-conference game ever.

This is Boston Whitecaps' 2nd "tidal" in 3 years.


Week 13 Postseason (July 18)
Boston Whitecaps are now (2-0) at home in the Eastern Conference Final.

Records in the Eastern Conference Final (2013-15)
(2-1) = Boston Whitecaps
(1-1) = Washington DC Current
(0-1) = Philadelphia Spinners

Boston is the only MLU team to win 2 conference titles. [via]

Home teams are now (3-0) all-time in the Eastern Conference Final.

21.4 = average # of goals scored in 2015 regular season by Boston Whitecaps
21 = goals scored in Eastern Conference Final by Boston vs Philadelphia

17.0 = average # of goals allowed in 2015 regular season, Boston Whitecaps
16 = goals allowed by Boston in Eastern Conference Final vs Philadelphia

22.3 = Boston's average # of goals scored in 2015 regular season versus Philadelphia Spinners. (1 win, 2 losses)
21 = goals scored in Eastern Conference Final by Boston vs Philadelphia

15.6 = Philadelphia's average # of goals scored in the last 3 games of the 2015 regular season versus Philadelphia Spinners. (1 win, 2 losses)
16 = Philadelphia's total goals scored in Eastern Conference Final vs Boston

This the second MLU Championship berth for Boston Whitecaps.



Week 12 Postseason (July 11)
The 17-16 score in the Western Conference Final was the 3rd consecutive WCF decided by 1 goal. [14-13 in 2014, 18-17 in 2013]

Records in the Western Conference Final (2013-15)
(1-0) = San Francisco Dogfish
(1-0) = Vancouver Nighthawks
(1-1) = Seattle Rainmakers
(0-2) = Portland Stags

Road teams are now (2-1) all-time in the Western Conference Final.

This the first MLU Championship berth for Seattle Rainmakers.

Portland had a 7-game winning streak at home before Saturday's 16-17 loss. This was the Stag's first home loss since May 17, 2014 (vs Seattle).

16 = the lowest home game goal total Portland scored this season.

Portland Stag's (9-1, 0-1) only other loss this season was also by 1-goal; 17-18 loss to San Francisco.

Peter Woodside (Portland) end zone block D made SportsCenter's Top 10 at #5. On the play Woodside broke his right wrist and later broke his left elbow. [via]


Week 11 (June 27-28)
Portland Stags claim the best MLU 2015 regular season record with a (9-1) record.

Portland Stags become the first and only MLU team to win back-to-back regular season titles - accomplished in 2014 & again in 2015 for the Western Conference.

Boston repeat as winners of the Eastern Conference regular season title - accomplished in 2013 & again in 2015.

0.625 = home team winning percentage in the 2015 regular season. Home teams won 25 out of 40 games.

5 games = consecutive wins by Boston Whitecaps.

In the Spinners' 13-goal loss, Philadelphia scored their lowest game total of the season (13 goals).

13 goals = margin of victory by Boston Whitecaps in week 10, vs Rumble
13 goals = margin of victory by Boston Whitecaps in week 11, vs Spinners

4 games = consecutive wins by Portland Stags.

Seattle's mascot has been officially named "Dewey".

Despite winning 1 more game in 2015 than 2013 (when DC made the playoffs), the DC Current (5-5) did not reach the postseason.

(1-7) = combined record of MLU teams in back-to-back games. (Boston, DC, San Francisco, Vancouver*) *Vancouver's back-to-back was scheduled as a home-away, and won on the road.

Is there an MLU Championship runner-up curse?
San Francisco Dogfish lost in 2013 Finals, then finished last in the West in 2014. Vancouver Nighthawks lost in 2014 Finals, and also finished last in 2015.

In MLU history, 7 out of 8 MLU teams have ever advanced to the post-season. With Philadelphia making the MLU playoffs for the first time this year leaves New York Rumble as the only MLU team never to advance to the MLU playoffs.

Joe Anderson (New York Rumble) was honored during halftime of his last game before "Smash" moves to Colorado.

Week 10 (June 20-21)
Boston secured their 3rd consecutive MLU playoff appearance.

DC Current (4-5) will not make the playoffs for the first-time in their history.

With DC's loss, MLU will not have a repeat champion in 2015.

10 minutes: 55 seconds = duration of DC Current's scoreless drought in their 14-17 loss to Spinners. [via]  (Each MLU quarter = 10 minutes)

Spinners' 6 wins in 2015 is their highest # of victories in any MLU season.

(0-6) = combined record of MLU teams in back-to-back games. (Boston, DC, San Francisco)

+7.25 = New York's average goal differential in 4 losses versus Boston.

New York Rumble become the only team to lose 6 road games in an MLU 10-game regular season.

New York has lost 13 consecutive away games (2013 - present). The Rumbles' last road win was June 1, 2013.

San Francisco (3-7) = the first MLU team to complete their 2015 schedule. The Dogfish finish with 1 more win than in 2014.

MLU playoff teams have been decided; Portland Stags vs Seattle Rainmakers, Philadelphia Spinners vs Boston Whitecaps.

New York Rumble = only MLU Eastern Conference team not to make the playoffs (2013-2015).

MLU West playoffs: Seattle Rainmakers (#2) @ Portland Stags (#1)

2015 MLU Championship is scheduled for August 8 at PPL Park (Chester, PA).


Week 9 (June 13-14)
New York Rumble Record when scoring:
20 or more goals= (1-1)
<20 = (1-5)

Since 2013, the Boston @ DC series is tied (3-3).

Final Scores (2013-2015) of Boston Whitecaps AT DC Current:
20-19, Boston
23-19, Boston
17-18, DC
17-18, DC
18-19, DC
18-17, Boston

+1.5 goals = average margin of victory by San Francisco in their 2 wins over Vancouver.

With Portland's 20-18 win, the Stags extend their winning streak over Seattle to 5 games. (2014-2015)

Seattle Rainmakers Record when scoring:
20 or more goals = (4-1)
<20 = (0-3)

15 = # of possessions of 20 or more throws in the 2015 season. [via]

How many ultimate throws can you name in 6 seconds??


Week 8 (June 6)
No Sunday games were scheduled for this MLU weekend. All 4 scheduled games were played on Saturday.

Boston Whitecaps won 31-24 over New York Rumble. 55 goals = record for highest combined score in a MLU game.

31 goals = highest # of goals ever in a game for Boston Whitecaps in their 31-24 win over NY.

24 = Rumble's scored goals in game vs Boston, which is 2 more goals than their combined goal total in NY's previous 2 games.

26 goals = combined score from May 30th game between NY vs Boston.
24 goals = # of goals scored by NY Rumble in June 6th game vs Boston.

First Quarter Scoring by Rumble vs Whitecaps (combined):
Week 6: 1 goal
Week 8: 17 goals

New York Rumble scored over 20 goals for the first time in their last 9 games.

Box scores via MLU Fantasy app
Seattle Rainkmakers won 28-27 over Vancouver Nighthawks. 55 goals = ties record for highest combined score in a MLU game. The record was set only a few hours prior on the east coast by Boston & New York.

28 goals = highest # of goals scored ever by Seattle Rainmakers in their 28-27 win over Vancouver.

4-game losing streak for Vancouver Nighthawks.

(2-0) = DC Current record in overtime games; 1 OT + 1 2OT

Portland Stags (7-1) are (4-0) at home.

Nick Purifico (Philadelphia Spinners) was ejected from the Spinners vs Current game. [via]  Nick was banded in last week's game vs Rumble. [Watch the infraction AND keep watching for Chris Mazur (NY) - not the ref - banding Purifico (PHL)]

Week 7 (May 30-31)
Clay Dewey-Valentine (Rainmakers) scored a Callahan.

15 = goal difference in the recent loss by New York (1-5)

0 = # of break goals by NY Rumble in their 10-25 loss to Philadelphia. [via]

Philadelphia Spinners scored more goals by halftime (12) than Rumble scored in 4 quarters (10).

4 games winning streaks:
Spinners over Rumble (2014 - 2015)
Stags over Seattle Rainmakers  (2014 - 2015)

Spinners Wins in MLU
3 wins in 2013
4 wins in 2014
5 wins already in 2015

Before Spinners 15-goal win, Philadelphia's average goal difference in wins = 2.25.

In 26 MLU games, Philadelphia Spinners have scored 25 or more goals twice.

It's official! Portland's jerseys are orange.

2 = # of games on the MLU schedule -- the fewest of any weekend in MLU 2015.

Week 6 (May 23-24)
Delrico 'Rico' Johnson (Current) scored the first Callahan of the 2015 MLU season.

3-game Winning Streaks
Philadelphia Spinners (4-1)
Seattle Rainmakers (3-2)

Combined Current Record of 2014's MLU Playoff teams
WEST: (6-5) [Stags (5-1) + Nighthawks (1-4)
EAST: (6-6) [Current (3-3) + Whitecaps (3-3)]

Road teams went (3-1) over the weekend; (2-0) in the East.

Portland lost to San Francisco is their first L of the season, but still have the best record in the MLU at (5-1).

With San Francisco's 18-17 win over Portland stops a 6-game losing streak versus the Stags. The Dogfish last beat the Stags on June 22, 2013.

In the 10 meetings between Seattle vs Vancouver (2013-2015), the Rainmakers lead the series 6-4.

Seattle teased forecasted a likely chance of mascot for Sunday's game. Is that a caped raindrop?

MLU Live was scheduled to broadcast Boston @ New York game on Sunday, but flexed to Saturday's Philadelphia @ DC game.

Current's 18-19 loss at home was their first loss at the D.C. stadium they refer to "The Dojo" (their home field since 2014). DC's home record, since 2014, is now (10-1).

Before Philly's 19-18 win against D.C. on Saturday 5/23, the last time Philadelphia Spinners beat DC Current at home was on June 22, 2013; the score: 19-18.

Spinners (4-1) have equalled their win total in all of the 2014 season.

Spinners are the only team averaging 7+ throws per possession. [via]

14.8 = average # of goals/game by New York Rumble (1-4)

Boston's 14-12 victory at New York Rumble was Whitecaps (3-3) 1st road win of 2015 season.

1 = # of goals scored in the 1st quarter of the Boston vs New York game. (It was windy.) [via]
Week 5 (May 16-17)
Philadelphia's 22-21 win at Boston was the first road win by an MLU East team.

(0-2) = Boston Whitecaps' record in 2OT games this season

With Boston's recent loss at home, their all-time home record is (12-2), 0.857

The last time Boston lost by 1 goal to Philadelphia (5/18/2014), the Whitecaps won their next game by +17 goals, versus New York.

Seattle has scored exactly 20 goals in 3 consecutive games

4 games = San Francisco Dogfish (1-4) losing streak

5 games = winning streak by Portland Stags (5-0)

With DC's 21-17 win over NY Rumble, the Current extend their home winning streak to 10 games.

(2-11) = New York Rumble's road record (2013-2015)

Evan Boucher (Dogfish team MVP 2013) was released by San Francisco.

Week 4 (May 9-10)
(0-4) = combined record of MLU East teams during back-to-back games

New York Rumble's 16-13 win over DC Current was NY's first win since May 3, 2014.

0 = # of turnovers by New York's O-line in the first half of the game vs DC. [via]

2 = # of losses by DC Current; 1 more loss than entire 2014 season when they went (11-1)

11 games = DC's loss ended the 2nd longest winning streak in the MLU; longest win streak = Boston Whitecaps (13 games) [via]

Peter Prial (DC) finally lost an MLU game! In 24 MLU games played (12 games with Boston Whitecaps in 2013 + 12 games DC Current in 2014-15) Peter Prial was (24-0) until Saturday's loss to Boston.

(0-7) = combined record of MLU Eastern Conference teams on the road.

Philadelphia Spinners and New York Rumble have never won more than 2 games in a row (2013-2015) [via]

Portland Stags (4-0) are the only undefeated MLU team [via]

6 games = Portland Stags winning streak over San Francisco Dogfish. (2014-2015)

MLU refs (in black) blended in with the black DC Current jerseys.
via MLU Live

Week 3 (May 2-3)
Seattle's 20-17 victory over San Francisco Dogfish on May 3, 2015, was the Rainmakers' first home win since May 4, 2014.

(2-1) = combined record of home teams over the weekend.

At Nighthawk home games, the Vancouver Ultimate League (VUL) presents a 'Most Valuable Spirited Player Award' to a player on each team. [via]

In only 4 of 22 games (2013-2015), New York Rumble have scored 20 or more goals. Their record over 2+ seasons is (5-17).

8 games = NY Rumble's consecutive losing streak (2014-2015)

Chris Mazur (NYR) and Trey Katzenbach (PHS) both played in Saturday's MLU night game, and then went to Virginia Beach to help their respective beach ultimate teams to a gold medal on Sunday at U.S. Nationals; AND THE WARHAWKS (Mazur), Swamp Rats (Katzenbach).

Week 2 (April 25-26)
The Seattle vs Vancouver game was the 2nd annual "Border Bid" game. Vancouver won 22-20 and took home the wooden disc trophy. [via UltiPhotos]

With Vancouver's win, the Nighthawks extend their winning streak over Seattle to 4 games. (2014-2015)

6:27 = duration of an early point in the 2nd quarter of Portland Stags @ San Francisco Dogfish. [via]  (That 1 point took up nearly 65% of the 10-minute 2nd quarter)

With Portland's win, the Stags extend their winning streak over San Francisco to 5 games. (2014-2015)

With DC's win 18-15, the Current extend their winning streak over Philadelphia Spinners to 5 games. (2014-2015)

New York Rumble's home opener was relocated 200+ miles away to Boston's home stadium in Medford, Massachusetts.

With Boston's 20-13 win, the Whitecaps add to their (11-1) record vs New York Rumble. (2013-2015) 3 wins in a row for Boston.

Week 1 (April 18-19)

Peter Woodside scored the the first goal of the 2015 MLU season; assist by Topher Davis (Portland Stags).

Cody Bjorklund (Stags) played with a cast on his non-throwing hand. He caught 16 passes, 1 for a goal & threw 4 scores. [via UltiPhotos]

A mascot is in the works for NY Rumble. Expected release date is in 2016. [h/t SEA v POR broadcast]

Christian Foster (Boston Whitecaps) was ejected from banded in Saturday's game versus Philadelphia.

(4-0) = combined record of home teams over the weekend.

Sunday's Boston Whitecaps vs DC Current game went into 2OT (sudden death).

Every season's first-meeting games between Boston vs DC have been decided by 1-goal. (2013-2015)

1-Goal Margins in DC Current vs Boston Whitecaps Games
BOS 20-19 DC; April 27 (first meeting 2013 season)
DC 18-17 BOS; April 19, (first meeting 2014 season)
DC 18-17 BOS; June 28, 2014 (last meeting 2014 season)
DC 19-18 BOS; April, 19, 2015 (first meeting 2015 season)

Attendees to the Vancouver at San Francisco game were provided a headset for listening to the play-by-play. [via]

(0-2) = record of Boston Whitecaps after week 1. First time in franchise history with a record under .500. [via Dusty Rhodes]

10 games = DC Current's winning streak (2014-2015 seasons)

8 games = DC Current's home game winning streak (2013-2015 seasons). DC's last home loss was June 1, 2013, against Boston.

5 games = Seattle Rainmakers losing streak (2014-2015 seasons)

[Chart] Average # of Throws on Scores. [via Luke Ryan]

3 comments:

dusty.rhodes said...

Christian Foster was not ejected from the game against Philly. He was banded and warned, but not ejected.

dusty.rhodes said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sludge said...

Dear Dusty,
Pretty sure the earlier version of Boston's recap had him being "ejected." Thanks for the update.

Sorry to Christian Foster, his family and friends for this libel.