Considering new mechanics rewards puck ragging , old ones didn't as much .... this is true .
No endurance lost for playing defense . Pokes , body checks , stick lifts, net battles, all zero endurance . So holdem in your zone, then break out with a fully charged team, and watch their guys line change and half not be on the ice and the other half dead.
So to combat that, they put in the puck rag system ...
They didn't make ai any smarter, teach them to play down low .
They made playing down low easier, the exploits easier , pass interceptions from low to high don't happen .
Ai can't defensivley adjust low to high, can't pick up on the rush.
And it's easier to Michigan, a high scoring move.
Goalies don't play any smarter when some one is behind the net .
Ea is clueless as to how to fix this game or make it better . And is clueless as to what they do .
When they make pucks break free of pokes easier, they didn't address the wacky puck animations warping through skates from a mile away or super human reaction speed or the ability to reach through one's self to retain the puck ... or the fact momentum doesn't affect pokes.
Just terrible dev team with no foresight or ability to comprehend what they're doing .
