Enter Gregory Puskuldjian, who the Machine claimed from the player pool shortly after its second game after attending training camp with Ohio. Puskuldjian made his pro debut in game three against Chesapeake and split time over the next few weeks. Puskuldjian has greatly increased the Machine's faceoff game. In fact, all players not named Puskuldjian only won 27-of-76 faceoffs (36%), but Puskuldjian has won 81-of-150 (54%) on the season. 
 

His contribution has increased the amount of Machine possessions and thus their offensive production this season. In fact, since Puskuldjian has taken over full-time faceoff duties, the Machine offense has scored 4.5 more goals per game and has not lost, but more possessions is not the only thing he brings to the team.
 

"I mean obviously, possessions are key," Mariano said. "But I think that he's somebody who the guys really feed off of because whether he wins or loses a faceoff, it doesn't change his commitment or focus or his drive. The guys know he's going to work really hard and do everything he can to make the play."
 

But besides his play this season, who is Greg Puskuldjian?
 

Puskuldjian came from the Division II ranks where he played for Adelphi University. Through hard work and a lot of practice, not only did he lead his Adelphi team in faceoff wins but also the country with 398 in 2014. That season, Puskuldjian was also named the Division II Specialist of the Year and was a USILA First-Team All-American.
 

Following college, Puskuldjian was not drafted in the 2014 MLL Collegiate Draft, and he was a relative unknown having come from division II play in college. It became a waiting game for Puskuldjian after attending training camp with the Machine in March. Although he did not make the team's roster out of game, Coach Mariano and the rest of the Machine staff knew a little more about Puskuldjian when the Machine brought him in.
 

"I coached against him last year at Adelphi, so I got to see him up close and personal and how good he was," Mariano said. "You start to do the homework and you start to realize it's something he works really hard at and really wants. He wants to be successful at it."

Puskuldjian takes the field this weekend as he and his Machine teammates will take on the Chesapeake Bayhawks at 7 p.m. on Saturday. Puskuldjian made his pro debut against the Bayhawks on May 3 when he went 7-of-12 at the X.

Come out and see the "focus and technique," as Coach Mariano says, that makes Puskuldjian such a great faceoff specialist. You can get tickets for the June 20 game against the Bayhawks at 7 p.m. HERE

Release courtesy of the Ohio Machine. For more information regarding the Ohio Machine, visit www.theohiomachine.com.