When I say preserving energy I am talking about today's environment where there is lots of friction and balls are more likely to burn early. The frozen rope scenario was very common in the old rubber and plastic ball era and often resulted in 5-7 split. Difference between releasing energy to early or not at all doesn't change amount of deflection but does change entry angle. This is the point where we can explain why the soft 7-10 has replaced the 5-7 as the most common light pocket split
The ball doesn't release any energy, it converts the energy into another form.
What you usually think of as releasing energy, is the ball increasing it's right to left momentum, or reducing it's left to right momentum.
In the process of the momentum change, there is also a decrease in axis of rotation.
If the energy is released too soon, momentum is still created, but if the ball runs back into the wall of oil, the ball has to fight gravity, and decreasing friction to climb up the wall of oil. If it can't make it up that hill, the ball slides back down (to the right) eliminating any momentum gained.
If you pitch the ball far enough away from the oil, depending on how much "energy" you put in the ball to begin with, the ball will create momentum, but unless you put just the right amount it, you're going to miss the pocket left or right.
The modern ball needs that wall of oil, or a very accurate bowler to hit the pocket well.
The surface of a modern ball can generate a significant amount of momentum, which allows the bowler to get away with more light pocket hits, which widens that person's concept of what is the pocket.
Most of your weak hits now come from bad location in the pocket.
Problem is most people seem to think if your ball hits both the 1 pin, and the 3 pin, that qualifies it as having hit the pocket.
If your carry is bad, throw the ball better, if you have to change balls to make a difference at the pins, you're bowling on too easy of an oil pattern.
It may not seem too easy for you that night, but for one of the other guys... his mistakes (much like your adjustments) aren't making any difference at the pins, so he scores high.