philippe lapointe

Boo. (Peter South's Phone)

CLICK HERE for Game Recap from Kristy McNeil and other pertinent information and HERE for current Pairwise Rankings.

What just happened (TL;DR): Michigan and Michigan State played a back and forth game all evening, exchanging leads throughout. Michigan held leads of 1-0 and 3-2; MSU had leads of 2-1 and 4-3. While neither goalie was outstanding, Trey Augustine was better than Jacob Barczewski, and that proved to be the difference. There were a couple of controversial goal calls (or wave offs), making it a peak Big Ten game in the final Big Ten game of the season. Both teams were very good as it took almost 75 minutes to decide the final. I don’t hate either teams chances next weekend in NCAA Regionals.

FINAL CORSI NUMBERS (www.collegehockeynews.com)

 

Total Attempts

Even Strength

Power Play

Close (within 1)

Even Strength %

Michigan State

71

61

10

58

50%

Michigan

69

61

8

61

50%

Forward Notes.

-Michigan started the game with a bang, scoring a goal bright and early. They followed that up with another goal that was waved off goal goalie interference (a debatable decision). The Wolverines continued the onslaught peppering Spartan goalie Trey Augustine when not killing a penalty. Only getting that one goal to count early seemed to change the flow of the game, as MSU played better as the game moved along…with Michigan seemingly feeling a bit fortunate to get to overtime. Overtime was rather even with one goalie making one more save that the other. In the end, the game was about as close as it could be.

-Frank Nazar got his line on the scoresheet a couple of times at Munn on Saturday night. He finished off a very nice backhanded pass from Josh Eernisse from the boards. Nazar raced to the front of the net and elevated the centering pass over Trey Augustine to open the scoring. In the third, down a goal, Dylan Duke fired a shot from the point that Nazar was able to redirect into the net with his back skate. It was a bit of a fortunate bounce, but Frank had to get his foot in the right place originally. 

-The top line scored to make it 2-0, right after the first Nazar goal. Rutger McGroarty found and open Gavin Brindley in the slot who beat Trey Augustine. The goal was waved off due to Garrett Schifsky sending a defenseman into Augustine before the shot. It was reviewed and hotly debated if it was a shove or a position battle. Unfortunately for Michigan, it was ruled a shove and goaltender interference.

-More on this goal in the next section, but Philippe Lapointe made a very nice pass across the ice to Marshall Warren to set up his goal. Lapointe chipping in backs up the fourth line’s great offensive play last weekend in Minneapolis. He also had a very nice backhanded assist to Luca Fantilli on a goal that was waved off for offsides. Good to see Lapointe making a difference in the offensive zone down the stretch.

Defense Notes.

-Overall, I didn’t think the defense was bad at all. They faded a little bit in the third period and then in overtime, as the game kept going, forcing Barczewski to bail them out more than he had to in the first couple of periods. However, other than the first goal, it was hard to fault them for any of the goals. It would have been nice if someone had stepped out into Matt Basgall’s buzzer-beating rocket…but that seemed like a frustrated mental error after the absurdity of the third goal being reviewed and given. That’s slightly understandable.

-The one bad DZTO did come from Luca Fantilli. That was the first real scoring chance that MSU got all evening…over ten minutes into the game. He may have played after that, but I did not see him or notice him. (When college hockey has a naturalstattrick website that I can check TOI and shift times, let me know!) Luca has had an up and down season. He’s flashed some puck moving potential, but has also had his own gaffes in the defensive zone. He still seems a summer away from strong, consistent contributions.

-Marshall Warren had a Cale Makar-esque finish on the third Michigan goal. He reached out to catch the Lapointe pass. Then, he went forehand, backhand and ROOFED the shot over Augustine! Even Seamus Casey must have been like “Wha??” Warren has finally turned into the defenseman that Michigan had hoped he would be all season. He’s been very solid in his zone, on the puck, and is starting to finish some plays. That bodes really well going into Regionals.

Cheering to start and finish tonight! (Bill Rapai)

CLICK HERE for Game Recap from Kristy McNeil and other pertinent information and HERE for current Pairwise Rankings.

What just happened (TL;DR): LOL how much time to you have? In the end, Michigan mostly outplayed and then outlasted Penn State, holding a 4-1 lead and then hanging on at the end 6-4. Hey, they killed off a game and didn’t give up the lead in the third! Progress! Michigan needed three points from this game, and they got them.

FINAL CORSI NUMBERS (www.collegehockeynews.com)

 

Total Attempts

Even Strength

Power Play

Close (within 1)

Even Strength %

Penn State

85

63

22

39

53%

Michigan

73

56

17

20

47%

Frank Naz(St)ar (Bill Rapai)

CLICK HERE for Game Recap from Kristy McNeil and other pertinent information.

 

What just happened (TL;DR): Michigan just dominated 56 minutes of a hockey game against Providence, leading 5-1. Then they absolutely checked out and almost blew a four goal lead in 3+ minutes. Garrett Schifsky blocked a shot from the House as time ran out to preserve a 5-4 win. Frank Nazar scored a couple of goals; Rutger McGroarty added a goal and three assists; Seamus Casey had a goal and an assist; Jake Barczewski played really well in his Maize and Blue debut. Michigan somehow survived after mailing in the last few minutes. Yikes.

FINAL CORSI NUMBERS (www.collegehockeynews.com)

 

Total Attempts

Even Strength

Power Play

Close (within 1)

Even Strength %

Providence

46

38

8

5

34%

Michigan

99

75

24

13

66%

Forward Notes.

-Michigan dominated the game and the puck, especially after the first period. Despite giving up a couple early goals, the Friars hung tight for the first 20 minutes. After that, the Wolverines owned the puck, chances, opportunities, and storylines…until they basically quite skating with a few minutes left in the game.

-The Wolverines stars shone brightly. Rutger, Nazar, Brindley all tallied goals. TJ Hughes and Rutger also had plural assists. The lines will still need some tweaking, but individual players are starting to pop.

-Josh Eernisse looks like great fit. While he didn’t find the scoresheet (he did on Saturday, though), he did a lot of little things. He’s was great in the corners, screened the net-front, drew a penalty in the crease, and rotated back really well several times as defensemen pinched forward. Again, I’m not sure how best the lines will fit, but Eernisse should be a great add to whomever he skates alongside.

-Philippe Lapointe had a very nice couple of periods, on Sunday, as well. His forecheck was great, forcing multiple DZTOs, holding the puck and getting it to teammates to keep the zone. He had a nice backcheck that did end in a penalty, but Peter and I debated it, and Peter didn’t mind it because he hustled back and defended the slot. Fair point. Michigan gave him an ‘A’, and it looks like he could carve out a nice role as a 4th-liner.

 

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Casey Coast to Coast (Bill Rapai)

Defense Notes.

-I thought Michigan’s defense was tremendous. They broke the zone well, held their position in transition, and mostly kept their slot and net-front clear of chances…for 56 minutes. In the last 3+ minutes, everything seemed to go to hell and breakdowns were aplenty. So…what do we take from that? I think a lot. They stoned the Friars for basically a whole game…so they’re capable of doing that. Even the third pair looked fine and didn’t have many in-zone breakdowns. Then…for whatever reason, someone flipped the switch and all of the old habits came rushing back, almost negating everything they did so well for 56 minutes.

-Tyler Duke tallied his first couple of assists of the year. He also looked great, playing much larger than his size, especially in physical areas. Unfortunately, he left the game late in the third with what appeared to be some sort of ankle injury. A backend injury is the last thing this team needs. Stay tuned.

-Seamus Casey looked like he was still in Tampa, going coast to coast and lifting a backhand over Philip Svedeback, building Michigan’s lead to two goals just 3:11 into the game. He also added and assist on Rutger’s power play goal. This could be a huge year for Seamus. It also may have to be.

 

some familiar faces up front

A lot of steps forward on Friday night

the veteran guys (and dudes) up front

Sing the song. Get out the brooms. Just Like Foot-Ball!

Winning in Madison? Just Like Foot-Ball.

Some more forwards, and some more Hobey candidates. 

Michigan hockey ceases being defensive-minded right... now