poor finishing

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

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

What just happened (TL;DR): In a game that Michigan mostly controlled at even strength, garnering many more dangerous chances that Penn State, it took extra hockey to decide it. Mackie Samoskevich strode into the zone, curled into the high slot and sniped a game-winner above Liam Souliere, who played the game of his life. Michigan had great chances all evening, but just could not both beat Souliere and get the chance on frame. Each team tallied on the power play to get the game to OT. Then, it was Mackie Time…

FINAL CORSI NUMBERS (www.collegehockeynews.com)

Forward Notes.

-While the even strength corsi attempts are relatively even, the eye test says that the dangerous chances mostly favored Michigan. They also got many more attempts on frame. Penn State got most of their best looks in transition (more later). The Wolverines were dangerous from the drop, creating a Grade A chance on the first shift. While they did struggle at times, the game felt like Michigan left plenty of goals on the table. Perhaps, when the Dentists left town on Friday, they stole Michigan’s regulation finishing.

-Alex mentioned early…and it never really changed –the Adam Fantilli line was just dominant. Between Adam, Rutger McGroarty, and Gavin Brindley, the Wolverines just pummeled Penn State’s defense, turning they over in zone, cycling to hold possession, and even pushing them back to get chances in transition. It seemed like they generated a Grade A chance every other time they were on the ice. They just could not finish like they did on Friday. That’s hockey. 

-Mackie Samoskevich now has a place as a Michigan Legend getting the first Wolverine NCAA Tournament OT game-winner since Tyler Motte in 2016.

Defense Notes.

-Overall, I thought Michigan’s in-zone defense was really good. All three pairings generally kept the Ice Lions to the perimeter and rarely allowed a Grade A chance that put Erik Portillo on the spot. Jay Keranen and Ethan Edwards both made very nice plays in their own end all night. Obviously there were occasional breakdowns, but, again, that’s hockey. If the team plays that kind of defense against a high scoring unit, Michigan’s chances for getting more victories this season increase tremendously.

-This was not Luke Hughes best game. While he did do well moving the puck and getting across lines, he also had a few brutal turnovers that lead to some OMRs going the other way. He also played a role on the goal allowed, failing to get a clear, and then not picking up the rebounder after Portillo came out to make the original save. Luke has had a number of dazzling moments in Maize and Blue and had games that dragged a struggling Michigan team to victories. This game was a little further down the list, though.

OFFENSE