Michigan Hockey Game #26: Michigan 5, Penn State 4
CLICK HERE for Game Recap from Kristy McNeil and other pertinent information and HERE for current Pairwise Rankings.
What just happened (TL;DR): LOL I DON’T KNOW. Michigan started the game a minute late and was down 2-0 before anyone even sat down. Yet another major penalty gave PSU a power play goal and a 3-0 lead halfway through the game. THEN LUKE HUGHES HAPPENED. He scored FOUR goals in about 15 minutes…including the game winner. Dylan Duke also had the game-tying goal in that stretch. Erik Portillo played well enough in the early going and down the stretch to finish the Wolverines epic Saturday night comeback. BONKERS
FINAL CORSI NUMBERS (www.collegehockeynews.com)
|
Total Attempts |
Even Strength |
Power Play |
Close (within 1) |
Even Strength % |
Penn State |
93 |
66 |
27 |
3 |
52% |
Michigan |
72 |
61 |
11 |
4 |
48% |
Forward Notes.
-While they didn’t score, Michigan’s top line was very good. Adam Fantilli set up Luke Hughes’s fourth goal with just an unbelievable stick-handling show in and around several players. He’s just on another level. Gavin Brindley was awesome, again. His work in the corners and on the forecheck was very impressive. His potential and ceiling is becoming more and more visible.
-Honestly, after that top line, there were not many forwards that were very noticeable. Mackie Samoskevich missed his second straight game. When he plays, he drives that second line and Rutger McGroarty can also play alongside. The third and fourth lines treaded water, but didn’t offer very much offensively. Penn State’s depth overwhelmed Michigan too many times.
Defense Notes.
-Michigan started this game late. They gave up two goals in the first 44 seconds because their energy and focus was not anywhere near where Penn State’s was. Both goals resulted in guys just loafing back and not being assertive on the puck or the guys they were checking. Not dissimilar to the basketball team, one of the big flaws this team has is lack of concentration and effort/focus for stretches. When they have it…look out. When they don’t, they not only cannot get out of their zone, but they’re picking pucks out of the back of their net. It was 2-0 before the third shift…and it took them a while just to get back into the game and start skating their game again. Twenty shots in the first period. WOOF.
-LUKE HUGHES. I’ve ragged on him all year for his defense and defensive zone play. It’s mostly been warranted. However, he was on one of the craziest heaters I’ve ever seen in the second half of the game. He started the scoring with a shot from deep the went post and in. He one-timed a nice TJ Hughes look on the power play to get Michigan within 3-2 as the second period wound down. He did get lucky on his third goal as Liam Souliere leaked a shot between his legs, and it dribbled into the net. Then, because OF COURSE, Luke unleaded a BOMB from just outside the House that beat Souliere far side to give Michigan the 5-4 lead. He took ELEVEN shots! This is his upside and ceiling. His skating and puck moving ability is off the charts. His shot is dangerous. Just clean up some sloppiness in his own zone and wowza. And to be honest, he’s mostly been better on defense in the last 10 games or so.
-Seamus Casey left the game in the third period very gingerly and did not return. Not good.
Luke was on fire (Bill Rapai)
SPECIAL TEAMS CHART
|
PP Opportunities |
PP Corsi For |
PP Shots/Minute |
Penn State |
1/3 |
27 |
13/6.5 |
Michigan |
1/3 |
11 |
5/4.5 |
Power Play. Michigan had a pretty great night on the power play, all things considered. They looked pretty dangerous on their first opportunity, despite not scoring. They moved the puck well and got dangerous chances. After having just an awful power play on their second, Adam Fantilli fired a puck into Souliere and he lost it into his net. However, that goal was waved off for a major penalty that happened half a minute before…after a review. #eyeroll On their third chance, Michigan moved the puck really, really well and got a few very dangerous looks before Luke Hughes buried his second goal of the night. Michigan was unlucky to not have plural PPGs on Saturday night.
Penalty Kill. Lol. Michigan could NOT get a clear on their first penalty kill, and Penn State held the zone for almost two minutes, generating seven shots on net. Yikes. Good thing Erik Portillo saved the day. Michigan then had to kill yet another five minute major. After giving up a goal on a 2v1, the penalty kill was pretty good for the rest of the major. Michigan had a major to kill because PSU challenged an Ethan Edwards hit (that was actually in the head) that was a good half minute after the hit actually happened. I’m not really sure where to go from here regarding these hits. Michigan has to do something about their actions, but it also seems like college hockey’s rules are broken.
GOALTENDING CHART
|
Michigan Shots Faced (House) |
Penn State Shots Faced (House) |
First Period |
20 (5) |
9 (2) |
Second Period |
9 (4) |
4 (2) |
Third Period |
7 (0) |
14 (3) |
Overtime |
n/a |
n/a |
TOTAL |
36 (9) |
27 (7) |
Notes. Once again, it was Erik Portillo in net for the Wolverines. It’s really difficult to correctly assess his game without a detailed rewatch. He sure had some highs and lows. I’m not sure he could have done a lot on the first two goals, as he was basically hung out to dry by the rest of the team on both. He was beaten five hole on the third…not great. The fourth goal was a 2v1, but he had a chance to cover the puck and didn’t. He kinda flopped around and never got back in position when the puck went in. Also, I don’t really understand it, but he keeps dropping his stick. He must have lost his stick 4-5 times throughout the game. However, despite all of the getting lost and losing his stick…he made quite a few plays and kept Michigan in the game -highlighted by his SEVEN save stretch on PSU’s first power play. He also was great down the stretch when he had to protect the lead. Maybe it all means nothing and the game was just bonkers.
Such a Duke goal (Bill Rapai)
ODD MAN RUSH CHART
Defense |
Rushes |
Advs |
Escape% |
Offense |
Rushes |
Advs |
Scoring% |
1st Period |
2 |
2v1, 3v2 |
100% |
|
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
2nd Period |
3 |
2v1 x 2, 1v0 |
67% |
|
1 |
1v0 |
0% |
3rd Period |
1 |
2v1 |
0% |
|
1 |
1v0 |
100% |
OT |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
|
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
Total |
6 |
2v1 x4, 3v2, 1v0 |
67% |
|
2 |
1v0 x2 |
50% |
Notes. Michigan gave up way too many OMRs, plain and simple. It bit them twice. The first time Danny Dzhaniyev beat Portillo five hole on a 2v1 on a power play. The second was a belated rush goal. After the initial 2v1, the puck jumbled into the crease. Portillo tried to cover it, but couldn’t grab it. Ture Linden scooped up the rebound and batted it into the net. Honestly…the Lions had a 2v1 early on and the pass across went through the legs of the open attacker. That looked like a sure goal from my angle. None of this even mentions the failed breakaway for Penn State, either. Michigan has been better in this department of late. They were pretty bad on Saturday night.
Michigan created two breakaways on Saturday. Nolan Moyle came in alone and rang one off the inside of the post. Unlucky. Dylan Duke received an amazing stretch pass from Luca Fantilli, held off a defenseman, and beat Liam Souliere as he was falling down…to tie the game at 4, midway through the third.
WHO’S HAVING A GOOD TIME?!?!? (Bill Rapai)
FINAL THOUGHTS
Hoo boy! Michigan recorded a sweep for the first time since mid-October. And it came against a solid Top 3 PWR team! There is an argument that Michigan should have won neither game…but they won both! They were definitely outplayed in the first half of Saturday’s game, but after that major was killed, their anger/frustration fueled not only a comeback, but a dominating half-game performance. Now, they’re right in the hunt for the #2 seed in the Big Ten. They also jumped Penn State and are up to #5 in PWR. What a weekend. Next weekend: Friday and Saturday vs Wisconsin. Both game on BTN+ at 7pm.
January 28th, 2023 at 10:44 PM ^
If a three-goal game is called a hat trick, what's a four-goal game? Magic trick?
January 30th, 2023 at 11:56 AM ^
I remember watching a Lionel Messi vs Arsenal game way back when he scored 4 and the announcer kept going "SUPER HATTRICK".
January 28th, 2023 at 10:51 PM ^
Gigantic weekend.
Last week Michigan went into Minneapolis to take on PWR #1 Minnesota on the road and earned a split that was absolutely deserved. This week what was a top 5 PWR team came into Yost and Michigan had its challenges and sloppy stuff and injuries... and swept.
And now Michigan is 4 or 5 in pairwise depending on when in the evening you check (back to 5 as I type this) and there's everything to play for as we enter February, despite all the challenges Michigan has faced.
And it is a *lot* of challenges. Remember, the coaching situation was a complete debacle, and Naurato is still an "interim" (that some people on this board want to be defenestrated for someone else). There was massive personnel turnover, of course, and the team is very young. There was that calamitous bug going through the team that sent a player to the ICU, benched the starting goalie for a weekend, and demolished the roster so badly that the team could barely take the ice at all for a home series against Minnesota of all teams. And, of course, the star freshman had to miss extra time to make Canada's world junior training camp so they could decide if he was good enough to give him a roster spot.
Add in a couple of real duds on Friday nights (particularly galling is the loss to Wisconsin) and you'd be forgiven for thinking the team has had a rough year.
But here they are, solidly in the tournament, a top seed on the table, starting to put things together and play good hockey on the ice. If you look at the pairwise standings, the tournament positions are stacked with teams Michigan has played against, and KRACH has Michigan's schedule as the hardest in the country.
This two week stretch has been huge. Season looks completely different than it could have, and the key players are producing. If we can get Mackie back and if Casey is ok and if Nazar can hit the ice running...
January 29th, 2023 at 10:21 AM ^
(that some people on this board want to be defenestrated for someone else).
I don’t immerse myself in hockey game threads—are there actually people here who want to get rid of Naurato? Why? And who would they prefer instead?
January 29th, 2023 at 2:26 PM ^
thanks for sharing!
January 28th, 2023 at 11:09 PM ^
Great atmosphere with so many emotions
Luke Hughes just scored again BTW
January 28th, 2023 at 11:19 PM ^
Hopefully a galvanizing weekend for a team thats had an up and down year thus far. Could be the start of a great run if all this talent starts gelling for real
don’t look now but Michigan is suddenly position to possibly take a 1 seed(!!) if they have a solid finish to the season, thanks to the strength of the B1G this year. Sitting at #4 right now in pairwise
January 29th, 2023 at 12:25 AM ^
Man oh man, do I hate the college hockey replay challenge rule. I cringe every time I see Michigan score and then the opposing bench issue a challenge. There are so many borderline penalties that don't get called during normal play that it's almost a given that an attentive coaching staff can identify some preceding penalty that will wipe away the goal once assessed.
I can't recall the last time Michigan successfully took advantage of this loophole. Are other coaching staffs doing something different? Do they have an assistant or video review staffer who just tracks potential penalties throughout the game so that they're ready to challenge any goal?
January 29th, 2023 at 6:45 AM ^
I was so angry after that replay, loss of the goal, and subsequent PP goal for PSU that I turned off the game. Great for Michigan to not let the stupid rules and refs beat them!
January 29th, 2023 at 10:18 AM ^
So did I, but at least I was taping it. When I saw the final score I went back and watched the amazing comeback, secure in the notion that victory was ours.
January 29th, 2023 at 1:03 AM ^
Any word on Adam Fantilli’s injury? He got tripped awkwardly after a face off (uncalled, natch) and had to be helped to limp off the ice. Looked like his left ankle folded over.
EDIT or am I crazy and it was Casey?
January 29th, 2023 at 6:57 AM ^
Fantilli came back and played a significant number of shifts after the defender folded his lower leg back. Casey did not come back after his injury.
January 29th, 2023 at 12:04 PM ^
Are you sure? I saw Luca out there but didn’t notice Adam. But I’m also not great at such things Adam looked like at least a rough sprain.
January 29th, 2023 at 4:01 PM ^
I also saw Adam Fantilli back on the ice after the uncalled slewfoot incident.
January 29th, 2023 at 7:45 AM ^
Great match-great effort.
How about a roll-call of all the fans who who have posted about how trash and worthless Luke is.
January 29th, 2023 at 9:42 AM ^
Sometimes in hockey, when the talent is that high level on locked in, doesn't matter what you do. As one of my daughter's coaches once said, "there ain't an intentional walk on the ice".
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