Michigan Hockey 17-18, Game #12: Michigan 4, Wisconsin 4 (SOW)

Submitted by David on

Hey Coop, wanna stick around for a fourth year, too? (Patrick Barron)

OFFENSE

 

Corsi

House

Possession %

First Period

17 7 55%

Second Period

17 4 52%

Third Period

31 11 67%

Overtime

4 1 33%

TOTAL

69 23 57%

Analysis: Michigan has definitely improved their offense this season. Tonight was further evidence of that. There was a spell in the second period where Michigan couldn’t stay out of the penalty box, but aside from that, they pretty much controlled the even-strength play. They created chances all over the ice and scored all four goals at even strength. Cooper Marody has really blossomed to the point that there are whispers in my hockey circle that he might be too good for the collegiate ranks. Tony Calderone has built upon his last couple of years by continuing to snipe and pour in goals. The offense is still only two lines deep, but that top line is starting to turn some heads. No comparisons yet, though, please.

[After THE JUMP: new shot-generating capabilites were present, but so were some bad old habits]

This turned into an annoying little goal (Patrick Barron)

DEFENSE

 

Corsi

House

Possession %

First Period

14 4 45%

Second Period

16 10 48%

Third Period

15 4 33%

Overtime

8 4 66%

TOTAL

53 22 43%

Analysis: Why isn’t Michigan Hockey better? Look no further than this section. There are stretches where the offense dries up and penalties are issues, but the main, lingering problem for Michigan is on defense. The numbers aren’t obscene, it's the quality of looks that they give up. Michigan’s puck control has significantly improved –credit to the defensemen. The issue comes in their own end. Shooters are closed down inconsistently. Pucks aren’t cleared quickly enough. And–spoiler alert--their positional discipline has started to slip again. The defense still has a way to go to make the jump that the offense appears to have made. Both even-strength goals were the result of defensive breakdowns.

SPECIAL TEAMS

 

PP For

PP Against

PP Corsi For

PP Corsi Against

PP Shots/Min For

PP Shots/Min Against

First Period

0/2 1/2 1 6 n/a .66

Second Period

0/1 1/3 3 11 .5 1.6

Third Period

0/1 0/1 4 2 1 n/a

Overtime

n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

TOTAL

0/4 2/6 8 19 .75 1

Analysis: Michigan took penalties that resulted in six power plays tonight. At least three or four of those six were very unnecessary penalties. On top of that, Wisconsin let loose on ten shots on goal and almost twice that many attempts on net. Most of Michigan’s struggles in the second period were due to the parade to the penalty box. Wisconsin was also able to convert on a couple of those, changing the even-strength game that the Wolverines were mostly controlling.

Michigan did draw a few penalties tonight as well. They looked dangerous on a couple of them, but only had a handful of nice looks on net. They are mostly sticking to the the Star (dual post with a triangle up top). I saw almost no 1-3-1 tonight. Talking with a couple people, the consensus is that they just don’t have enough defensemen that they feel comfortable with playing alone up top. Hughes can do it, but after that…

Lavigne played well. He had no chance on three of Wisconsin’s goals. (Patrick Barron)

GOALTENDING

 

Shots Faced

Shots from House Faced

First Period

5 1

Second Period

18 11

Third Period

8 2

Overtime

3 1

TOTAL

34 15

Analysis: After appearing in relief on Friday, Hayden Lavigne started on Saturday night and looked like he belonged in net. There was nothing he could do about the two power-play goals. The game-tying goal near the end of regulation was an unchecked guy sitting just inside the dot who had the time to deke and then pick his spot –while two defensemen flailed around just outside the crease. This is starting to sound a little like last season’s goaltending analysis…but with fewer shots. So, Lavigne was put in a lot of tough situations, but oddly didn’t have a ton to do outside of those really good looks. That’s such a hard way to spend a game, and it is really difficult to come down on a goalie when everything they see is do-or-die. The third goal was super fluky and he’ll probably want that one back, but there are stupid bounces in hockey.

ODD-MAN RUSHES

 

Rushes

Advantages

Escape %

First Period

2 2v1, 1v0 100%

Second Period

2 1v0, 2v1 50%

Third Period

0 n/a n/a

Overtime

n/a n/a n/a

TOTAL

4 1v0 (2), 2v1 (2) 75%

Analysis: Woof. Welcome back, dirty old mistress. This is just another part of the defensive breakdowns giving me flashbacks. Michigan gave away two breakaways; one was a ridiculous pass from Piazza into the path of the Badger leaving the box. It went from the side boards diagonally backwards across the ice…a really nice breakout pass, honestly. Hayden Lavigne shut down both breakaways, thankfully. The OMR that did bite Michigan was a flip pass from the defensive zone that resulted in a 2v1 on a nice reception. Cecconi was back (after Piazza was bizarrely positioned in the neutral zone) and made a nice play to break up the cross. As he tried to play the puck, the attacker poked it away and blindly slid the puck toward the far post and it ricocheted off of something and under Lavigne. Silly goal, but it could have been avoided with better defensive positioning. Ugh.

FINAL CORSI NUMBERS

I had: Michigan 69 (23), Wisconsin 53 (22)

www.collegehockeynews.com had: Michigan 58, Wisconsin 53

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