A Once Glorious Era Concludes in Ignominious Desolation: MSU 4, Michigan 1 at Yost.
Maybe it's not as bad as that night after a game at LSSU where he walked through the snow in his game suit, but it's hard to imagine it being worse than this for Red Berenson.
In two games at Yost, against Michigan State, Michigan has been outscored 7-1.
This would be bad enough in the Ryan Miller years, when MSU was capable of such shutout against anyone. But this MSU team has a season record of 6-17-3. They are coached by Tom Anastos, a man completely out of his league. They are in every way an embarrassment to their school, to their conference, and to the sport of college hockey.
And they've blown out Michigan twice at Yost this year.
That's a third of their win total for the entire season. And Michigan hasn't even been able to beat them in regulation, either--the other three games have all gone to OT, and Michigan's two conference "wins" over MSU have been meaningless shootout exhibition victories.
It took Michigan 119 minutes and 50 seconds to score a single goal at home.
It's the worst team he's had since those first couple of years rebuilding the program. It is a second, utterly humiliating loss at home to an arch-rival that is itself at an all-time low point.
It is the low point of the Red Berenson Era. What a tragedy.
February 11th, 2017 at 10:05 PM ^
If you didn't know better you'd think they were playing a CIS team. They was no energy in this team at all. Zero. Against Michigan State.
It sure feels like they've packed it in.
February 11th, 2017 at 10:18 PM ^
February 11th, 2017 at 10:21 PM ^
It is clear that whoever coaches the defense is out of their league. We couldn't stop teams like Ohio State even when we had Werenski last year.
February 11th, 2017 at 10:29 PM ^
We haven't been able to play defense for half a decade. It's been non-stop disaster since Pearson left, sometimes partly addressed by talent, sometimes not.
February 11th, 2017 at 11:55 PM ^
...like I do about Ken Holland. In their time to best going but time has marched on.
February 11th, 2017 at 11:55 PM ^
...like I do about Ken Holland. In their time to best going but time has marched on.
February 11th, 2017 at 11:56 PM ^
...like I do about Ken Holland. In their time the best going but time has marched on.
February 12th, 2017 at 10:26 AM ^
February 11th, 2017 at 10:06 PM ^
At least they're playing with honor? Oh.
It's disappointing to see this team goon it up every time they get blown out. This program used to pride itself on being better than that
— Joe (@MnBJoe) February 12, 2017
February 11th, 2017 at 10:08 PM ^
It's beyond pathetic seeing this team go full goon every time they get their ass kicked.
February 11th, 2017 at 10:11 PM ^
Everything that was once great about Michigan Hockey is gone. Red's legacy is so tarnished because 8 of the last 9 years have been underachieving to a pile of shit.
Thank God it will all be over soon.
February 11th, 2017 at 10:14 PM ^
His legacy is fine. The team hasn't quite hit its old heights but it has produced good hockey and some impressive seasons, most recently just last year. But the ending is not good and there's no sugar-coating the fact that he should have retired years earlier.
February 11th, 2017 at 10:19 PM ^
Red's legacy will be greatness in between terrible start and finish. I'm so ready for this to be over.
February 11th, 2017 at 11:01 PM ^
Building and sustaining greatness with a forgettable ending
February 11th, 2017 at 11:57 PM ^
Carr?
February 12th, 2017 at 4:32 AM ^
Carr inherited and maintained (To a degree) the success of previous generations. Loved him though.
February 12th, 2017 at 1:07 AM ^
February 11th, 2017 at 10:19 PM ^
100 percent on Warde Manuel. He came on the job in January and the search could have been done in April. By all accounts, we knew that Mel Pearson was interested and would return so it wouldn't be a hard search. Now, we have a bigger hole to dig out of than if the new coach already had a recruiting class in and a year of coaching the players.
February 11th, 2017 at 10:21 PM ^
February 11th, 2017 at 10:53 PM ^
If Red was interested in retiring on a decent note then he would've retired 5 years ago. This is only a little bit Warde's fault, if at all
February 11th, 2017 at 10:59 PM ^
I guardedly agree, except that DB was the AD at the time and I wonder if Red felt he couldn't trust DB to pick his successor. I got the strong impression that Mel was encouraged to go to Tech because he would not inherit the Michigan job straight from a position as Red's assistant. No telling what damage DB could have done if he got the wrong guy. (Though at this point that guy would've been fired... ugh).
February 11th, 2017 at 10:27 PM ^
You have no idea what went on behind closed doors. It is rumored, but hardly confirmed that Warde asked Red back. It is possible Red really did want to make one more run with Motte and Compher, then got (as he often has recently) blindsided when they (wisely) left.
And it's possible that Warde wasn't sold on Mel. Mel's done a good job at Tech, but Manuel may not have been ready to settle for him yet, a guy who is mainly a candidate because he did a good job under Red. Settling for a program guy is occasionally the right move, but it's also how we got Brady Hoke.
If Red wanted to come back he had every right to, and if it turns out that Warde asked him back and is just waiting to install Mel, well, he waited a year too long, but as bad as this is it is only one season. Michigan will bounce back with the right guy.
February 11th, 2017 at 10:20 PM ^
The atmosphere at Yost is fine when the team is good.
This team is not good.
February 11th, 2017 at 10:22 PM ^
February 11th, 2017 at 10:37 PM ^
We're a pretty spoiled fanbase historically when a double OT loss in the regional final is a mediocre team.
February 11th, 2017 at 10:43 PM ^
Do you remember that regular season?
We needed a miracle run on the back of unknown Shawn Hunwick run to even get to the NCAA Tournament.
That was an amazing ride, and that title game was my favorite moment at the Joe personally.
We got hot. And I'm still miffed about that regional final.
February 11th, 2017 at 10:48 PM ^
Let me sum up the last 10 seasons of Michigan Hockey.
2007-08: What an amazing team and ride. Wish it could've lasted one more night.
2008-09: No banners and a first round exit as a 1 seed. Ugh.
2009-10: Miracle run to win the CCHA Cup. How fun! Refs suck in the NCAAs!!!!
2010-11: Refs suck. National Champions in my heart.
2011-12: No banners and a first round exit as a 1 seed. Ugh. Farewell Hunwick
2012-13: Okay, the streak was gonna end eventually.
2013-14: Why is this happening again after this great start to the season? And why can't we beat a team that was playing club 2 years ago?
2014-15: I'm tired of this crap. We need to hire Mel Pearson. 3 years of no tournament. And this year we had Dylan Larkin and Zach Hyman!
2015-16: Chaos hockey and sweet hardware finally, but the problems are still there...
2016-17: OH HELLO PROBLEMS, WE CAN'T HIDE YOU ANYMORE
February 11th, 2017 at 10:47 PM ^
A March that was as good as November was bad!
February 12th, 2017 at 12:19 AM ^
Nah, i saw it back in late 90s when the students were the entire length of the ice plus half of one end behind the goal. There was a noticeable dropoff in early 2000s but still far better than post renovation. Of course, with that enthusiasm came some embarassing behavior but the selling out by the AD was going to happen regardless.
When i came back for a couple games against the Boston teams in 2012 i was stunned at what a shell it had become. It was like going to a minor league game with a bigger crowd and a few diehards...kind of like the football games frankly
But i don't expect even the bigger crowd part to continue, with how a shambles this season is and such a huge dropoff compared to last year. No, i expect it will soon be like when Berenson got here - passing out fliers to advertise the MSU game
February 12th, 2017 at 12:30 AM ^
February 11th, 2017 at 10:22 PM ^
Deeply sad about the whole thing. I've never known anything but Red Berenson hockey, & had great love & respect for everything he's accomplished. Seeing things go down like this is brutal. Really hoping he hangs 'em up after this year.
February 11th, 2017 at 10:32 PM ^
He wanted to last year. Everything I've read and heard from people in the know said this.
It really is a damn shame.
February 11th, 2017 at 10:32 PM ^
The National Anthem sung by the crowd (no band) and the MMB taking the ice during second intermission. Lowlight - I got hit in the cheekbone by a puck, probably off the stick of a sparty.
February 11th, 2017 at 10:34 PM ^
February 11th, 2017 at 10:37 PM ^
I am a 20 year season ticket holder, and I have to say that the two home games against MSU this year were the worst two performances I have seen in possibly all 20 years of going to games. Taking nothing away from MSU, they outplayed, out worked, out physicalled, and took it to UM both games.
It is one thing to lose, this team is clearly not that talented, and, IMO, have limited leadership from both the coaching staff and the upperclassmen. I do not mind simply getting beat, especially by better teams.
However, and again, taking nothing away from MSU, they earned it tonight, just like earlier in January, but it is tough to take when UM seems like they are simply in a fog, and it looked to me, like the Spartans wanted it so much more then UM.
They won most every loose puck battle, won the battles along the boards, skated harder, shot it at the right times, and clearly overmatched the Wolverines.
As a long time ticket holder, I am embarrassed this year to watch this team some nights. Last weekend against OSU was some excellent hockey, two good fast paced games. But then, they come out against their biggest hockey rival, after playing a tough even game the night before, and deliver that performance.
That is totally unacceptable in my book. I will never boo the team, but man it was frustrating to watch the lackadaisical attitude of the team again tonight.
Something needs to change in the program, there seems to be more and more nights like tonight.
February 11th, 2017 at 10:53 PM ^
This team isn't on Michigan State's level of talent, they have good players but they're being coached against their strengths.
Red is coaching this team like it's 1993 and he has the fastest skaters in college hockey. He doesn't.
February 12th, 2017 at 12:25 PM ^
Red is not coaching the team at all. Wiseman is. Pay attention to the bench if you go to a game.
February 11th, 2017 at 10:41 PM ^
They play Penn State, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ohio State to finish the year. They need 3 wins out of the 8 to avoid having the worst record in the Berenson era. I don't think they'll get there.
February 11th, 2017 at 10:45 PM ^
I'm having a hard time finding one win. Maybe OSU since those games are unpredictable.
2-6-1 on the road.
The location doesn't seem to matter, though. We currently have a losing record at home.
February 11th, 2017 at 10:46 PM ^
Some things that I've seen all season long is their inability to get the puck out of their own zone for minutes straight and a tendency to make the most boneheaded turnovers.
But worse, they leave men unchecked in the slot at an alarming rate. MSU had what, three last night at the Joe that were "guy just out there in front of Lavigne with nobody around him"
It puts a lot of pressure on a young offense to score when they're guaranteed to give up four a night because the fundamentals of defense are missing.
And we wonder why our best defensemen always go one and done. Almost feels like NHL teams are telling them to get out while they can still develop young.
February 11th, 2017 at 10:53 PM ^
About last year:
WD called last season "Fool's Gold." Looks shiny, no substance there.
I partly disagree. Now, some things are inarguable: that performance was dependent upon a collection of talent that knew how to play the way it did, and without that talent (and every one of the key players left) Michigan was never going to approach that level of achievement. And existing issues with the way the team is coached would be exposed without it.
In that sense I have no argument with WD's assertion.
But I also expected this to be a bad season, much like it has been. Because Michigan lost an incredible amount of talent. This team has as little talent as has skated at Yost in 30 years. There are still the usual number of NHL draft picks, but the older guys have never been huge contributors (Alex Kile stands out as one player I anticipated more out of this year, but otherwise nobody has really done anything to lead us to expect more than what they've produced) and the younger guys were never expected to be Kyle Connor/Jeff Tambellini types out of the gate.
The record itself isn't much of a surprise, though I expected that Michigan would be forced to adapt a tighter defensive style (they did that in 2011, when Mel Pearson was standing next to Red) to make up for its talent shortage. Instead, they're playing the same defensively irresponsible game they've played for five years and gotten tremendously lucky for most of their wins.
The thing about last season is that the production and the achievements (real ones like a Big Ten title and a win in the NCAA tournament) were a product of the tremendous collection of talent and some legitimately good coaching adaptions (power play in particular) to that talent.
And the coach is responsible for collecting that talent. Red is ultimately the party that put Connor, Compher, Motte, and Werenski onto the ice last season. That speaks well of him, and means that last season was not some fake event. They didn't win all those games because they kept getting lucky bounces, they were genuinely good. Like the 1998 Vikings, it was a perfect collection of talent at the right moment. The electricity in the bottle was real lighting.
But it was still lightning in a bottle. As genuinely good as they were last year, they are genuinely bad this year. And in ways that clarify how unique last season's team was, and how the staff is unable to maintain that level of performance. The Vikings never approached that 1998 prowess again, and Michigan will not participate in the NCAA tournament under Red Berenson again.
Last season should not be dismissed as a fraud. However, it was not wise to use it as a predictor of future performance, and thinking fans knew this season would not be good.
The true indicators of Michigan's direction were the seasons prior to last when Michigan's talent was good, but the team could not stop sabotaging itself. Last season the talent was otherworldly, and they were very good. Without otherwordly talent, Michigan has underachieved.
(Sadly I think that they had the talent to win the national title last year... under a different coach. Where's the bleach.)
February 11th, 2017 at 10:50 PM ^
Yeah, the program sucks. We've all known this for a long time. No need to make yet another lackluster loss sound like some grand event in the history of Michigan athletics
February 11th, 2017 at 10:56 PM ^
Just calling it like I see it, the low point in Red's career. The team is awful, the season has been rough, they've occasionally popped in a surprise win. The only thing left to play for is to avoid finishing last in the conference, behind a historically awful MSU club.
And they get trucked by them at home.
They may (probably will) get blown out by PSU to close out Yost. Perhaps Minnesota too, etc. But when it's your archrival and they are a smoldering crater, it's worse.
February 12th, 2017 at 12:46 AM ^
I agree, but their is some dissonance between this post and the one from you just before this. 5th best in the B1G this year is not a surprise with what we lost and the trend from the last few years.
February 12th, 2017 at 12:08 AM ^
Disagree, this is a low point since the late 80s at least. They didn't just lose but lost bad twice at home to a *terrible* opponent. Cite another time this happened. I also never saw them shutout at home against *any* team. Yeah, a couple years lately they failed to make the tourney. Well that's difficult in college hockey, especially in this "conference" This team won't even come remotely close. They're currently 41st and the top 14 or so will make it. That alone is evidence of lowest point in the past 30 years and frankly, eyeball test tells me they have to be one of the worst teams in the country right now
February 12th, 2017 at 12:51 AM ^
You're not wrong, but your eyeball test statement is hard to swallow. How many games have you seen from the teams ranked lower than us (besides MSU)? I don't think they're one of the worst teams in the country.
Side note: look at all those former CCHA teams still ranked below us.
February 11th, 2017 at 11:07 PM ^
Sparty even had two shorties tonight. Embarrassment, plain and simple.
February 11th, 2017 at 11:09 PM ^
February 11th, 2017 at 11:43 PM ^
And FYS for good measure.
February 11th, 2017 at 11:46 PM ^
Always.