U-M Hockey Interview - Erik Portillo (former UM goalie)
Good little 5 minute interview with Portillo, who was acquired by the Kings from the Sabres last year. Started the year splitting time in Ontario (Not that Ontario) with vet David Rittich. Has taken over the #1 spot when Rittich was re-called to the Kings in December. Reviews have been positive, and pretty good numbers: 12-8-2 / 2.61 / .917 for a first-year pro
February 16th, 2024 at 10:04 PM ^
Oh so now he learns to “scale back” his wandering? Cool. I’m happy for him.
February 17th, 2024 at 9:39 AM ^
During last season in the run up to the game with Quinnipiac I actually thought that unless Naurato tells him to stop wandering, that the wandering will be what keeps us from winning title. And that's exactly what happened. Most everybody saw it coming except.Naurato, which was a red flag, because that was so obvious. Hoke had a few tells that everyone saw.
February 20th, 2024 at 2:34 PM ^
None of the goals in the Qpac game had anything to do with him coming out to play the puck/"wandering".
1) He made a save, was slow to react to it going over the net, and got banked as he was sliding back to his crease.
2) Breakaway
3) Very slow to react to the puck going behind the net off a save he made. Got banked again and he was kind of just chilling.
4) Whiffed on a shot from the boards.
5) ENG
It blows my mind the stuff people make up and then blame the coach for.
I'm sure it hurt him to not have a goalie coach for a large chunk of the season. But he wasn't losing his stick, facing the wrong way, etc. only after we didn't have one anymore. He was weird last year and I'm glad he's gotten through it and is doing well. We need a goalie in the league.
February 17th, 2024 at 11:14 AM ^
Guessing he has an actual goalie coach now, which probably helps rein in his bad habits. He let in some atrocious goals, but Naurato/the program didn’t do him any favors by not having a position coach
February 17th, 2024 at 2:55 PM ^
I was thinking the same. I think that is something the program/NCAA has corrected. I'm glad Erik is having success at the next level.
February 17th, 2024 at 3:47 PM ^
Didn't need a goalie coach to tell him to stop wandering. I'm sure many here also yelled at the TV many times that he get back in the effing net. It wasn't a one time thing, he did it all the time and was the main reason we lost. Can say he was a big reason we were there, yes, but it was blatantly obvious.
February 17th, 2024 at 4:14 PM ^
I mean, i hear you and Portillo’s definitely not without blame, but you can’t convince me that having a coach consistently on his ass about his wandering/losing his stick/other bad habits wouldn’t have improved things over the course of the season
February 17th, 2024 at 4:40 PM ^
Our team had the upper hand to win it all. That was the only thing that could keep us from it, and it did, and everyone knew it during the season that if it doesn't get corrected... Would take two seconds for coach to tell him not to venture out anymore. In fact, I said that exact thing at the time here and it came true.
February 17th, 2024 at 6:18 PM ^
We’re basically talking past each other at this point, but I honestly don’t understand how you can think the lack of a goalie coach didn’t contribute to a regression from our [wait for it] . . . Goalie. It’s true that he probably cost us a championship last year, but it’s also true that not having a goalie coach didn’t help and contributed to his regression over the course of the season. And fwiw, you weren't exactly alone in thinking Portillo’s play was our biggest liability come tournament time, it was a pretty common sentiment
February 16th, 2024 at 11:10 PM ^
He's got the NHL frame.