noah west

Michigan Hockey went to Minneapolis this weekend knowing they needed at least one victory to stay in the hunt for the NCAA Tournament. After being tied following the first period on Friday, the Wolverines put together a lackluster and uninspiring latter two periods and were felled by the Gophers 6-2, losing their goalie in the process. On the heels of that, Saturday needed to be an all-hands-on-deck, emphatic performance. For two periods it was, but then came another third period collapse, albeit this one being nearly all goaltending. Michigan gave up five goals in the third but still made it to OT, where Seamus Casey won it for Michigan. Not ideal, but they got a lot of help elsewhere in college hockey and are still alive for the NCAA Tournament. For right now, in this seesaw season of adversity, there are worse places to be. 

HockeyBullets from Minnesota 

- About Friday night. Friday's game was a bit of an odd one, Michigan getting on the board first before a couple of iffy goals gave Minnesota the lead. A really nice play by Rutger McGroarty helped keep the puck in and set up a Garrett Schifsky equalizer to make the score tied just before the period break. It felt like Michigan didn't play great in that first period, but both teams were sloppy and the score was tied. It was okay. The first seven or so minutes of the second period were rather tepid, not a ton going on, then Michigan went on the PK and: 

Corner Pocket 🎱 pic.twitter.com/0bNZnkcaX9

— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) March 2, 2024

We would see a similar one to this on Saturday, but this goal cannot go in. It really seemed to take the wind out of Michigan's sails and for some reason, they lost their legs in the second half of the game once they were again trailing Minnesota. Michigan looked small and slow against the Gophers, who had more jump and urgency, disappointing for a Michigan team that was fighting for its life while Minnesota wasn't. They were getting outworked in the corners, outskated, and kept taking penalties, while questionable goaltending continued to harm the scoreboard. Barczewski had a down game and then got run into on an unintentional (possibly friendly fire) collision with a Gopher. He did not return for the third period (and then missed Saturday's game) but Michigan trailed by 5-2 by that time.

Michigan never really made a push and they lost 6-2. It was a bad effort but thankfully they responded with a marvelous first period on Saturday. Before we get to the second game, I want to note that Michigan allowed three power play goals just one week after I praised the Michigan penalty kill. Cause for alarm? I don't really think so. Part of it was some degree of mean reversion, as Michigan wasn't going to continue killing nearly every penalty the rest of the season. Related: a lot of it puck luck and bad goaltending. That goal I showed was one of the three PPGs against. That's entirely on Barczewski. The second goal involved a monster bounce off the end boards, while the third was a puck battle/scrum that eventually went in. *shrug* The hallmarks of Michigan's earlier poor PK from the first half of the season, the unrestricted puck movement, the inability to suppress A+ chances, none of that happened here so I don't think we need to sound the alarms.

[AFTER THE JUMP: More talking points]

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 can’t even. Michigan dominated 47 minutes of the game, holding a 4-1 lead. They then proceeded to give up 3 straight goals, score another at the end to take the lead, and finally cede one last time in the dying minutes to head to overtime. Seamus Casey opened and closed the scoring, garnering two goals and an assist on the evening. Gavin Brindley had two goals and two assists. Noah West had two of the best periods of his life, followed by one of the worst. In the end, Michigan wins in overtime a game they should have won (and maybe lost?) in regulation. I guess that’s progress?

FINAL CORSI NUMBERS (www.collegehockeynews.com)

Forward Notes.

-After looking lifeless at even strength on Friday night, Michigan came out on fire and dominated the first period, followed by most of the rest of the game. They pressed Minnesota from the drop, then back-checked well after obtaining a lead, and even added on in the third AND fought back to take the lead late. The Wolverines scored four even strength goals in different ways and pressured both Minnesota goalies all night.

-Gavin Brindley played with Dylan Duke and Rutger McGroarty. Brindley finished off a 3v3 rush after two deft passes from Dylan and Rutger to double Michigan’s lead early. He also scissored with Seamus Casey, popping out the opposite side, and firing a shot inside the far post from the slot. That was such a timely goal, as Michigan had given up a goal early in the third and the Gophers were building momentum and chances. Michigan needed a response from a star, and Gavin Brindley answered the call.

-Rutger McGroarty had himself quite a two minute stretch at the end of the third period. He grabbed a rebound off of a great shot by Jacob Truscott and lifted it over a down Nathan Airey to give Michigan a 5-4 lead with just 1:39 to go. Then, he fell asleep in the slot, allowing Luke Mittelstadt to sneak behind him for the second game-tying goal, robbing Michigan of a much needed regulation win. That has got to be the most extreme swing of emotion for one player in that short of a timespan all season. Rutger has been great for Michigan all year. That two minute stretch pretty much exemplifies the ride this season has been.

-TJ Hughes took maybe the silliest penalty all year for the Wolverines. Up 3-0 in the middle of the second period with the Gophers and their fans having zero life or jump, he cross-checked a guy from behind into the boards, earning himself an early trip to the showers and his team the only (seemingly, ha) way Minnesota was going to get back in the game…a major power play. Luckily, his teammates stepped up and bailed him out, but the question does wonder how the third plays out if Michigan has the services of one of their top two centers. That is just the situational awareness that the team in general has lacked. Regardless of if that play should have been a penalty, it was completely unnecessary.

-Mark Estapa has quietly been having himself an improved season. He got on the scoreboard, thanks to a goofy decision by normally sound Minnesota goal Justen Close. Close came out to play the puck and fired it straight to Kienan Draper. Draper sent the puck into the crease and Mark Estapa tallied, giving Michigan an not so insurmountable 3-0 lead.

Defense Notes.

-Honestly, Michigan’s defense was really, really good all night. They only allowed five shots on goal in the first period, just seventeen through two periods, and could not really be primarily faulted with any of the five (!) goals. Obviously, there are always things that could have been done better or plays anyone would want back, but Michigan pretty much kept their House and zone clean. While the third period got out of hand, this may have been the first time that I wasn’t complaining about really any defenseman’s play consistently.

-In 2010, Bryan Hogan got hurt in net, as Michigan season was falling apart around them. Walk-on Shawn Hunwick entered the net. Michigan’s team basically had a Come to Jesus moment, saying “EVERYONE…is defending HARD, tonight.” And…they did. They shut down Notre Dame, and won the game…followed by many more that season to preserve the Tournament Streak by winning the CCHA Tournament and even an NCAA Tournament game. It sorta felt like that tonight. Michigan’s skaters knew their starter was not available, and after last night’s lackluster performance, everyone to a man needed to up the ante and get the team to the finish line. And weirdly, even after checking the final scoreboard, they did…sans one forward on one play at the end of the game.

-Seamus Casey is ALIVE! After scoring in 22 of Michigan’s first 25 game, Casey has registered one point (a meaningless secondary assist) in his last eight games…until Saturday night. Casey looked much more like himself, skating, creating, and just pivoting away from guys, keeping the puck moving. He also hit the net twice on the power play and set up Gavin Brindley for his sweet snipe. This is the Seamus Casey Michigan will need for every game for the rest of the season.

-Jacob Truscott was very good on Saturday. Steve Holtz played fine. Luca Fantilli, Tyler Duke, and Marshall Warren all made plays and played very good defense. That is a very weird thing to say about a team that gave up five goals, but here we are!

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

What just happened (TL;DR): Michigan slogged through 30 minutes against the Lions with just a 2-1 lead. They then poured in four goals in eight minutes. In the third, the Wolverines added three more to pile onto the blowout. Jackson Hallum lead the Maize and Blue with two goals. TJ Hughes, Dylan Duke, and Garrett Schifsky all had three points. Another 6 (!) Wolverines had two points a piece. It was Point Night at Yost.

FINAL CORSI NUMBERS (www.collegehockeynews.com)

Forward Notes.

-To very few people’s surprise, this was an absolute beatdown. Michigan’s controlled the puck, shot share, and most of the dangerous chances. 87-34 at even strength is quite something. That is what a team like Michigan should do against overmatched Lindenwood.

-Michigan’s second goal was very well-worked by the Wolverines newly formed top line. Rutger McGroarty when high to low for Gavin Brindley, who fired a cross-slot pass to a waiting Dylan Duke. Duke tapped in the finish from a place on the ice he constantly finds himself, just outside the crease. Playing Brindley and McGroarty together has gone really well this season. Duke’s game is rounding out nicely, and as long as Brindley can handle the center responsibilities, this line fits together quite well.

-Jackson Hallum opened some eyes on Michigan’s fifth goal of the evening. He burst into the zone, toe dragged a defenseman, then blistered a shot five hole through Trent Burnham. The speed has always been there, and now he’s started to show more and more skill. That was the most impressive play of the night for me. Hallum also added another goal on a shot from outside the dot on a rush down the wing. He did pick a corner, but Burnham played that pretty poorly. Those were Jackson’s first two goals of the season.

-TJ Hughes added a goal and an assist in the third period. Josh Eernisse did the same. Both of their assists were probably a more impressive than their goals. Each was a sweet little backhand right to the tape of the shooter. Michigan looks like they have a lot of dudes.

Luca Fantilli with a couple of points (Bill Rapai)

Defense Notes.

-Michigan’s defense struggled with Lindenwood’s size and physicality a little bit in the first half of the game. There were stretches in the first and early second periods where they got stuck in their zone, unable to break the puck out. Peter kept talking about it being good Michigan was challenged a little physically. Once the goals started flowing the pressure was reduced, but this will be something to keep an eye on tomorrow night.

-Some of those struggles came from Jacob Truscott and Marshall Warren. Perhaps we’ll discuss on the HockeyCast if they can/should continue to play together or if Michigan keeps to get a puck-mover on each pair, like they did last season. Despite having some rough times, Warren did score his first goal as a Wolverine, lengthening Michigan’s lead to 3-1. Congrats to him.

-Luca Fantilli, who’s probably played more than most people thought he would a couple of months ago, scored his first goal of the year. He put a dman in the spin cycle (a la Sam Girard), broke down the wing to the net, and flipped the puck off of a different defender and into the net. Not the best goal, but it’s nice to see Luca get on the board. He also fired a shot from straightaway that Josh Eernisse deflected past backup goalie Matthew Syverson. Fun night for Luca.

-Seamus Casey just keeps piling up points, adding another goal and assist on Friday night. He has eleven in seven games.