Michigan Hockey Game #37: Michigan 8, Michigan State 0
CLICK HERE for Game Recap from Kristy McNeil and other pertinent information and HERE for current Pairwise Rankings.
FINAL CORSI NUMBERS (www.collegehockeynews.com)
|
Total Attempts |
Even Strength |
Power Play |
Close (within 1) |
Even Strength % |
Michigan State |
49 |
40 |
9 |
2 |
38% |
Michigan |
84 |
64 |
20 |
7 |
62% |
Forward Notes.
-This game was never close. Both Michigan State goalies gifted the Wolverines soft goals in the opening eleven minutes and before one could utter "Little Brother," it was 4-0. Thomas Bordeleau, Mike Pastujov, and Kent Johnson all tallied in the early going. That was pretty much it. The truth is that Michigan is just a very good hockey team and Michigan State is not. The Wolverines overwhelmed the Spartans in every way, shape, form, and part of a hockey game. We're running out of ways to describe the differences between these two teams.
-Johnny Beecher was the man of note on Saturday evening. He finally broke his 2022 scoring drought on a 2v1 deposit...breaking his stick in celebration. Beecher has been having quite a second half, especially since lining up with Mackie Samoskevich and Dylan Duke. While Duke and Samo have been scoring, that is the one area of Johnny's game that hasn't clicked. He also tallied a power play goal during Michigan's Five Minute Rampage in the second period. Don't be surprised if Beecher takes this line to even higher heights now that he's gotten the monkey off of his back.
Captain Nick (James Coller)
Defense Notes.
-To some degree, it was impossible to rate how the Wolverine defense played. They were up so much so fast, that there were so few relevant defensive plays. There were still a few DZTOs (Owen Power had too many), and OMRs...but nothing was really relevant. I have no more overall takes about the defense as a unit.
-We've talked all winter about the half that Luke Hughes has had...and rightfully so. But Nick Blankenburg has also quietly had a very impactful scoring year. He had a four point effort on Saturday night...the highest of his career. He capped Michigan's dominant major power play with his 14th goal of the year. With draft picks aplenty lacing up on Michigan's blue line, perhaps Michigan's most consistent defender has been Captain Nick.
Three of these in five minutes(James Coller)
SPECIAL TEAMS CHART
|
PP Opportunities |
PP Corsi For |
PP Shots/Minute |
Michigan State |
0/5 |
9 |
3/7 |
Michigan |
3/7 |
20 |
11/11 |
Power Play. Dylan Duke was slew-fototed (which is a thing, I guess), and Christian Krygier's night/season/career at MSU ended on a game misconduct. Michigan was foaming at the mouth for an All-You-Can-Eat power play...and they gorged themselves. Mackie Samoskevich redirected a Luke Hughes centering pass. Johnny Beecher (12 minutes off of snapping his goalless streak) one-timed Michael Pastujov's feed. Finally, Captain Nick Blankenburg buried his 14th goal of the season. That's quite a trip to the power play buffet.
Penalty Kill. After a blemish last night, the Wolverine penalty kill looked like its old self locking down their familial opponent all evening. The Spartans were held below half a shot per minute...which is not very good.
Two Assists and a Shutout (James Coller)
GOALTENDING CHART
|
Michigan Shots Faced (House) |
Michigan State Shots Faced (House) |
First Period |
9 (4) |
11 (4) |
Second Period |
9 (5) |
22 (14!) |
Third Period |
6 (1) |
8 (5) |
Overtime |
n/a |
n/a |
TOTAL |
24 (10) |
41 (23) |
Notes. While I usually talk a bit about Erik Portillo in this section, tonight's game demands Michigan State goaltending comments. Drew DeRidder started...and was dreadful. He gave up two very soft goals to start. Bordeleau beat him five hole...from distance. Mike Pastujov stepped inside the dot and caught DeRidder off balance, scoring far side. Pierce Charleson entered after the third goal (not DDR's fault) and promptly fumbled the puck behind his own net on a Spartan power play. Kent Johnson got an open net dunk. That's three gift goals in the first eleven minutes. Yikes.
Erik Portillo was also really, really good. He made multiple extended pad saves. He also had a few stick-less scramble saves on a chaotic sequence in front of his crease...and that was when the game was still in doubt within a couple goals. Lastly, Erik contributed TWO assists, bringing his season total to four! He was lifted with five minutes to go for senior Jack Leavy. Swedish Shutout, again.
Jack Leavy finished out the game contributing a save to the Wolverine white-washing of MSU.
The Streak is Over (James Coller)
ODD MAN RUSH CHART
Defense |
Rushes |
Advs |
Escape% |
Offense |
Rushes |
Advs |
Scoring% |
1st Period |
2 |
1v0, 3v2 |
100% |
|
1 |
4v3 |
100% |
2nd Period |
1 |
3v2 |
100% |
|
3 |
2v1 x2, 3v2 |
33% |
3rd Period |
1 |
2v1 |
100% |
|
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
OT |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
|
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
Total |
4 |
1v0, 2v1, 3v2 x2 |
100% |
|
4 |
4v3, 2v1 x2, 3v2 |
50% |
Notes. Michigan State was able to get out in transition a couple of times, early...including a post-kill breakaway from Adam Goodsir that was sent high and wide. In the end, they tallied five chances, but Erik Portillo was equal to all of them.
Michigan put the game away on their first OMR of the evening. Blankenburg received a slick drop from Beecher and promptly found an open Dylan Duke on the opposite wing. Duke chased Drew DeRidder with his eighth goal of the year. That was a very well-worked 4v3. Johnny Beecher FINALLY broke his goalless streak on a 2v1, walking right up to the crease and scoring five hole. Getting Beecher in the goal column might be spark this team needs entering Elimination Hockey.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This was the series Michigan never wanted to play. They led the B10 all second half staring down the first round Bye...and then in a flash, it was gone. A poor weekend in South Bend forced Michigan to play two meaningless games against the worst team in the league just to host a semi-final game. BUT...maybe it was not irrelevant. Johnny Beecher sprung to life, scoring not one but TWO goals on Saturday. Nick Blankenburg bounced back after a poor weekend. Luke Morgan also got in the goal column. Michigan will probably host the Irish next Saturday evening (depending on Sunday's Game 3 in South Bend against Wisconsin), but now the Wolverines are revving on all cylinders thanks to a chance to re-energize themselves by building their confidence in a weekend family tussle.
Yes, it's good that Beecher got off the schneid. And our Olympians got a couple more games in. Johnson got a goal & an assist.
Now the pucker factor goes up.
well, technically we had a bye....I mean....
Yeah, that was a functional bye. Played like it last night. Better tonight, though still too many mistakes that would matter against a team that had actual D1 players.
I Bleed mentioned the “pucker factor.” I choose to believe that’s the plural of puck.
As in, tonight 8 pucker factor.
Diminutive brethren!
Hahahahahaha
Won't be anywhere near that easy for the rest of the season. This is indistinguishable from an old CCHA first-round game where we'd pummel some hapless Miami or Ferris team before either got good.
Except it's MSU. Which needs to fire Cole. I hope they don't actually take things seriously, because there are actually some serious candidates out there that are worth calling, guys like Jim Montgomery.
The problem with an easy weekend like this is that this team is really good at destroying teams that are notably worse. But this gives them almost no practice doing the things they need to do to win tight games against defensively responsible opponents with good talent.
But you win the games in front of you. Michigan ruthlessly put MSU to the sword this year. That's always a good thing.
Thats some of my concern too. There was still some overall sloppiness that will kill us vs Notre Dame...who is probably our next opponent. Oh well, its all single elimination from here so I guess it is what it is. Hopefully they've got some answers
Our fourth goal came on our fifth shot, shorthanded, against Sparty's second goalie of the night. Portillo had two assists to go along with his shutout and was pulled for senior Jack Leavy with five minutes to play who completed the task. "Nuf said!
State's hockey program is just...pathetic. That's basically the only thing I can take away from this series
I assume we would have to win the Big 10 to have any chance to get back to #1 in the pairwise. If and it's a big if, we manage that how realistic is it that we would get the overall #1?
Pairwise #1 is the #1 seed. No question.
If Minnesota State loses in their tournament, it would be to a far inferior team...which would impact their RPI/PWR, as well. I don't know if Michigan would NEED to win the B10 Tournament, but they would then need help from the Screaming Eagles Mavericks losing, as well.
Pairwise is what determines seeding. #1 in Pairwise is #1 overall seed. #2 is #2 overall seed. And so on.
The job of the selection committee will be to adjust those matchups so you don’t have conference foes playing each other in the opening game and, if avoidable, the second round game. But at the very top of the seeding, it’s directly implicated by the results of the Pairwise.
Nice little scrimmage.
My question is why did they go for 2 :-)
Comments