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

What just happened (TL;DR): After building a dominating 4-1 lead (and a 30-9 shot lead), Michigan’s defense completely collapsed and their goaltending could not bail them out. The Spartans scored four goals in just under seven minutes to take a second period lead. Trey Augustine was the difference in the game. He played like a high draft pick, bailing out his own leaky defense time and time and time and time again. Michigan beat him a few times, poured it on, and Augustine just made enough high danger saves to get his team to the point where they started finishing their own golden chances.

FINAL CORSI NUMBERS (www.collegehockeynews.com)

	Total Attempts	Even Strength	Power Play	Close (within 1)	Even Strength %
Michigan State	64	59	5	40	42%
Michigan	97	83	14	38	58%

Forward Notes.

-Once again, Michigan dominated statistically all throughout the game. They controlled play for the first thirty minutes, finishing their chances. On Saturday, however, the collapse ensued again. Friday night seems like a lifetime ago. Honestly, I’m not sure what to think, anymore. Is it mental? Michigan was just blowing them out of the water in all phases, once again, and then…just started managing the puck like a hot potato. Maybe they need to sacrifice a live chicken…

-With Gavin Brindley out with an injury, apparently, Garrett Schifsky stepped into the first line and completely looked the part. While he didn’t have Brindley’s finishing ability, he moved well enough and forechecked nicely, and gathered in two more assists. He had a great first half of his freshman year and has started backing that up with a great weekend against the in-state rival.

-After going to the Hero Line, the 25-13-9 second line really jumped on Saturday night. TJ Hughes tallied Michigan’s first two goals. He also assisted on the other two goals. Nick Moldenhauer only got one assist, but looked dangerous all night. He looks primed for a big second half. Dylan Duke was classic Double D. He just made smart plays in the zone, moved it well, and got to the greasy areas. He was credited with Michigan’s late Extra Attacker goal.

-Scoring five goals should be enough on almost every night in a non-bizarre hockey game. However, it seems Michigan only plays bizarre-bonkers hockey games…and the Defense and Goaltending sections are up next. Go get a drink, first.

Defense Notes.

-For the first period and a half, Michigan picked up right where they left off at Munn on Friday night. They kept their House and own zone in total very clean. After that…it got ROUGH. That seven minute stretch during the second period where MSU scored four times…Michigan’s defense turned the puck over in a dangerous spot on three of them. Then, they did again on the sixth goal in the third period. Same old bugaboo.

-Speaking of DZTOs…Jacob Truscott continue his forgettable weekend. He was the culprit on two of the second period goals. He also had a literal centering pass from behind his own net in the first period. Fortunately for him, the chance went wide. Honestly, I haven’t thought he’s had the best year, overall, but these two games have just been a weekend to burn the tape. He’s got to figure it out and fast.

-Tyler Duke…basically the same thing. He just had an absolute brownout, throwing the puck into the corner, like hitting the wrong button in a video game. Then, lost Nicolas Muller in the slot, who scored the third goal. In the third period, he just fell over, skating for a loose puck, giving State an advantage in the zone. After a Casey misplay, it was another A+ chance for Muller, and State had a two goal lead (6-4).

-Michigan dressed seven defensemen, but Luca Fantilli did not see the ice…to my knowledge. It’s clear the coaching staff prefers Steve Holtz. He got beat behind his net and cross-checked a guy that led to MSU’s early power play goal. I was sorta on the Luca Fantilli bandwagon for the sixth D spot. It hasn’t happened yet. Holtz did make some plays on loose pucks and did do some things well. He’s just always going to be at a bit of a disadvantage in a skate race.

 

Overall, Michigan played well on special teams, again (Bill Rapai)

 

SPECIAL TEAMS CHART

	PP Opportunities	PP Corsi For	PP Shots/Minute
Michigan State	1/2	5	.8 (2/2.5)
Michigan	1/3	14	2 (9/4.5)

Power Play. Michigan looked great on their power play chances for the second night in a row. Trey Augustine was the difference on their first power play, saving about four chances. Rutger McGroarty made the most of the 5x3 turned 5x4 by faking out Tiernan Shoudy who slid right by before Rutger beat Augustine to bring Michigan to their highwater mark of the game, up 4-1. Michigan’s power play picked right where it left off in the Fall. Great week for the Man Advantage.

Penalty Kill. Once again, Michigan’s penalty kill was very solid. They expertly defused MSU’s first power play, giving up very little. Artyom Levshunov finally beat the Wolverine power play with a double-deflected shot from the point. It was a good play to get the puck to the net, and the Russian got the bounce. Good for him, unlucky for Jake Barczewski and the Wolverines.

 

This guy is a player (Bill Rapai)

GOALTENDING CHART

	Michigan Shots Faced (House)	Michigan State Shots Faced (House)
First Period	7 (2)	19 (13)
Second Period	15 (6)	15 (8)
Third Period	8 (3)	14 (9)
Overtime	n/a	n/a
TOTAL	30 (11)	48 (30)

Notes. The second story of this game was the level of play from the different goaltenders. Trey Augustine was under siege ALL night. The Spartan defense ceded high danger A+ chance after high danger A+ chance. He made quite a number of saves on them…as he has all season. He’s an elite level goalie prospect who lived up to his billing on Saturday night after a sub-par performance on Friday night. Jacob Barczewski is a nice college goaltender who is technically sound and very good when his defense around him puts him in position to succeed. Michigan’s defense did that for 4.5 periods this weekend, then started giving the puck away with reckless abandon, and Barczewski just could not bail them out. He’s a very nice goalie. He’s just not elite enough to bail out a team that turns the puck over in their own House with consistency…very few college goalies are.

 

ODD MAN RUSH CHART

Defense	Rushes	Advs	Escape%	Offense	Rushes	Advs	Scoring%
1st Period	n/a	n/a	n/a		1	1v0	0%
2nd Period	1	1v0	0%		1	2v1	100%
3rd Period	1	1v0	100%		n/a	n/a	n/a
OT	n/a	n/a	n/a		n/a	n/a	n/a
Total	2	1v0 x2	50%		2	1v0, 2v1	50%

Notes. Michigan finally gave up a couple of OMRs…both breakaways. Isaac Howard skated in (after a Truscott giveaway) and beat Barczewski short side and high. Maybe Jake wants that location back, but it was a really good shot.

Nick Moldenhauer led a 2v1, waiting until the last possible second to flip the puck across to a waiting TJ Hughes who finished the chance. Moldenhauer also had his own breakaway that he shot wide.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Look, I don’t get it. On one hand, the penalty looked mostly better for the second night in a row. Also, the defense looked on lock-down for a period and a half, building on Friday night’s dominance. Then…the wheels not only fell off, they exploded in all directions. It just doesn’t seem random. It feels like regardless of the lead or even how smooth, fundamental, and well the team is playing, we’re all just waiting for the other shoe to drop and the pendulum to swing back, punching us in the neck. The puck management and play in the defensive zone just HAS to be more consistent. We’ve seen them do it. We’ve seen the ceiling. The floor just needs to be raised. This team has far too much talent, goal-scoring ability, and even goaltending play to keep collapsing and throwing it all away on what has been a way too consistent basis. It feels like we’re entering Look Yourself in the Mirror Time and decide who you want to be. The Badgers come to Yost next weekend for a couple of games. Friday night at 7pm.