Beniers gets a goal! Brisson gets a goal! Power gets assists! (James Coller)

Michigan Hockey Game #27: Michigan 4, Minnesota 1 Comment Count

David January 22nd, 2022 at 10:51 PM

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 %

Minnesota

77

61

16

28

60%

Michigan

41

41

0

19

40%

Forward Notes.

-For the most part, Michigan got caved in across the board on Saturday night. Minnesota carried play pretty much most of the night. Bryce Brodzinski was abandoned by Johnny Beecher (who followed his defenseman down low). He gave the Gophers an early lead. After that, though, despite getting many attempts on net, Minnesota could just not buy a finish.

-While Michigan did not get nearly the volume of chances that Minnesota did, they definitely took theirs very well. Matty Beniers and Brendan Brisson finished their golden chances late in the first period to somehow give the Wolverines a first period lead. The Bordeleau and Brisson line had a great shift in the second period, forcing a couple of DZTOs. Jackson Lacombe give one away and Mike Pastujov was able to squeak one through Justen Close to give Michigan a 3-1 lead.

-There’s no denying Kent Johnson’s talent or natural ability. But sometimes he just needs to shoot the puck. He got into the House a couple of different times with a good look at goal, and he opted for a fancy pass to a worse opportunity. If you’re near the slot, just have a go!

Defense Notes.

-Michigan’s overall team defense was a bit soft at times. Their gap control from the forwards got a bit spacey. Minnesota was able to walk into the zone too easily at times. They also got caught in their own end too often, as well. It got better in the third period, but if not for a great night from Portillo, it would have been a very different game.

-Owen Power and Nick Blankenburg did activate very well, tonight. Power had a very nice assist on Michigan’s lone OMR goal (Spoiler). He also had a smooth exit and entrance, creating space and reversing to an open Blankenburg. Nick walked in and beat Close (from not too Close) to seal the game 4-1.

-Ethan Edward put in another mostly positive performance. He did have a fumble early that lead to him taking the first Wolverine penalty. After that, though, he made a handful of nice defensive plays and stepped perfectly into the offensive zone and rifled a pinpoint diagonal to Brendan Brisson for the game winning goal.

 

SPECIAL TEAMS CHART

 

PP Opportunities

PP Corsi For

PP Shots/Minute

Minnesota

0/2

16

10/4

Michigan

0/1 (kinda)

n/a

n/a

Power Play. I mean…technically Michigan got a power play. Blake McLaughlin was sent to the box for boarding (that was in the conversation for a major) with 42 seconds left in the game. They just played keep away for the rest of the game. Michigan didn’t really control the puck very much until the third period, but not getting a power play until that late is, uh something.

 

Penalty Kill. The Wolverines gave away two power plays on Saturday. Both got dicey at times. Matthew Knies almost scored along the goalline, but could not get his angle correct. At the end of the second power play, Michigan had a poor change that led to a breakaway. Portillo saved that and another nine attempts on frame. Probably not Michigan’s cleanest kills of the year, but at least they only had to do it twice.

 

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Erik Portillo was floppy at times, but he saved 39 of 40 shots  (James Coller)

GOALTENDING CHART

 

Michigan Shots Faced (House)

Minnesota Shots Faced (House)

First Period

15

7

Second Period

18

7

Third Period

7

5

Overtime

n/a

n/a

TOTAL

40

19

Notes. Erik Portillo started the game a little wobbly, giving up a couple rebounds and not sealing a post. As the first period continue, he seemed to find his rhythm and solidify his play. There were not quite as many Grade A robberies as Friday night, but Erik made pretty much all of the necessary plays. Johnny Beecher dropped a bit too far in the zone leaving Bryce Brodzynski wide open in the House. That goal was not really on Portillo at all. For the first couple periods, Minnesota carried play and the puck was in and around Portillo the majority of the time. He held the fort until the star power was able to get the lead. Then, he carried Michigan to the Swedish line.  

 

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Owen Power droppin’ dimes (James Coller)

ODD MAN RUSH CHART

Defense

Rushes

Advs

Escape%

Offense

Rushes

Advs

Scoring%

1st Period

2

3v2 x2

100%

 

1

4v2

100%

2nd Period

1

1v0

100%

 

n/a

n/a

n/a

3rd Period

n/a

n/a

n/a

 

n/a

n/a

n/a

OT

n/a

n/a

n/a

 

n/a

n/a

n/a

Total

3

3v2 x2, 1v0

100%

 

1

4v2

100%

Notes. Michigan gave up a couple of 3v2s pretty early in the game. Neither ended up being very dangerous. However, at the very end of Minnesota’s second power play, Michigan had a poor change that resulted in Ben Meyers getting behind everyone. Jacob Truscott was able to get back and annoy him a smidge, allowing Portillo get seal off the post collecting yet another save.

The Wolverines got one chance in transition, but they made it count. The defense activated and created a 4v2. KJ hit Power in the middle. Owen moved it on the Matty Beniers who buried his chance down the right side to tie the game at 1. That was an extremely well worked play from start to finish.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

Arguably, Michigan played a lot better last night, but they couldn’t find the net. Tonight, they were mostly outplayed, but they finished their best chances. I guess that’s hockey sports. The Wolverines get four of six points in Minneapolis. Especially after having to kill that penalty at the end of regulation on Friday. I think we all take that.

Comments

stephenrjking

January 22nd, 2022 at 11:05 PM ^

Hockey, man. I don't think Michigan was outplayed as much as the SOG totals suggest, but the 60-40 corsi number doesn't seem unkind. But the kind of chances our guys can produce is something. I don't want to count on winning a lot of games this way, but it's nice to be able to do that when the team doesn't look great out of the gate. That first period was ugly, and Michigan had its winning margin by the end of it.

So a sort-of 3-point weekend on the road. Not bad. 

lhglrkwg

January 22nd, 2022 at 11:19 PM ^

Its what you get when you recruit guys at the high end of their age group but man it sucks we’re gonna lose a bunch of guys for a month right when we’re heading into the home stretch. Feels like we’d have a terrific shot at winning the league and getting the 1 or 2 overall. Gonna be shaky without our tops guys

I Bleed Maize N Blue

January 23rd, 2022 at 1:11 AM ^

"Bryce Brodzinski was abandoned by Johnny Beecher (who followed his defenseman down low)."

This is not exactly what happened. Beecher was skating with a Gopher in the center of the ice, as Truscott was over at the left boards. Beecher did slow up just inside the blue line, as Truscott was getting back to cover. Then Brodzinski filled the space. Watch the highlights. I don't think Beecher can just let the Gopher skate down the center when Truscott's not in position to cover. Now maybe you can blame him for puck watching and not looking for a trailer, but would he have been able to defend - i.e., stop and skate back towards the blue line? Maybe he makes Brodzinski shoot from a little further out, but Portillo might still be screened. Maybe Brodzinski skates around Beecher and gets a shot from deeper in the slot, but Portillo can come farther out with vision. But saying Beecher "abandoned" Brodzinski, to whom he wasn't close earlier in the play, while he was covering for Truscott (not following him down low) is wrong.

whidbeywolverine

January 24th, 2022 at 1:15 PM ^

Shifts were way too long in the second with the long change and the huge hockey surface in the defensive end. We can’t ask Portillo to save our ass every night.  We need to quit the fancy shit in our own end at the end of a shift and just get it past the fucking blue line!