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.