Michigan Hockey Game #8: Penn State 9(!!), Michigan 5
OFFENSE
Corsi | House | Possession % | |
---|---|---|---|
First Period | |||
Second Period | |||
Third Period | |||
Overtime | |||
TOTAL | No | Data | Available |
Analysis: Michigan fell in an early hole and clawed their way back, tying the game at two. They even took brief leads of 3-2 and 4-3. Bordeleau and Brisson gave the Wolverines a chance, late, but Lambert hit the post…which would have made the game 7-6 with a couple minutes left. The Wolverines spent too much time in the penalty box to put up their usual possession and shot stats, but they made they chances count, tonight. Michigan scored four even strength goals (five total), and they nearly got doubled up. This debacle was not on the offensive output at all.
DEFENSE
Corsi | House | Possession % | |
---|---|---|---|
First Period | |||
Second Period | |||
Third Period | |||
Overtime | |||
TOTAL | No | Data | Available |
Analysis: Ugh. This game has been coming for about three games, now. Strauss Mann has bailed Michigan’s collective defense out, but tonight was too much. We’ve noted how Michigan can be loose with the puck in their own zone and, they can be moved off the puck with ease. Tonight, against a buzzing Penn State attack, they just got spun in circles and pretty much just stopped moving. Almost every one of these defensemen is fine an individual situation, but the team defense as a whole is like window dressing. On top of that, skaters are not physically intimidating at all. Penn State carved and pulled Michigan in any and every direction. Essentially goals 2-6 were scored from an unbothered attacker. Granted, a few of those were on the power play…but at times, it looked like even strength was a power play. The lack of physicality and aggressiveness in their own zone has finally caught up to the speed, skill, and goal-scoring. Michigan can certainly outskate teams, but unless they learn how to defend in their own end (and bring a high level of energy on defense), games like tonight won’t completely go away.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PP For | PP Against | PP Corsi For | PP Corsi Against | PP Shots/Min For | PP Shots/Min Against | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First Period | 1/1 | 0/1 | 5 | 7 | 2 (2/1) | 1 (5/5) |
Second Period | n/a | 3/3 | n/a | 11 | n/a | 1.4 (7/5) |
Third Period | 0/1 | 1/2 | n/a | 3 | n/a | 1 (3/3) |
Overtime | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
TOTAL | 1/2 | 4/6 | 5 | 21 | 2 (2/1) | 1.2 (15/13) |
Analysis: Michigan had one real power play opportunity and took advantage of it big time. Lots of crisp puck movement lead to numerous chances before Nick Blankenburg buried his second goal of the game, tying the game at two…at the time. That was it. There were a handful of other…plays…that could have been called in favor of the Wolverines, but they were not to be, tonight.
Penn State came into this series with power play scoring percentage of 7%. They went 4/6 and the Wolverines were lucky it wasn’t more. Granted, the Lions moved the puck well and hit the net when they had chances, but Michigan’s effort on the Kill left something to be desired. Like their even strength defense, shooters were left open and unchecked. The Wolverines were not able to shut down the high danger areas, and the Lions passed and skated through them like they were stationary. Also, they took way too many penalties…especially in a game where staying at even strength could have given them a chance. They did however kill a major penalty very early after Nolan Moyle finally got ejected for an ill-advised hit. That kill kept Michigan in the game for the first period.
There’s too much water in this thing! [Bill Rapai]
GOALTENDING
Shots Faced | Shots from House Faced | |
---|---|---|
First Period | 13 | |
Second Period | 19 | |
Third Period | 11 | |
Overtime | n/a | |
TOTAL | 43 |
Analysis: Strauss Mann started again to no one’s surprise. Half a minute into the game, he let in maybe the worst goal of his career? Talvitie shot from almost the goal line and the puck went short side over Mann’s shoulder. Not great, but an apropos start for this game. After that, he made a number of saves to keep Michigan close…before the wheels exploded off and the goals were pouring into the net. I think he might have been able to do something about…one of them, maybe? After the sixth, Michigan decided to go with freshman Erik Portillo. While he also made a handful of big saves, poor play around him lead to three shots beating him, as well. It was not the best performance from the netminders, obviously, but they were extremely handicapped based on where the shots were coming from and how open the shooters were.
ODD MAN RUSHES
Defense | Rushes | Advs | Escape% | Offense | Rushes | Advs | Scoring% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st Period | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1 | 2v1 | 0% | |
2nd Period | 2 | 3v2, 4v2 | 100% | 1 | 4v3 | 100% | |
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 | 2 | 3v2, 4v2 | 100% | 2 | 2v1, 4v3 | 50% |
Analysis: Michigan generated a couple of OMRs, tonight. Some good vision and touch passing got Cam York open down the slot as the fourth guy in on a 4v3. That temporarily gave Michigan a 4-3 lead! What! Eric Ciccolini lost the puck skating in on a 2v1.
Penn State created two OMRs. One resulted in a shot wide of the net and their 4v2 ended with a huge save by Mann. Mike Pasta went to the box after that chance…which unsurprisingly led to a goal.
FINAL CORSI NUMBERS
www.collegehockeynews.com had: No Data Available…at the time of publishing.
December 3rd, 2020 at 9:36 PM ^
So Don Brown is moonlighting with the hockey team, I see.
December 3rd, 2020 at 9:39 PM ^
On the bright side, the camera work made it impossible to actually see any goals being scored.
#btn+salve
December 3rd, 2020 at 9:41 PM ^
let's fire the coach, fuck dis shit.
December 3rd, 2020 at 10:06 PM ^
Sure has been a great week or so in Michigan sports. At least the basketball team managed to beat a vastly inferior opponent in OT.
December 3rd, 2020 at 11:19 PM ^
So much for the excitement of hockey season. Basketball team struggling. Are we a baseball school yet?
December 3rd, 2020 at 11:44 PM ^
Hockey is still mega-taleneted...and I'm guessing a bunch of these guys return. But...there are going to be some growing pains.
December 4th, 2020 at 1:38 PM ^
Why exactly is the excitement for hockey gone? It’s a ~30 game season BEFORE the tournament. It’s an incredibly young team in the very beginning of the season.
Did you expect them to go out there and go unbeaten for an entire season? There are gonna be bumps along the road no matter what in a hockey season, but that’s ESPECIALLY the case early on with such a young roster.
December 11th, 2020 at 2:48 AM ^
And they’ve lost 5 of the last 6...,
December 4th, 2020 at 12:22 AM ^
The one bright spot is I wasn't sure going into the season how many of these guys would be one and done, but now I think most will be back. Johnson, for example, could really use another year to get stronger on the puck and would benefit from another year in college. He'd dominate next year.
Bordeleau is the only one that has really jumped out to me on a consistent basis all year like you would expect a high draft pick to do.
I know Power is getting talked about as a possible #1 and to play right away in the NHL, but I really don't see it. Great player but it seems like more of a #10 pick than #1.
December 4th, 2020 at 6:27 AM ^
Power definitely gives me the impression he's used to being better than everyone most of the time. I haven't been particularly impressed by him compared to the other freshmen.
I think Beniers will go. He really jumps off the screen too. Would be nice if we could get back by 2 of the 4 super freshmen for next season
December 4th, 2020 at 1:40 PM ^
Really difficult for you to gauge that this early in the season... those guys have been scouted for years now by NHL scouts, but you somehow have great insight after a couple games of them with a new team?
December 4th, 2020 at 2:20 PM ^
We don’t know what NHL teams actually think about players until the draft. For now, we just have opinion mock drafts from people that cover prospects. Those writers would talk to some scouts from NHL teams but maybe not a representative sample. So, yeah, I think I can share my opinion on Power.
December 4th, 2020 at 12:55 AM ^
They look like a bunch of players who are used to being better than everyone else. At least in this one they bothered to get mildly upset when a PSU player harassed the crease?
That's tough to coach up in a short period of time. We're in for a ride. Minnesota next week will be roughhhhhhh. Hopefully for everyone they get a nice break to get fresh legs and brains back at least
December 4th, 2020 at 1:42 PM ^
Freshmen are always rough. They usually don’t have it click until around the midpoint of the season, so I’m really not sure why people are so surprised by a few early bumps in the road by such a young roster.
December 4th, 2020 at 6:25 AM ^
I'm trying to remember a worse game by this program and I'm not sure I've seen one in my 15ish years of being a fan. That was really hard to watch. Strauss letting in a pretty soft goal immediately had to do wonders for Penn States confidence. I wonder how the game looks if Penn State doesn't go up 2-0 like 2 minutes into the game
I'm not really sure what this team is. They seem nominally 'good' but with a conference only schedule this year, I wonder if hypothetically being .600 and maybe 3rd or 4th in the league is enough to get you in the tournament. Fortunately Mel's teams have tended to get better as the season progresses, but the Minnesota series is unlikely to go well with so many guys at the WJC. They're going to need to get their act together in a hurry
December 4th, 2020 at 9:20 AM ^
Next week will be interesting. Minnesota also loses 3 defensemen.
December 4th, 2020 at 10:25 AM ^
I swear this place can't handle literally anything bad happening. It was a bad game by a really young team; that can happen in any sport, even moreso in hockey where the age differences can be significant. Michigan split with PSU, a team that is high-variance, and has played a total of 6 games with a ton of first- and second-year players. This is going to happen, but the expectation is that as the season progresses they'll get better and more consistent if for no other reason than they'll get used to playing with each other and the style of college hockey.
I only saw pieces of the game but it just looked like everyone was out of sorts; that happens. The team got punched in the mouth last week by ND and responded with a nice win; I assume they'll learn from this game as well and continue to grow. Is this a Frozen Four team right now? On paper, sure, but playing probably not. But there's still a decent chunk of the season to go.
December 4th, 2020 at 11:13 AM ^
Holy hell some of you are soft.
Comments