OFFENSE

Analysis: So, this is becoming rather routine for Michigan. They control the puck, generate more attempts on net, but not a high volume of Grade A looks-turned-expected goals. They also do not have a lot of even-strength scoring depth. The SNL line creates decent looks and has the talent to finish, but after that….eh, I don’t know. The Pasta line has scored at times, but a lot of those are blue collar goals. Which can be fine, but ideally you’d like a little more flash on the second line. After those two lines, yikes. Jack Randl has shown some flashes. Garrett Van Whye and Dakota Raabe get a couple of rushes. Michigan State looked very defensively composed and did a nice job of keeping Michigan out of the House all weekend. Even when Michigan was able to get in there, guys were being bumped, hit, sticked, kept very uncomfortable. Michigan State looks very sound defensively. They just don’t have a lot of individual skill. It also helps when Drew DeRidder plays very well.

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And a lot of this [Coller]

DEFENSE

Analysis: Statistically, Michigan played well on defense. Mostly. They kept the puck away from MSU, but the Spartans favor quality over quantity, so that aided Michigan’s philosophy. The issue with Michigan really comes down to consistency. They have enough individual skill, but the defensemen get out of position or lose their man too regularly. It didn’t come back to bite them tonight, but it has enough throughout the year. Michigan State looked much more consistently structurally sound for having much less individual skill. In addition, once the game got into the mid third, State mostly sat back and defended soundly, trying not to take many risks. Again, Michigan played well enough defensively to win, but they also had a lot more talent once the KHL line went off of the ice.

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There was one of these, too [Coller]

SPECIAL TEAMS

Analysis: Michigan had a few chances on the man advantage tonight and looked dangerous. They scored a goal very early on (their only goal) as Hughes had a patented cross-icer to Boka who splashed his attempt. Hughes moved a lot and set up other attackers a number of times, but no one else could finish. DeRidder played well and made some big saves. With the lack of even-strength finishing, this is where Michigan needed to make the difference, but they could not tonight.

On the flip side, without the Martin centering pass, Michigan looked very good on the penalty kill. State did get a few chances in the third period, but there was nothing egregious that Mann had to paper over.  

GOALTENDING

Analysis: Strauss Mann started in net and played well. One power play goal beat him, but somehow all of Michigan’s skaters got into the corner and lost their spacing. It looked like Martin was trying to clear the puck and it came out to Hirose and he fired a shot on the ice just outside of Mann’s reach. Mann looked to be caught flat-skated(?), but there is no way he was expecting his own player to end up with that centering pass. Strauss did face a few Grade A chances and shut them down. He looked calm and in control all night. He also seemed to control his rebounds well and play pucks away from the crease with ease. Most of the goals that have gotten by him this season were probably not on him. Lavigne played well last weekend, but there is no reason that Mann shouldn’t continue starting in net.

ODD-MAN RUSHES

Analysis: Ha, I did not see an OMR, tonight.

FINAL CORSI NUMBERS

I had: Michigan 61, Michigan State 31

www.collegehockeynews.com had: Michigan 60, Michigan State 29