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

FINAL CORSI NUMBERS (www.collegehockeynews.com)

Forward Notes.

- Michigan did create many shots and chances tonight. Just glance at the numbers above. However, Ryan Bischel did not give a very good performance like he did on Friday night. He left one rebound behind for Michigan’s second goal (the Thomas Bordeleau tap-in). He also leaked a very savable shot (also from Bordeleau) for the tying goal. He wasn’t great in scrambles or rebound control either. Michigan had many, many chances- and good ones, but they just didn’t bury enough of them. Thankfully for them, Bischel helped them out.

Defense Notes.

- Normally, I go into different specifics on different guys and what they did/did not do or what pairings worked/didn’t work. The reality is that this team makes a lot of mistakes at the back end and gives up too many great chances (I talk about the breakaways later). While Notre Dame only got 21 shots on net, 14 came from the House. That percentage is just way too high. All of the guys getting serious minutes (other than Holtz/Edwards) are either high draft picks or have been in the program long enough to know what to do. Watch the Irish on defense. They all know exactly what to do and it costs you a limb to get into a good spot…especially 5v5. If this team wants to meet their goals this season, this needs to improve. It can and hopefully should…but excuses are running low.

Was this Michigan’s 5v3 plan?

SPECIAL TEAMS CHART

Power Play. There were plenty of chances, but the 5v3 stuff is not great. Michigan had two 5v3s and looked completely unprepared for them. With the talent Michigan has on the ice in advantage situations, they have to know what to do. Neither chance created anything from a Grade A spot. The issue is that they set up similarly to a 5v4 advantage. They could not move the puck into the House and/or get a dangerous look. That is very, very frustrating.

Penalty Kill. There will certainly be some debate about a couple of the calls that Notre Dame got on Saturday night, but for the most part, Michigan did well down a man. Erik Portillo made 2-3 awesome saves, but did let in a softie on the shortside post. Credit Ellis for a good shot, but Erik will want that one back.

Erik Portillo had his moments. He also had a few he’d like to forget. (James Coller)

GOALTENDING CHART

Notes. At some point, Erik Portillo was not going to have a great night. The funny thing is, after giving up a few howlers early on, he made a good number of point-blank saves. He shut down a couple of breakaways, snared a few more shots out of the air from dangerous places, and made a few more sprawling on the ice saves. So, he did contribute a ton to getting this game to overtime and getting Michigan a point in the end. Now…three of ND’s goals were pretty soft and should keep Portillo up tonight. He didn’t get his pad flush to the ice on the first chance that slid underneath it. On the third goal, he attempted to play the puck behind the net, but it went into Max Ellis who stole it out of the air and beat Portillo back to the net. Despite being on the penalty kill, Ellis also beat him short side and low, when he was on the post. Those can happen from time to time, but goalies are taught to be snug to their post and force the shooter to the wide side. Erik has been phenomenal this year, but tonight was the exception.

ODD MAN RUSH CHART

Notes. Michigan gives up two breakaways- one on the power play after a Power fumble at the blue line- but Portillo bails them out twice. He’s actually been very impressive in OMR situations. I’m not sure if that’s a thing (maybe it’s size or quickness), but he has really shined there…and that’s probably good because it happens way too often.

The Wolverines created three chances in transition, tonight. Hughes had a slick pass to Beecher on a 2v1, but it was just a bit too far out in front of him. Thomas Bordeleau got an easy dunk after a great pass from Steve Holtz hit Mackie Samoskevich who fired a chance on net. Bischel thought he had it, but Bordeleau finished it.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Once again, Michigan has a two goal lead and gives it away within a few minutes. Their defense is inconsistently spotty. They give up great looks…that honestly are mostly saved by Portillo. Michigan usually wins on talent, goaltending, and power-play finishing. Notre Dame’s strong defensive structure and lack of individual breakdowns mitigated a lot of that…again. This is a good Irish team, for sure, but they capitalized on a lot of Michigan’s mistakes. I’m grading these performances against what a Super Team should do when they have a talent advantage. This weekend was not very impressive.