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

What just happened (TL;DR): After playing an interesting first ten or so minutes, Michigan mostly got shut down and stuffed in a locker by Notre Dame. They registered 12 total shots in the final two periods…all while leaking scoring chances and goals. By far, this was the worst game of the year, regardless of lineup/injury situations.

FINAL CORSI NUMBERS (www.collegehockeynews.com)

Forward Notes.

-Michigan just got absolutely dominated and shut down by Notre Dame on Friday night. After the first 10-15 minutes, they just created almost nothing. All of their best chances seemed to come early. They needed a jump and spark the rest of the game. Instead, they didn’t get it, and the Irish could just suffocate the game away…which is exactly what they did.

-Honestly, I don’t really have a good note on any real even strength chance/sequence/line. I thought Tanner Rowe looked dangerous a couple times getting a look or two at Ryan Bischel.

-It’s just really hard to skate three lines with a couple of rotational subs. It can probably work in Beer League, but not at the NCAA level. Michigan has basically been doing it for four games, now. They controlled and lead the last three games, despite blowing two of them. Trying to play multiple goal catch up against a well-coached defensive team with the best goalie in the country is just not every going to happen with this particular deployment.

Defense Notes.

-How was the defense, Alex? Bad! Thank you, Alex. This really should just be the entire bullet point. Okay, I’ll move onto the next one.

-It wasn’t just one guy. The whole team just didn’t play well in transition or in their own end all night. While Jake Barczewski didn’t really make the saves to bail them out, the rest of the team just kept putting in one bad situation after another. They also surrendered goals in the first and last few minutes of the second and third periods, so there was never any stretch or momentum going in their favor. Burn the tape!

-Steve Holtz got beat to a loose puck and then could not stay with Landon Slaggert on the first goal. Most of the team was standing around in the defensive zone without clearing anyone out or moving the puck on the second goal. Patrick Moynihan was abandoned in front of the crease on the third goal. The game was basically done after that. The fourth goal will be covered in the OMR section.

SPECIAL TEAMS CHART

Power Play. The one thing that Michigan has hung their hat on all season has been their man advantage. They came in second in the country with a 32% scoring rate. They actually improved it on Friday night (albeit only slightly). During Michigan’s initial power play, Dylan Duke was cross-checked in the back as he looked to put a puck into an open net. On the ensuing 5x3, TJ Hughes let a shot rip from the point that picked the top corner to tie the game at 1. Unfortunately, at the end of their third power play, a silly turnover lead to a 3v2 rush that saw the Irish lengthen their lead to 4-1. Even Steven.

Penalty Kill. Well, I suppose if you’re really looking for some silver lining, the penalty kill was alright! And they only had to kill two of them! Look at that, a positive talking point! Wooooo.

Didn’t matter who was in net on Friday night (Bill Rapai)

GOALTENDING CHART

Notes. Jake Barczewski started the night in goal. Noah West finished the night in goal. That should tell you everything you need to know about the game. This is one of those games that Alex talks about where he pleads a goalie to make a save. I don’t fault Jake on any of the specific goals, but he also did not save them. The defense capitulated early and often in front of Barczewski, forcing him to bail them out time and time again. He did not do that. He made 16 saves on 20 shots. West made 10 saves on 12 shots. Not great.

ODD MAN RUSH CHART

Notes. This was just bad bad. That’s right, I meant to write it twice. They haven’t given up this many OMRs since Tampa, last April. Only the 3v2 following the power play was capitalized upon by Notre Dame, but Michigan just got beaten like a drum in transition. It was just another area of the game that Michigan failed to compete. Hopefully, they bring more energy on Saturday.

Michigan did get their own 2v1 with Josh Eernisse finding Garret Schifsky in dangerous spot, but Ryan Bischel made a big save.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This game felt over in the first period, and it pretty much was very early in the second. Michigan just didn’t have any jump or energy after the first half of the first period. It’s probably injuries and lack of ability to skate enough/the right guys. It’s also just not defending well enough often enough. Maybe they come out differently and better tomorrow, but this team just looked like they’re ready for the mid-season break. Saturday night at 6pm on Peacock. Peter will be writing up that game. I’ll see you in January!