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

What just happened (TL;DR): Penn State outplayed, outshot, and outscored Michigan in an all but Must Have game for the Wolverines. They scored on the power play, through an even strength screen, and after a Jake Barczewski bobble to outpace the inept Michigan offense. Michigan generated some shots, but could not breakdown the PSU defense or solve suddenly viable Liam Souliere. The collar is getting a little tight, now…

FINAL CORSI NUMBERS (www.collegehockeynews.com)

Forward Notes.

-Michigan clearly got some shot attempts on net. They didn’t, however, get enough of them to the net or into the net. After the first period of Friday’s game, Michigan tallied on a short-handed breakaway, an empty net goal, a even strength breakaway, and a sweet shot after a slick pass on a 3v3 rush. That’s it. Four goals in five periods…one of them being an empty-netter. All of this was against a team that entered the weekend with a .865 save percentage. Now, after the first minute of Friday’s game, Liam Souliere played very well. Basically…like he did in Allentown, last March. But that output is just not good enough to make the NCAA Tournament.

-Both of Michigan’s goals came in transition. Dylan Duke and TJ Hughes created the opening goal on a breakaway (Spoiler Alert). Gavin Brindley hit Frank Nazar with a lovely flip lead pass pushing Nazar to snipe Souliere to tie the game at 2 early in the third period.

-The Hero Line was okay, I guess. They did create Michigan’s best chances, but it did not seem like there were a lot of them on even strength (what’s a guy got to do to get some xG around here?). I noticed Garrett Schifsky skating with Brindley and McGroarty a little. TJ Hughes did the same. It will be interesting if the top line stays together next weekend against Notre Dame.

-Penn State was a different team on Saturday night. They played very, very good defense in their own zone. They did not get beat in transition (after the one happened about five minutes into the game). They also protected Liam Souliere really, really well…and then he made the saves for them. Hmmmmm…interesting.

Defense Notes.

-The defense overall wasn’t really at fault tonight. I suppose if you want to play Steve Holtz and/or Philippe Lapointe for screening Barczewski on the second goal…okay, fine. But…they were trying to block the shot. So, whatever. For the most part, the defense as a whole was fine. They didn’t turn it over in their zone repeatedly. They didn’t hang Barczewski out to dry all night. They even kept the OMR Count pretty low. It was good enough to win, tonight. Except for…

-Jacob Truscott didn’t have the best night, individually. He had a bit of a lazy clear that didn’t get out of the zone, leading to the second goal upon reversal. He also was beaten to the net on the third goal (the Jake rebound fumble), allowing Dane Dowiak to knock in the rebound.

-Seamus Casey also wasn’t himself all weekend. A couple of times, he maestro’d around the offensive zone, but it was not at the rate we’ve been accustomed to seeing him do so. It happens. It’s hard to be Steve Nash every night. He also was beaten twice badly…one for a goal.

SPECIAL TEAMS CHART

Power Play. Michigan got one whole power play on Saturday evening. In some senses, that is hard to believe, but here we are. It was actually very good…once the top unit got onto the ice. Rutger McGroarty had three great chances. One was expertly blocker saved, the next was shut down as he drove the net, and the third clanged the iron. Pretty good overall. Would have been nice to have another power play.

Penalty Kill. After a poor penalty kill to start, Michigan improved a lot as the game progressed. Aidan Fink fired from straightaway. Reese Laubach tipped the shot into Barczewski’s chest…which then dropped to the ice where Reese was able to knock it into the open goal. Seamus Casey was not doing a whole lot to tie up the larger Laubach when he was positioned in front of Barczewski. That was the first power play goal Michigan surrendered that it would be nice to have played better. After that, the Wolverines shut down most of the Lions chances on their advantages. Killing three of four isn’t perfect, but if it’s your worst mark in a month, that’s completely fine.

Not all…but some. (David Wilcomes)

GOALTENDING CHART

Notes. It was a conflicting night from Jacob Barczewski. On one hand, he made 38 saves for a .927. If he posts that save percentage in each game, how many games does Michigan lose? Not many. He also made at least two awesome stretch pad saves, again. He shut down a breakaway AND a 2v1 wraparound. Those are “Hero” saves…ones he’s been saddled with not making all season. So…yay! On the other hand, he completely botched the play on the third goal, fumbling the puck back into the House for an easy tap-in. On the first one, he does get his chest on the shot but can’t corral it…but it was tipped. That one not really on him…but it would have been nice if he had smothered it. In the end…like the rest of the team…I guess just not quite good enough?

Michigan’s opening goal scorer (David Wilcomes)

ODD MAN RUSH CHART

Notes. Michigan gave up a 3v2 (that quickly became a 2v1) early in the first period. Barczewski made a wraparound save, eventually on the play. Very nice play from him. Seamus Casey was caught napping a tad, leading to the breakaway late in the third, but Barczewski bailed him out on that rush, too. To be fair to Casey, I think he was trying to push up the ice to go creating a tying goal, so I wasn’t as mentally harsh on him there.

Michigan got one breakaway early as the Lion defensemen parted like the Red Sea. Dylan Duke stretched TJ Hughes in alone. Forehand, backhand 1-0. After cutting PSU open on Friday night repeatedly, Michigan could not replicate –or even come close- the previous night’s performance in transition.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I’m just running out of things to say here. Splits aren’t going to get it done. This, that, the other thing…it’s doesn’t really matter anymore. Michigan needs points, wins, Pairwise Comparison Wins. It’s put up or shut up time. Friday Night at Yost at 8pm against Notre Dame.