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

What just happened (TL;DR): LOL. I can’t even. Michigan dominated 47 minutes of the game, holding a 4-1 lead. They then proceeded to give up 3 straight goals, score another at the end to take the lead, and finally cede one last time in the dying minutes to head to overtime. Seamus Casey opened and closed the scoring, garnering two goals and an assist on the evening. Gavin Brindley had two goals and two assists. Noah West had two of the best periods of his life, followed by one of the worst. In the end, Michigan wins in overtime a game they should have won (and maybe lost?) in regulation. I guess that’s progress?

FINAL CORSI NUMBERS (www.collegehockeynews.com)

Forward Notes.

-After looking lifeless at even strength on Friday night, Michigan came out on fire and dominated the first period, followed by most of the rest of the game. They pressed Minnesota from the drop, then back-checked well after obtaining a lead, and even added on in the third AND fought back to take the lead late. The Wolverines scored four even strength goals in different ways and pressured both Minnesota goalies all night.

-Gavin Brindley played with Dylan Duke and Rutger McGroarty. Brindley finished off a 3v3 rush after two deft passes from Dylan and Rutger to double Michigan’s lead early. He also scissored with Seamus Casey, popping out the opposite side, and firing a shot inside the far post from the slot. That was such a timely goal, as Michigan had given up a goal early in the third and the Gophers were building momentum and chances. Michigan needed a response from a star, and Gavin Brindley answered the call.

-Rutger McGroarty had himself quite a two minute stretch at the end of the third period. He grabbed a rebound off of a great shot by Jacob Truscott and lifted it over a down Nathan Airey to give Michigan a 5-4 lead with just 1:39 to go. Then, he fell asleep in the slot, allowing Luke Mittelstadt to sneak behind him for the second game-tying goal, robbing Michigan of a much needed regulation win. That has got to be the most extreme swing of emotion for one player in that short of a timespan all season. Rutger has been great for Michigan all year. That two minute stretch pretty much exemplifies the ride this season has been.

-TJ Hughes took maybe the silliest penalty all year for the Wolverines. Up 3-0 in the middle of the second period with the Gophers and their fans having zero life or jump, he cross-checked a guy from behind into the boards, earning himself an early trip to the showers and his team the only (seemingly, ha) way Minnesota was going to get back in the game…a major power play. Luckily, his teammates stepped up and bailed him out, but the question does wonder how the third plays out if Michigan has the services of one of their top two centers. That is just the situational awareness that the team in general has lacked. Regardless of if that play should have been a penalty, it was completely unnecessary.

-Mark Estapa has quietly been having himself an improved season. He got on the scoreboard, thanks to a goofy decision by normally sound Minnesota goal Justen Close. Close came out to play the puck and fired it straight to Kienan Draper. Draper sent the puck into the crease and Mark Estapa tallied, giving Michigan an not so insurmountable 3-0 lead.

Defense Notes.

-Honestly, Michigan’s defense was really, really good all night. They only allowed five shots on goal in the first period, just seventeen through two periods, and could not really be primarily faulted with any of the five (!) goals. Obviously, there are always things that could have been done better or plays anyone would want back, but Michigan pretty much kept their House and zone clean. While the third period got out of hand, this may have been the first time that I wasn’t complaining about really any defenseman’s play consistently.

-In 2010, Bryan Hogan got hurt in net, as Michigan season was falling apart around them. Walk-on Shawn Hunwick entered the net. Michigan’s team basically had a Come to Jesus moment, saying “EVERYONE…is defending HARD, tonight.” And…they did. They shut down Notre Dame, and won the game…followed by many more that season to preserve the Tournament Streak by winning the CCHA Tournament and even an NCAA Tournament game. It sorta felt like that tonight. Michigan’s skaters knew their starter was not available, and after last night’s lackluster performance, everyone to a man needed to up the ante and get the team to the finish line. And weirdly, even after checking the final scoreboard, they did…sans one forward on one play at the end of the game.

-Seamus Casey is ALIVE! After scoring in 22 of Michigan’s first 25 game, Casey has registered one point (a meaningless secondary assist) in his last eight games…until Saturday night. Casey looked much more like himself, skating, creating, and just pivoting away from guys, keeping the puck moving. He also hit the net twice on the power play and set up Gavin Brindley for his sweet snipe. This is the Seamus Casey Michigan will need for every game for the rest of the season.

-Jacob Truscott was very good on Saturday. Steve Holtz played fine. Luca Fantilli, Tyler Duke, and Marshall Warren all made plays and played very good defense. That is a very weird thing to say about a team that gave up five goals, but here we are!

THERE’S SEAMUS! (Bill Rapai)

SPECIAL TEAMS CHART

Power Play. Michigan’s power play not only outshone Minnesota’s, it won them the game on Saturday night. Seamus Casey came to life tallying from straightaway to open the scoring early in the first period. He then ended the game with a well-placed shot from from a side angle in overtime. Michigan moved the puck really well all evening, but didn’t get loads of dangerous chances…until the extra frame. Brindley and McGroarty both had chances before Casey sealed it. The nation’s top power play was spectacular again on Saturday night.

Penalty Kill. In a game which featured both penalty kills, Michigan’s was elite. Not only did they kill off a few minors with ease, they absolutely shut down an All You Can Eat Major in the middle of the second period. After TJ Hughes headed to the showers early, Michigan built a well-structured fortress around the House and Noah West. West came through with a handful of quality saves, but the skaters around him were magnificent for all five minutes. After having an off night down a man, the Wolverine PK was aces on Saturday night.

The Noah West Adventure (David Wilcomes)

GOALTENDING CHART

Notes. Noah West started in net on Saturday night. It can only be assumed that there was some sort of impact to Jake Barczewski after he took a blow to the head in the second period of Friday night’s game, since he did not even dress as the backup on Saturday night. Noah West played two different games. He was very good (albeit not super busy, aside from the PKs) for two periods. While he never had to make too many Hero saves, he was very steady, calm, and exactly what Michigan needed behind a great defensive performance.

However…in the third period…the wheels just exploded in all directions. He gave up a super well-placed laser shot about 30 seconds into the third. But the shot came from bottom of the circle, and it was short side top corner. It was a terrific shot, but short side is never great, especially from that sharp of an angle. West was super unlucky on a screened tip for the second goal. After that…it fell off a cliff. The third goal was shot from below the goal line, hit his far pad, and slide behind him. The fourth goal ricocheted off the end boards and was somehow flipped up between him and the post for the tying goal. The fifth (yes, FIFTH) goal of the third period was mostly Rutger falling asleep defensively in the slot, but that is the exact situation when Alex, Peter, Brian, and even I am going to say “I just need a save!” Noah West did really well for the majority of the game, but if there was ever any question why Michigan went portal shopping last offseason, we just saw it play out on the ice. Hopefully, Jake Barczewski is ready and available next weekend against Notre Dame.

ODD MAN RUSH CHART

Notes. One bad pass from Frank Nazar on a power play lead to Minnesota’s only OMR of the game. Garrett Schifsky was called for a penalty trying to defend the breakaway. Noah West did make the save, though. That was the only transition chance that Michigan gave up all evening…which is a far cry from the six on Friday night. Hooray!

Michigan created one 3v2 on a Gopher power play. Kienan Draper had a good look on net, but Nathan Airey denied his chance.

FINAL THOUGHTS

On one hand, this was the response Michigan needed after Friday’s stink bomb. The came out and won the game right early (until it was given away by poor netminding). They improved in almost every area of the ice (except that same one). On the other hand…five third period goals surrendered? Ugh. That cannot happen. I went through them all. I put 3 on the goalie. One was unlucky. One was half a good shot, another a forward not boxing out. At this point…I don’t even know. It just seems that almost no matter what happens and how well they play, something goes wrong. In one way or another, for a legit reason or a fluke…it’s always something. There’s way too much talent on this team to miss the tournament. That could easily happen, though. They also might squeak in and be a complete handful for a team or two. They finished fourth in the Big Ten, and that doesn’t feel good enough. It’s probably correct and fair, but it seems like they should have done better. There’s still the Big Ten Tournament –and hopefully the NCAAs- but they still either need to fix a lot of stuff, just have everything click…or maybe sacrifice a chicken in the locker room? It honestly could be any of the three. Next weekend they host Notre Dame in the Big Ten Quarterfinals. Games will be Friday and Saturday and Sunday (if necessary) on BTN-. Times are still TBD.