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

FINAL CORSI NUMBERS (www.collegehockeynews.com)

Forward Notes.

-Michigan started very slowly turning pucks over in the defensive and neutral zones, giving the Spartans very good chances right away. They also took a poor communication penalty icing six skaters instead of five. When the Wolverines finally woke up five minutes into the game, down 1-0, they never looked back. Once the second period started, Michigan dominated the game. Luke Morgan followed the Hughes goal with a greasy one that fluttered over a prone Drew DeRidder. Mackie Samoskevich ended the game with an odd man rush snipe giving Michigan a 4-1 lead. Overall, Michigan just skated away from Michigan State…as they have all season.

-Thomas Bordeleau had a very effective night. Not only did he create the power play goal early on, he also made a number of other plays to set up great chances for Mark Estapa. Bordeleau fore-checking has picked up, as well, over the last few weeks. He had a Grade A chance that he fired high early in the second period. This was arguably his most impactful game of the second half of the season…despite not scoring a goal.

Defense Notes.

-Michigan’s defense was sloppy all night. The Spartans created very little once the puck was in the Wolverine end, but Michigan’s defensemen gave the puck away in their own zone on attempted exits way too consistently. Owen Power, Luke Hughes, and Ethan Edwards all had multiple eye-rolling giveaways in their own end. Jacob Truscott even tallied one…and he’s not exactly the puck-mover on his pairing. For the record, the Wolverines were a lot better in the third period. While that most likely will not matter this weekend, it is something to keep an eye on as the tournament progresses. Michigan had cleaned that up, for the most part. On Friday, DZTOs made their frustrating return to Yost.

-Luke Hughes did have another rifle goal from straightway. He lost a guy and then fired a puck off of the inside of the post for the eventual game-winner. While it wasn’t his best game in the defensive zone, Hughes still created many chances in the offensive end.

Matty Beniers with the splash, but Thomas Bordeleau did all of the work (James Coller)

SPECIAL TEAMS CHART

Power Play. The Wolverines drew back to back calls halfway through the first period. They had a 5v3 for a little over a minute. Michigan ran the X formation with two guys below the goalline. Samoskevich almost stuffed in a front-wrap. Thomas Bordeleau then circled from right to left, stopped and made a great skip pass back to the right dot where a waiting Matty Beniers buried it to tie the game. FWIW, I love the X Formation on the 5v3.

Penalty Kill. Michigan’s slow start led to them taking a too many men on the ice call just four minutes into the game. Dennis Cesana fired MSU’s first power play attempt through Erik Portillo’s pads from the dot. Michigan killed the second Spartan penalty with ease.

One howler and a then a shutdown performance (James Coller)

GOALTENDING CHART

Notes. Erik Portillo gave up a lazy goal through the five hole of MSU’s first shot on their power play. It’s possible he lost track of it or it was slightly deflected, but each time I saw the replay, it did not look like a great goal to give up. Portillo’s biggest strength is his massive size. Letting a shot go through from as far out as the dot will always be a burr in his saddle. After that though, he was fantastic. As Michigan’s defense continued to give pucks away in their own zone, he was called on time and time again to shut down a quick change opportunity. All in all, one goofy goal and another lockdown performance.

Mackie Samoskevich was locked and loaded (James Coller)

ODD MAN RUSH CHART

Notes. One of the biggest ways for Michigan State to hang in the game an upset the heavily favored Wolverines was getting chances in transition. They did get a couple of chances, but they developed so slowly that Erik Portillo was able to move and see each chance.

Mackie Samoskevich effectively ended the game by sniping the near top corner on a 2v1 giving the Wolverines a 4-1 lead. Mackie’s shot has been on display all season, but this was one of his best.

FINAL THOUGHTS

After than the first five minutes, Michigan just dissected their overmatched brethren. The Wolverines did bequeath a number of DZTOs that brough Erik Portillo back into the game, but other than it, it was all Maize and Blue. The Wolverines did this in three of their previous four meetings, so it was no surprise when eventually Michigan pulled away. One down, one to go: Saturday at 7pm on BSD and BTN+.