Michigan Hockey Game #9: Minnesota 3, Michigan 1
OFFENSE
Corsi | House | Possession % | |
---|---|---|---|
First Period | |||
Second Period | |||
Third Period | |||
Overtime | |||
TOTAL | 54 | 55% |
Analysis: Michigan lost four forwards to the World Juniors camp. Two of those are their primary creators: Bordeleau and Beniers. That showed extensively tonight. Minnesota lost three defensemen and replaced them with guys who played just like the guys who left. No one played like Bordeleau and Beniers for Michigan. Minnesota is scary talented and Lake Superior deep. Michigan jumbled some lines and played super physical in the first period and mostly held their own. They did hit the post and have a few decent chances, but it was mostly flashback offense to the last couple of years: decent to good chances, but very little Grade A. They were also lacking a quality finish…aside from Kent Johnson’s very nice top shelf backhander that kept the game from being a shutout.
Where did he go? Where did whooooooooo go?? [James Coller]
DEFENSE
Corsi | House | Possession % | |
---|---|---|---|
First Period | |||
Second Period | |||
Third Period | |||
Overtime | |||
TOTAL | 44 | 45% |
Analysis: After a evenly-played first period, Michigan’s old trouble came to call in the second period. This is the seventh game in a row for Michigan where their opponent has significantly increased their production in the middle frame. Minnesota scored their second goal after some great pressure and a bad DZTO from the Wolverines. The issue is that Strauss Mann saved about four of those chances earlier in the period. Michigan’s woeful defensive performances keep continuing, and Minnesota hammered them tonight. Owen Power was also ghosted rather easily on Meyers wondergoal that included about every skater on the ice. He was far from alone in that respect as Pehrson, Blankenburg, and Truscott all had their moments tonight. Right now, Michigan’s defense is rather leaky, and after tomorrow…a midseason break already has a high priority Must-Fix list.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PP For | PP Against | PP Corsi For | PP Corsi Against | PP Shots/Min For | PP Shots/Min Against | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First Period | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Second Period | n/a | 1/2 | n/a | 7 | n/a | 1 (3/3) |
Third Period | 0/1 | 0/3 | 1 | 8 | .5 (1/2) | 1 (5/5) |
Overtime | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
TOTAL | 0/1 | 1/5 | 1 | 15 | .5 (1/2) | 1 (8/8) |
Analysis: Michigan took two bad penalties in the second period that gave the Gophers back to back power plays. After Minnesota looked dangerous on the first one, the converted early in the second one. A diagonal pass dissected the Wolverine Kill, once again. Mann saved the initial shot from the dot, but a scramble lead to a leak-in goal. The Kill still has the same issues of being easily picks apart with cross-ice passing. They also just cannot give away silly penalties. LaPointe’s slash was from a benign position. They also had two Too Many Men calls…which just cannot happen. Michigan was skating a couple of guys that haven’t played much this year and the lines were definitely jumbled, but one of those calls was on the man advantage…effectively ending Michigan’s best shot to get back in the game. Ugh.
There were just too many that needed to be like this [James Coller]
GOALTENDING
Shots Faced | Shots from House Faced | |
---|---|---|
First Period | 8 | |
Second Period | 14 | |
Third Period | 9 | |
Overtime | n/a | |
TOTAL | 31 |
Analysis: Strauss Mann continues to show just how good he is and how important he is to this team. He made about 5-6 very good saves, including multiple after defensemen got beat forcing him into a do-or-die scenario. Strauss kept this game close as long as he could…which was late into the third. I’ve never had to talk about this before, but Mann was not pulled for an extra skater in the last few minutes with Michigan down 3-1. That just seems inexcusable. There was chatter around the press box if three minutes was too early to pull him. Apparently…it was. I just don’t get keeping him in net that whole time.
ODD MAN RUSHES
Defense | Rushes | Advs | Escape% | Offense | Rushes | Advs | Scoring% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st Period | 1 | 3v2 | 100% | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
2nd Period | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
3rd Period | 2 | 1v0, 2v1 | 100% | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
OT | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
Total | 3 | 1v0, 2v1, 3v2 | 100% | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Analysis: Michigan gave up an early 3v2…and paid for it…but then didn’t. Mann made the initial save, but he was obstructed on the rebound and the goal was waived. Late in the game with Minnesota up 3-1, the Wolverines were chancing and Minnesota missed a breakaway attempt and a 2v1 that just went wide.
Michigan did not create an OMR, tonight. Minnesota was very good in transition, and Michigan could not pressure them out of position.
FINAL CORSI NUMBERS
www.collegehockeynews.com had: Michigan 54, Minnesota 44
December 9th, 2020 at 12:06 AM ^
Is it time to dial back expectations after four losses in five games and twelve goals allowed in the last two?
December 9th, 2020 at 12:46 AM ^
What were the expectations?
This is a talented, but young team that is going to have plenty of lessons to learn.
It's a fun team to watch whether they win or lose, and is a very good sign of future success.
December 9th, 2020 at 6:01 AM ^
Well that’s kinda cherry picking stats. “12 goals in the last 2” when you allowed 9 in one of them. The game you allowed 3, you played it without 5 of your 7 best guys. the game you allowed 9, you took 6 penalties against a dangerous powerplay team and your wunderkind goalie had an increasingly rare “off-night.”
Your other two losses were a pair of 1 goal games to an incredibly disciplined defensive minded team who plays a style specifically formed to bottle up and limit talent.
I’m not really sure what your expectations of this team were, but playing flawless hockey from start to finish this year was never in play for such a young team. There was always going to be a few bumps in the road, especially early on. Freshmen suck. Freshmen get better as the year goes on, typically turning a corner at the halfway point. Our freshmen have played fairly well, and will continue to get better.
Now, a full strength lineup with all of our top guys and no, expectations don’t change. If your expectations were that a bunch of 18 year old freshmen were going to come in and run the table, then that’s a you problem.
December 9th, 2020 at 7:09 AM ^
"Wunderkind goalie" allowing 9 goals in one game? Perhaps there are many who need to refresh expectations.
Not all conversations need to have one party act like a dick. You can have critical discussions without keyboard aggression.
December 9th, 2020 at 9:59 AM ^
Well, he actually only gave up 6 goals, not 9.
Again, guys can have an off night, especially when the defense in front of him struggles.
December 9th, 2020 at 9:09 AM ^
In hindsight I guess it should have been obvious that such a young team would have some issues, but it's hard to not feel a letdown after the ASU series when there was a lot of 'greatest recruiting class ever / looks like most talented team in the country / juggernaut' talk going around.
December 9th, 2020 at 10:03 AM ^
To be fair, it technically IS one of the greatest recruiting classes ever, if you're looking at where these guys are projected to go in upcoming NHL drafts. And early returns showed a lot of promise for an offense that had been struggling previously.
Both those things can be true and still not work out for a given team. Biggest thing has been the defense, which simply hasn't been as good the past few games.
December 9th, 2020 at 10:03 AM ^
I think it's a fantastic recruiting class and immensely talented, but it's also a really young team playing against teams with a fair bit of talent but also, in certain cases, much older talent. It's not a perfect analogy, but college hockey feels like you play a collection of BYUs - teams full of older guys because they started college later and so even if they're less talented than their competition it's still teams full of 21-year-old sophomores competing against 18- and 19-year-old freshmen.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:35 PM ^
The near-sweep is Madison is nothing to overlook though. I think this team can be very good, but they are young. They got punched in the mouth by ND, had a super off night vs Penn State, and are down a bunch of guys right now. It's too early to say anything definitive yet and Mel's teams have tended to improve a lot late which should be even more relevant this year with so many super-freshmen
I think this team will still make the tournament, we'll just have to dial back our hopes after the first week or two that this would be a 1-seed team that was going to tear through the Big Ten. Hopefully they'll be a 2 or 3 seed team that's hot when the regular season ends
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