Michigan Hockey 16-17, Game #23: Michigan 5, Ohio State 4

Submitted by David on



Ryan McLoughlin (Hat Trick Hero)

OFFENSE

  • FIRST: So, that was really good.  Michigan had a Corsi of 29 (!!!) in the first period.  Maybe their best  offensive period of the season?  They also generated 13 looks from inside home plate.  Spoiler: that's more than OSU had from anywhere on the ice in the first.  Allen's goal came off a roofed shot after a faceoff scrum.  Winborg had Michigan's second goal.  Luce ripped a pass (in the press box, we're debating if it was a shot or a pass) off the boards from the point and Winborg posted up at the left post, pivoted nicely and beat Frey.  This was a very impressive period.

     
  • SECOND: Michigan backs up their uber-strong first period with a 16 in Corsi in the second.  Six of their sixteen came from the home plate.  Marody ran a beautiful play action fake with Sanchez to free himself near the top of the circle and rifled a shot past Frey.  Chad Pennington would be proud.  Michigan has gotten great looks all game and are finishing their chances.  This has been their best first couple of periods I have seen them play offensively so far this season.

     
  • THIRD: Back to normal.  Ten even strength attempts and one from the home plate.  And it was barely inside the top end of the home plate.  Half of their attempts came from outside the dot on the right attacking circle.  The remaining four were literally in different corners.  OSU's defense was A LOT better and there was little M did about it.  Good thing they banked early in the first two periods.  But, unfortunately, I think this is more of what we see tomorrow night.  It just took OSU a couple periods to wake up.  Hopefully, I am wrong.  Michigan ended with 55 total even strength attempts with 21 coming from the home plate area.  That's 38% when they average getting 33% on the season.

 

DEFENSE

  • FIRST: Ohio State's 2nd ranked attack generated three attempts inside home plate and just 12 overall in the first period.  Lavigne made some fantastic stops, but the defense did a good job of limiting chances.  /looks around /quietly backs away  SHHHHHHHHH!!!! 

     
  • SECOND: The second wasn't QUITE as good as the first, but they still held OSU's powerful offense to 15 even strength attempts and 7 from home plate.  This is better than the usual.  The majority of their attempts came from Lavigne's left and far enough away.  There are still some gaffes and awkward breakdowns, but they look a little more contained...or they are just not paying for them as badly.  We will see...

     
  • THIRD: Also, more back to normal.  As I was writing the bit about the second period, OSU's goal rush was occuring.  In the end, they attempted 19 even strength shots and 8 from the home plate.  That's about 42% of their period attempts coming from the dangerous area.  Lavigne may have flubbed one of them, but he also robbed quite a few others in previous periods.  This was more of what I expected.  37% of their 46 attempts came from the home plate area.  M averages giving up 32% on the year.

 

SPECIAL TEAMS

  • FIRST:  Michigan drew their penalty very early but could not score.  Ohio State has a Bottom Ten penalty kill, so if M can continue to get more opportunities, I like their chances of connecting.  Michigan ended up taking two penalties in the first.  Ohio State has the 4th ranked power play at 25% but could not score.  They did generate a few good looks but missed the net on a could and Lavigne tracked the ones on frame.  Their second penalty will carry over into the second.  Marody took it at the offensive blue line.  No more of those, please.

     
  • SECOND: Michigan draws three more penalties in the second and converts on two of them.  The first goal was a scramble in the crease that Marody poked in.  The second was a beautiful cross-ice one-timer from Piazza to Marody who beat Frey across the crease.  Michigan set their power play up nicely all period and was rewarded for it.  They did take three more penalties but killed the first couple (the third will carry over).  Again, OSU with a few good chances, but Lavigne was there for all but the one he lost track of off the crazy bounce.

     
  • THIRD: Michigan draws two more penalties but does not convert on either.  They also did not register an attempt on net.  They took two more penalties, in addition to the carryover penalty.  Technically, OSU went 2/3 in that period.  The first goal was a harmless shot that Lavigne whiffed.  The 2nd was a deflection from the slot.  Joshua was credited with the goal, but it easily could have gone off of Cecconi's stick, as well.   On top of those, they created a ton of other missed chances, too.  I can definitely believe that power play is a college elite one.  

 

GOALTENDING

  • FIRST: Hayden Lavigne didn't have to face as many shots, but the ones he did see were some great opportunities.  He shut them all down.  Lavigne looks absolutely fantastic.  JLF might be higher touted, Nagelvoort might be more experienced, but I am completely comfortable with Lavigne in net, right now.  He made seven good stops.
  • SECOND: Once again, Lavigne has a tremendous period.  He saved another 8 shots and always seemed to be in the correct position.  The only goal was off a funky bounce in the slot that he lost track of, turning to his right when it went to his left.  Easy tap-in.  I don't really blame him for that one.  OSU has also hit the post a couple of times.  Overall, he's been strong as usual.

     
  • THIRD: Well, as I write this, the PA system is blaring "I Will Survive" and that's about right.  After two great periods, the first 30 seconds really did Lavigne in hard.  He faced a visible shot from the top of the circle and just completely whiffed on it...6 seconds into the start of the period.  That was bad.  Then, 30 seconds later, there is a bit of a scramble in front of him and the poke gets poked between his legs.  I did not see this goal at all (as about 40 things are transpiring) but that is the consensus of those around me.  The 4th goal was not on him as a shot going wide hits a stick a few feet in front of him and hits the back of his net.  So, maybe not a bad period but not a great first minute.  That completely changed the tone of the third period.  He was strong for the rest, stopping about 10ish more shots.

 

ODD MAN RUSHES

  • FIRST: There was one OMR in the first.  Piazza turned the puck over entering the zone on the power play and OSU had a breakaway.  Lavigne shut it down for his first save of the game.  That's all.  Not many, but a big one.

     
  • SECOND: OSU came in on a 3v1 and Cecconi tied up one guy, flailed around on the ice, and the shot ended up hitting the crossbar.  Valiant effort by Cecconi, but the bar bails everyone out.  That's it. 

     
  • THIRD: OSU ended up getting a tic-tac-toe connection to get a guy in alone on Lavigne but he made the save.  That's 3 OMRs which isn't a ton...but they were all pretty bad.  Michigan was lucky to not give up a goal on any of them.

 

FINAL CORSI SCORE

I had: Michigan 55, Ohio State 46

www.collegehockeynews.com had: Michigan 48, Ohio State 35



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I will be coming from Crisler tomorrow night, so we the first couple periods will be purely numbers based.  Hopefully, more insight during the 3rd period.

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