Michigan Hockey 16-17, Game #31: Michigan 5, Minnesota 3

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(Marc-Gregor Campredon) Alex Kile with his best performance of the year

OFFENSE

  • FIRST: Michigan had a weird offensive period.  They generated 27 (!!) attempts on goal but only 2 from Home Plate.  They came close a couple times, but Schierhorn had the angle and it would have taken a corner shot to beat him.  It semed that the gameplan was to shoot if you had the puck anywhere in the attacking zone...because that's pretty much what happened.  The shot volume is great, but if they're going to beat Schierhorn tonight, they're going to have to get to a more dangerous place on the ice.

     
  • SECOND: Michigan's second period was better and worse than their first.  They generated half as many chances (14), but they also got into HP with 7 of them...something they did not do in the first.  Alex Kile generated their first goal, hitting a corner on a shot from just above the circles that snuck inside the post.  Probably not the best goal for Schierhorn to give up, but he easily could have been screened.  I guess the first period of strategy of sheer volume of pucks to the net paid off for Michigan on that goal. Not as many chances but higher quality ones.  

     
  • THIRD: Michigan had their best offensive period of the evening in the third.  They took 18 even strength attempts, including 10 from HP.  That's very, very good.  They also got some power play attempts from inside HP, as well.  Michigan's game-winner was from even strength when Nolan De Jong threw a puck at the net from the side boards and Evan Allen redirected it past Schierhorn.  Kile probably had his best game of the year.  He shot the puck when he had opportunities, and passed the puck very well, tallying a goal and two assists.  Allen has also come on very strong the last half of the season.  He's also had a nice shot, but has learned the art of slot-tipping, gathering the winner, tonight.  Michigan ended the night with 56(19), 34% from HP...right at their season average.  The difference was their volume, tonight.

 

DEFENSE

  • FIRST: Well, taking my advice from the first period above, Minnesota did just that.  They out-attempted Michigan in the first period by one, getting 28 looks on net.  To top that, they were also able to get into the Home Plate area for 10 of those 28.  That's a nice 36% with a high volume.  If Michigan is going to allow those types of numbers, they're going to need another Hobey performance from Nagelvoort.  Michigan also struggled to get the puck out of their zone, lost an attacker a few times, and had more untimely DZTOs (surprise!).  Improvement requested.

     
  • SECOND: Well, the second period was pretty much a carbon copy of the first for Michigan, defensively.  They allowed 25 more attempts and 11 from HP.  Again, not great.  Nagelvoort played very well, again, and Michigan was lucky to not surrender a goal.  I mean...this just is what it is: Minnesota has a good offense and Michigan does not have a good defense.  I expect the third to be similar, penalties pending.

     
  • THIRD: Michigan gave up a 19(8) in the 3rd period.  The percentage wasn't great, but the overall volume decreased by period.  So...yay!  Still, not a great defensive third frame.  It took another fantastic effort from Nagelvoort to see this one through.  The would-be game-winner for Minnesota was just a great play/move/decision from Vinni Lettieri who came in on a 2v2, used his teammate and the defenders as a screen, and popped out to beat Nagelvoort.  Sometimes, good players makes winning plays.  In the end, Michigan gave up a 72(29).  That's a 40% from HP.  That's too high on too large a volume of shots.  

 

SPECIAL TEAMS

  • FIRST: Minnesota got the only power play of the period (bit of a soft call on Calderone -or so it looked from up here).  They threatened with multiple chances before Cammarata finally got alone in front of Nagelvoort and wraped one around him.  Minnesota has the #4 power play at 26%.  Penalties need to be kept at a minimum tonight.

     
  • SECOND: Minnesota had one more power play and threatened, again, but didn't score.  Nagelvoort was great on that penalty kill.  Michigan drew their first power play and had multiple different chances that Eric Schierhorn was equal to...until Alex Kile had a DO from just above the dot to the back post that Calderone tapped in to tie the game.  Pass of the year, if you ask me.  I may grunted as to refrain from cheering after that pass, as it was easy to see it all unfold from up here.  Fun stuff.

     
  • THIRD: Michigan out-skated Minnesota in the third period and it resulted in several penalties.  They had a carry over from the second, threatened, but did not score. Michigan drew a second power play a few minutes late, but again failed to score. After giving up the lead, Lockwood broke in alone and was slashed, drawing Michigan's 3rd and final power play of the period.  Jake Slaker took advantage by fanning on his first attempt and rifling his second attempt over Schierhorn (who was fantastic, tonight) to tie the game.  Michigan never gave up after going down 3-2 and drawing the penalties exemplified that.  Michigan's only penalty kill of the 3rd came when Cutler Martin dumptrucked Schierhorn way after the whistle.  Minnesota only had a minute and a half advantage due to the Kloos slash...and they were in time kill mode, already, being up 3-2.  M: 2/4; Minn: 1/3



(Marc-Gregor Campredon) Kick Save? Glove Save? FACE SAVE!

GOALTENDING

  • FIRST: Zach Nagelvoort started tonight after his shutout of Ohio State.  He looked the part, early on, making multiple point-blank saves.  Minnesota had several stretches of sustained offensive zone pressure, but Zach held strong for most of the period.  Neither first period goal should be on him.  The power play goal was shot from about 2 feet away and the second came from a 2v1 and an unlucky bounce after a nice defensive play.  He ended the period with 13 saves.

     
  • SECOND: Nagelvoort backed up his nice first period with an even better second.  He did not allow a goal and made multiple saves from dangerous positions and two OMRs.  I thought his positioning and rebound control were both great.  The defense has not exactly helped him out a ton, but he's held strong as Michigan's last line of defense.  12 more saves for a two period total of 25.

     
  • THIRD: Dude. Nagelvoort.  Maybe its just Steve Shields?  I tweeted something out about Michigan not having a best goalie.  They have three great ones.  Who do I want to start tomorrow night? Like, whomever, man.  Each have had hiccups because they're college-aged goalies, but, man...Nagelvoort played very well, agian, tonight.  The goal he gave up was just a great offensive play shot from very close.  He had no chance.  He also made about 3-4 consecutive saves and then had back-to-back glove snatches.  Is it past the trading deadline?  Can we deal one for Auston Mathews?  Nagelvoort ended with 35 saves on 38 shots.

 

ODD MAN RUSHES

  • FIRST: Michigan surrendered two OMRs.  The first was a 3v2 that Nagelvoort got a piece of and it just trickled wide.  The second was a 2v1 that Boka raced back to break up, but the puck bounced right back to the attacker and he was in Nagelvoort and beat him.  Both could have easily been goals.  Michigan cannot get caught up ice against this team.

     
  • SECOND: Ugh, another couple OMRs.  Neither cost Michigan a goal, though.  Minnesota had a couple 3v2s: both were denied by Nagelvoort, including the last one with his face.  Minnesota up to 4 OMRs.

     
  • THIRD: Michigan gives up one more OMR: Another 3v2 and De Jong gets in front of it to block it aside.  Five OMRs is too many, if you ask me...especially against a team like this that can score.  You can't give them advantages on special teams or get caught up ice.  They got one tonight and could have easily has another 1-2.

 

FINAL CORSI SCORE

I had: Minnesota 72, Michigan 56

www.collegehockeynews.com had: Minnesota 73, Michigan 56

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