Michigan Hockey: NMU Picture Pages

Today we look at the scoring breakdown from the NMU series. 7 goals in a series makes for a pretty long post.

Goal #1

Our first goal of the game came on a blown clear by the Wildcats, Epp is fighting for the puck at the corner boards while the rest of the team is trying to breakout.

Even after a second Michigan player comes down the Northerners still leave Epp by himself to fight, since the other Wildcats are still in position for a breakout no one is there to cover Di Giuseppe.

Goal #2: Powerplay

Nothing special here on the powerplay, but it became obvious early on that anyone in a Michigan sweater who wanted to screen was not going to be challenged.

The shot is off the mark, but anyone who has watched Alex Guptill play this year can tell you that his timing on redirects is outstanding.

The space given is all he needs and the puck is in the net.

Goal #3:

I predicted that Jon Merrill would have a bounce back series after last weekends MSU fiasco. The thing that has always separated Merrill from others is his hockey I.Q. You either have it or you don't, things like this can't not be taught.

This play starts out as a regular clear for the Wildcats, nothing special just a puck sent out of the zone.

Head up the whole way Merrill gets the puck from Moffie and finds Deblois cutting through the middle.

The Northerners are all kinds of confused, obviously since the blueliner has closed his legs like he's in shot blocking position.

As you can see they are caught way out of position.

The only play left for NMU is to go for the hook, bring him down and try your luck on the PK. Deblois does a great job of keeping the puck and staying on his feet to finish the play off.

Goal #4: Powerplay

Another Wildcat special teams brakedown. Once again Michigan is not doing anything special with the powerplay, but all four penalty killers get caught down low and can not get back into position.

This is another example of Jon Merrill and his hockey intelligence. He gets this puck at the point and walks it up, with a free screener in front of the net everyone is thinking shot.

He sees Moffie the whole way for the one timer, the no look pass is just icing on the cake.

No chance Ellingson can get over in time as Moffie buries the shot

Series two: Goal #1

After NMU failes to clear the puck out Moffie gathers and brings it over the line.

Moffie connects with Glendening who maybe takes an ill advised shot, I feel like the separation gave him the chance to get closer.

But it doesn't matter because his wrister beats the goaltender clean to the glove side for our first goal of the game.

Goal #2: Powerplay

We begin this powerplay with the puck along the sideboards, once again another screener having his way with the Wildcat defense. This is basic hockey, they don't even try to move him.

Merrill sends it across to Moffie

And back to Merrill again.

Once again we see another example of something you can't teach. Not everyone can play the point on a powerplay, in fact some guys who are great hockey players are awful at running point.

A lot of times what you will see is from a bad the point man is either quick pass or quick shot, which usualy results in a broken up pass or a block. His shot is not there, so instead of forcing it he holds, and holds and waits until the lane that he wants is open.

And we have our second goal of the game.

Goal #3:

Along the blueline is Mac Bennett, who sends a long pass across looking for Di Giuseppe.

He overshoots him on the pass and the puck is gathered by series whipping boy Wade Epp.

We don't know exactly what he was trying to do here, he's either trying to bounce the puck off the boards out of the zone or he was expecting his man to be behind him.

Either way he throws the puck right at Luke Glendining, who throws a beautiful pass across to A.J. Treais.

We send our Seniors out with a win.