Michigan Hockey: Ohio State Preview

Michigan Hockey: Ohio State Preview

#13 Michigan (12-8-4) at #2 Ohio State (14-4-3)

1-13-12 7:35pm (BTN)

1-15-12 5:05pm (Fox Sports Plus)

Forward Overview:

We come into this series in the exact opposite positions than the last time. OSU is ranked high but coming off a series sweep in favor of Bowling green and Michigan climbing back into the rankings hot. Like I predicted in the last preview this is the once in a decade Buckeye team, only much better then we have seen before.

Led by Crane and Dries the Buckeyes come into the series with a respectable 3.14 GPG which is good for 19^th in the country and a not so good powerplay unit. This is not a team who is going to wow you with their offensive ability and the production drop is huge when the first line is off, but they're the kind of physical grind it out unit that we have had trouble with all season long.

The key matchup will be who plays harder in front of the net. At times this our defensive pairs have been so soft, screeners have stood in front of Hunwick and nothing happens to them. It's as simple as this, if we let them push us around they will score.

Defensive Overview:

Although the offensive numbers are not so great the defense has been outstanding for Ohio this season. They come into the series with the 4^th best GAA in the league at 2.05 GPG and .10 of a goal is the only thing separating them from being #1.

The matchup will be taking advantage of the weaker pairs Ohio puts in the ice, specifically Gallacher or DaSalvia. It's hard to see strengths and weaknesses without video but by the numbers you can assume that Krough and McLean play great defense, and even with the supreme awesomeness of Cal Heeter in goal Gallacher and DaSalvia do not.

Goalie:

It's Cal Heeter, everyone knows who he is. He's the above average goalie who turns into Brodeur when he plays us. His kryptonite was discovered in the last series but Michigan was not able to take advantage of it, that is why the key matchup will be shooting high. Heeter's tendency for whatever reason is to drop early, so we need to try and get some lift on the puck. It sounds easy but if it was we would have scored more than 1 in our first game with them.

Michigan Overview:

Forward Overview:

It looks like the offense may have finally turned a corner. After going the entire season without being able to score on Fridays or on the road they took Alaska and MSU at home, Boston College at a neutral site and notched two more Friday night wins. We are red hot right now and Ohio State is as cold as a team with four losses can be, it only helps that one game is in Columbus and the second is in Cleveland; an Outdoor game at Progressive field I'm sure everyone forgot about.

Some minor notes: Kevin Lynch has quietly posted a 4-4-8 scoring line after not recording any points for much of the season. It has been the opposite for Lindsay Sparks, after starting the season hot he has cooled off to the point where he isn't going to see the ice. After posting thirteen points in ten games Sparks has not recorded a point since November 5th, and with his sub-par defensive ability if he isn't scoring he isn't going to play. The Lindsay Sparks show is officially over.

Defensive Overview:

The defense had started to play better after the break, but what a difference it makes having Merrill back. I really saw a different unit out there during the GLI holding Boston College to two goals, it's a major improvement over the same group who got embarrassed by Northeastern on our own ice.

We knew Serville was going to have growing pains this season but we didn't expect it to be anything like this, his neutral zone turnovers are awful, which makes Merrill's return even more important. I've been down on this group the entire season but I really feel like they are trending upwards, this weekend will give us a good indication of how much things have really changed.

Goalie

Like the defense he had his shaky moments during the first half, but has picked up his play lately. Like I said before the defense didn't help him very much so he shouldn't be shouldering any blame.

Predection

I really think this team is turning the corner. I think a sweep is definitely possible, I would imagine Saturdays game not having very many Buckeye fans so this can almost be like a home and home series. Michigan speed on a bigger sheet like the Big Chill is a major advantage for the good guys.