Hockey Day in Ann Arbor [edit: Front Page-level content!]

Not sure if anyone on MGoStaff will do a front page preview, so here's a bare bones summary:

ESSENTIALS

WHAT:  Arizona St. Sun (Ice? Sun-Ice? Ice-Sun?) Devils at MICHIGAN

Cawlidge Hawkey Unis are indeed the best

Practice Unis... for  now

WHERE: The Legendary Yost Ice Arena; Ann Arbor, MI

WHEN: Tape meets vulcanized rubber at 3 PM ET Saturday, November 14

THE LINE: It's cawlidge hawkey, you degenerate

TELEVISION: BTN+ (the plus stands for give us MOAR money for next to nothing)

RADIO: Radio Hockey >>>> BTN+ Hockey

PBP: The venerable Al Randall
Analyst: 1998 NATIONAL CHAMPION and native NYer Andrew Merrick
 

TICKETS: LOL it's 2020 bro. 

WEATHER: 

clear, mid-60s at rink level; mid-70s at the top of the lower stands and press box level
chance of Zamboni, 100%
0 shoes will be thrown by kids riding the Zamboni; No Score-O

Overview

MGoBlue weekend summary

Alex Drain MGoBlog Season Preview Part I Part II Part III

Recent D1 addition and independent ASU rolls in and should not be taken lightly. They finished 22-11-3 last year and 21-13-1 the year prior. ASU returns two of their top four scorers, goalie Evan Debrouwer (2.52 GAA .919SV%) and have 5 incoming freshmen (not counting a FR goalie who I imagine we won't see this weekend) so they are not a young team. Under non-COVID conditions, I'd guess this is a team who can contend for a 4 seed in the NCAA tourney, essentially on the bubble.

You should already know about Michigan, since if you're reading this far, you've likely read the MGoBlog season summary linked above. M has talent on the blueline, finally at forward and in goal. I'll keep the rest brief:

Defense vs ASU: This was Michigan's strength last year among skaters, though mostly b/c the wolverines didn't have the abundance of high level scorers they have now and had under Berenson for 30 years. Still, this team has been forced to learn to play solid defensive hockey the last two years under Mel Pearson, so I expect this to be a strength. ASU doesn't have top level NHL talent offensively, but they are an experience team who've won 20+ games the last two years. Cam York and Owen Power are first round NHL talents on the M blueline with size, strength and puck moving ability. I expect M to win this battle with the "but" being the possibility that the young M forwards might play too fast and lose with their defensive responsibilities.

KEY MATCHUP: Freshmen forwards for Michigan vs Their defensive responsibilities.

Offense vs ASU: The M forward corps have been jolted with NHL talent. Just listen to the podcast if you haven't already (shame on you if you haven't). ASU could be overwhelmed by the talent and M could score 5-6 goals. Or, the line shuffling may not synergize with the new paradigm of NHL talent and M could struggle. ASU isn't talented, but they do have expereince, especially on defense and in goal. I lean toward talent winning but it's early and we just don't know how the young guys for M will adapt to the college game.

KEY MATCHUP: Mel Pearson & Co. vs Finding the right line partners over the last two months of practice.

Special teams vs ASU: Michigan's talent (at least 5-6 current or eventual 1st round draft picks) should shine when on the PP and without going into a deep dive on ASU special teams, I'll assume they are good but not great. Noteably, the PK was a weakness for M when Mel began in A2 but the addition of AC Kris Mayotte from Providence led to an immediate boost to the results on the ice when M is down a man.

KEY MATCHUP: AHHHH YOU PUT IT THROUGH THE UPRIGHTS AND LIGHT THAT LAMP

Goaltending vs ASU: Michigan has B10 Goalie of the Year Strauss "Youda" Mann (1.85 GAA .939 SV%) between the pipes. ASU does not. Michigan also has a 3rd round draft pick on the bench in Erik Portillo, who I expect we'll see at on Sunday, though perhaps not this weekend.

KEY MATCHUP: Strauss Mann vs his neverending persuit of personal and professional perfection. Also Michigan vs Puck Luck (TM).

Loss will cause me to… Shrug and hope that an incredibily talented M team with 10 freshmen will come together a bit sooner than the Chiefs did in Slap Shot. This is a split-or-better weekend.

Win will cause me to…Shrug and hope that an incredibily talented DEATH STAR will come together a bit sooner than it took Director Krennic to build his version of the same.

The strictures and conventions of sportswriting compel me to predict: LOL, it's cawlidge hawkey. More talent >> less talent, I guesss? M has talentt at all positions, has been responsible defensively out of necessity the last 2 years and has an AA quality 'tender. ASU is a good, not great team but is more experienced. A split is not at all worrisome in the opening weekend vs ASU, in 2020, with 10 freshmen.

Finally, three opportunities for me to look stupid tomorrow night after game two:

• M gives up an odd man rush goal or two b/c the younguns make some whoopsies. The young guys also score plenty but not at the 15 goals/weekend clip the "X-Men" publicity may have you expect.
• Strauss Mann is who we thought he was, but Portillo gets a shot on Sunday so Mann gets rest before a short turnaround trip to Mad Town for a Thur-Fri opening B10 conf. pair next week.
• M wins 6-2, 5-3 in no particular order