New U-M Hockey Lines and Burlon out for NCAA Regional

Submitted by JustGoBlue on

Hagelin-Caporusso-Brown

Winnett-Rust-Glendening

Scooter-Lynch-Treais

Sparks-Moffatt-Rohrkemper (C)-DeBlois

http://michigan.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1204038

It sounds like the 4th line won't be getting much time at all.  Rohrkemper is for sure the center and the other 3 are fighting it out for 2 wing spots.  Moffatt is probably in for sure, he's adequate defensively, has decent size and doesn't take a ton of dumb penalties.  DeBlois vs. Sparks is tough, but not likely to matter too much, since they won't see much time regardless.  I would guess DeBlois, because he's better defensively, but maybe Sparks because he doesn't take as many penalties.

Obviously, the first line is the same.  The second line replaced Scooter with Winnett and put Scooter on the third line with Treais on wing and Lynch as center.  I'm not a big fan of the second line, Scooter was the only real offensive threat and now he's gone and I don't think Winnett is quite as solid as Scooter defensively either.  But we'll see what happens, Red is good at this. 

I know I said, quite a few times, that Red wasn't going to move either of this top 3 centers to accommodate Lynch a spot there.  I was wrong.  And looking at this, I'm really glad I was.  Lynch was really tearing it up as a center, he definitely needed more time, I just didn't expect any else to move for him, since the other three were generally quite good, too.  But thinking about it, moving Treais to wing makes a ton of sense, since Lynch is probably better at covering the extra defensive responsibilities and that will free Treais up a little bit more to create, which he sometimes does stunningly well.  With Scooter to finish, the line is certainly dangerous and good defensively, too with Scooter and Lynch.

Given my 'druthers, I think I'd like Sparks on the second line instead of Winnett.  He's not as good defensively and that makes the line kind of small, since Rust isn't that big.  But size isn't everything (BC has a line of all 5 foot 8 inchers and they never have any problems...) and Rust and Glendening are generally more than capable defensively. I'd like the play making and speed Sparks brings to give the line a little bit of bite.  Sparks is hot too, with something like 3 goals in the last 4 games.  Rust has the vision and passing to get Sparks some nice looks, with Glendening providing near-Novak levels of grit.  But that didn't happen, maybe Winnett will surprise us.  Red says that the play-offs are the time for un-sung heroes to step it up and Winnett's as good a candidate in that category as any.  It only takes a big goal or two for him to reward Red for all the faith Red's shown Winnett the last several years.

And Burlon is out for the whole regional, he didn't even travel.  The article makes it sound doubtful that he could even return for the Frozen Four, if we make it, in two weeks.  Poor kid.  He must be really sick and he's missing the best part of the season...

ChosenOne

March 24th, 2011 at 5:40 PM ^

cause Im not able to post a new topic, sorry about this but it should be a good topic to be discussed.

Ralph Nader wants to eliminate the athletic scholarship to "de-professionalize" college sports. He wants to go by the need base aid. This is a terrible idea, I have been screwed by this.  Not saying I need it when I truely do. But if someone wants to make a new topic on this that would sweet.

 

Link:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=6254572 

Wolverine318

March 24th, 2011 at 6:45 PM ^

we will see about moving scooter. I think red is just trying to get two offensive lines with the first and third lines. The second line is obviously our more strong defensive/grinding line. I kinda like the third line to matchup against UNO's second. Scooter's playmaking and AJ's wrister could give us mismatch. but idk, we will see. 

tiggs14

March 24th, 2011 at 9:43 PM ^

Love the chemistry the Glendenig-Rust-Vaughan line had during the regular season, but it looks like Red is going to go with a heavy dose of the front 3 lines in the tourney.  Whatever it takes to get through a stout West regional!  Go Blue!