power play

CLICK HERE for Game Recap from Kristy McNeil and other pertinent information and HERE for current Pairwise Rankings.

What just happened (TL;DR): Michigan and Michigan State played a back and forth game all evening, exchanging leads throughout. Michigan held leads of 1-0 and 3-2; MSU had leads of 2-1 and 4-3. While neither goalie was outstanding, Trey Augustine was better than Jacob Barczewski, and that proved to be the difference. There were a couple of controversial goal calls (or wave offs), making it a peak Big Ten game in the final Big Ten game of the season. Both teams were very good as it took almost 75 minutes to decide the final. I don’t hate either teams chances next weekend in NCAA Regionals.

FINAL CORSI NUMBERS (www.collegehockeynews.com)

Forward Notes.

-Michigan started the game with a bang, scoring a goal bright and early. They followed that up with another goal that was waved off goal goalie interference (a debatable decision). The Wolverines continued the onslaught peppering Spartan goalie Trey Augustine when not killing a penalty. Only getting that one goal to count early seemed to change the flow of the game, as MSU played better as the game moved along…with Michigan seemingly feeling a bit fortunate to get to overtime. Overtime was rather even with one goalie making one more save that the other. In the end, the game was about as close as it could be.

-Frank Nazar got his line on the scoresheet a couple of times at Munn on Saturday night. He finished off a very nice backhanded pass from Josh Eernisse from the boards. Nazar raced to the front of the net and elevated the centering pass over Trey Augustine to open the scoring. In the third, down a goal, Dylan Duke fired a shot from the point that Nazar was able to redirect into the net with his back skate. It was a bit of a fortunate bounce, but Frank had to get his foot in the right place originally. 

-The top line scored to make it 2-0, right after the first Nazar goal. Rutger McGroarty found and open Gavin Brindley in the slot who beat Trey Augustine. The goal was waved off due to Garrett Schifsky sending a defenseman into Augustine before the shot. It was reviewed and hotly debated if it was a shove or a position battle. Unfortunately for Michigan, it was ruled a shove and goaltender interference.

-More on this goal in the next section, but Philippe Lapointe made a very nice pass across the ice to Marshall Warren to set up his goal. Lapointe chipping in backs up the fourth line’s great offensive play last weekend in Minneapolis. He also had a very nice backhanded assist to Luca Fantilli on a goal that was waved off for offsides. Good to see Lapointe making a difference in the offensive zone down the stretch.

Defense Notes.

-Overall, I didn’t think the defense was bad at all. They faded a little bit in the third period and then in overtime, as the game kept going, forcing Barczewski to bail them out more than he had to in the first couple of periods. However, other than the first goal, it was hard to fault them for any of the goals. It would have been nice if someone had stepped out into Matt Basgall’s buzzer-beating rocket…but that seemed like a frustrated mental error after the absurdity of the third goal being reviewed and given. That’s slightly understandable.

-The one bad DZTO did come from Luca Fantilli. That was the first real scoring chance that MSU got all evening…over ten minutes into the game. He may have played after that, but I did not see him or notice him. (When college hockey has a naturalstattrick website that I can check TOI and shift times, let me know!) Luca has had an up and down season. He’s flashed some puck moving potential, but has also had his own gaffes in the defensive zone. He still seems a summer away from strong, consistent contributions.

-Marshall Warren had a Cale Makar-esque finish on the third Michigan goal. He reached out to catch the Lapointe pass. Then, he went forehand, backhand and ROOFED the shot over Augustine! Even Seamus Casey must have been like “Wha??” Warren has finally turned into the defenseman that Michigan had hoped he would be all season. He’s been very solid in his zone, on the puck, and is starting to finish some plays. That bodes really well going into Regionals.

CLICK HERE for Game Recap from Kristy McNeil and other pertinent information and HERE for current Pairwise Rankings.

What just happened (TL;DR): Michigan jumps all over Notre Dame in the first period gaining a 2-1 lead. They follow up their dominant period with a goofy period from goalie Jacob Barczewski. He gives up a couple of stinkers and a third one that he probably wants back. Down 4-2, the Wolverines claw back with a late second period tally, followed by a couple third period power play goals. Barczewski and the defense see the rest of the game out, holding the Irish to only four third period shots on goal. Garrett Schifsky has a goal and two assists. Seamus Casey had four assists. Rutger McGroarty scored a couple goals.

FINAL CORSI NUMBERS (www.collegehockeynews.com)

Forward Notes.

-Despite giving up a goal in the opening six minutes, Michigan blistered the Irish all first period, outshooting them 20-4. Peter joked that they wouldn’t even need the zamboni for the north end of the Yost ice. Ryan Bischel was the only reason the game wasn’t over after the opening frame. After a poorer second period offensively, the Wolverines once again dominated the puck and chances in the third period to see out the game.

-Garrett Schifsky and Dylan Duke bounced between a couple of different lines of Friday night. Schifsky had himself a night. He scored a goal late in the second period to get Michigan back within one. His assist on Rutger’s first goal was probably his slickest move of the evening. He took a pass from Gavin Brindley, skated through the slot to the back post before sliding the puck back to the front post where Rutger was waiting to finish. Garrett is up to 30 points in 35 games on the season.

-Rutger McGroarty and Gavin Brindley each recorded two points on Friday night. Michigan keeps ever so slightly tinkering with their top six skaters, swapping wingers game to game and at times within games. These are the two headliners of the forward corps, though. As postseason hockey heats up, you go as far as your stars can carry you. Friday night was a productive one for McGroarty and Brindley.

The Maestro Is Back (Bill Rapai)

Defense Notes.

-With the exception of a few instances in the second period, Michigan’s defense was very good all night…again, a weird thing to say after giving up four goals. However, they limited chances and shots in the first period. Luca Fantilli and Jacob Truscott did give a bit too much ground to Landon Slaggert on the Irish opening goal, but that was about it for remotely dangerous chances until midway in the second period. In the third, the Wolverine defense shut down the Irish, allowing just four shots on net.

-Seamus Casey is alive! After being MIA for the better part of February, Casey built on a three point night last Saturday evening with a four assist night on Friday at Yost. He assisted on Michigan’s final three goals, with the last power play assist being his best of the evening. The pass to Rutger’s tape could not have been placed more perfectly. The Seamus Casey scoring engine is so vital to Michigan’s offensive success.

-As previously stated, Michigan’s defense was particularly solid. The best part was that it was not just one guy or pair. Up and down the pairings, Michigan’s play with the puck in their own end didn’t fluctuate very much. Tyler Duke was very noticeable in the third period, though, making a handful of plays in his own zone to get the puck up and out.

CLICK HERE for Game Recap from Kristy McNeil and other pertinent information and HERE for current Pairwise Rankings.

What just happened (TL;DR): LOL. I can’t even. Michigan dominated 47 minutes of the game, holding a 4-1 lead. They then proceeded to give up 3 straight goals, score another at the end to take the lead, and finally cede one last time in the dying minutes to head to overtime. Seamus Casey opened and closed the scoring, garnering two goals and an assist on the evening. Gavin Brindley had two goals and two assists. Noah West had two of the best periods of his life, followed by one of the worst. In the end, Michigan wins in overtime a game they should have won (and maybe lost?) in regulation. I guess that’s progress?

FINAL CORSI NUMBERS (www.collegehockeynews.com)

Forward Notes.

-After looking lifeless at even strength on Friday night, Michigan came out on fire and dominated the first period, followed by most of the rest of the game. They pressed Minnesota from the drop, then back-checked well after obtaining a lead, and even added on in the third AND fought back to take the lead late. The Wolverines scored four even strength goals in different ways and pressured both Minnesota goalies all night.

-Gavin Brindley played with Dylan Duke and Rutger McGroarty. Brindley finished off a 3v3 rush after two deft passes from Dylan and Rutger to double Michigan’s lead early. He also scissored with Seamus Casey, popping out the opposite side, and firing a shot inside the far post from the slot. That was such a timely goal, as Michigan had given up a goal early in the third and the Gophers were building momentum and chances. Michigan needed a response from a star, and Gavin Brindley answered the call.

-Rutger McGroarty had himself quite a two minute stretch at the end of the third period. He grabbed a rebound off of a great shot by Jacob Truscott and lifted it over a down Nathan Airey to give Michigan a 5-4 lead with just 1:39 to go. Then, he fell asleep in the slot, allowing Luke Mittelstadt to sneak behind him for the second game-tying goal, robbing Michigan of a much needed regulation win. That has got to be the most extreme swing of emotion for one player in that short of a timespan all season. Rutger has been great for Michigan all year. That two minute stretch pretty much exemplifies the ride this season has been.

-TJ Hughes took maybe the silliest penalty all year for the Wolverines. Up 3-0 in the middle of the second period with the Gophers and their fans having zero life or jump, he cross-checked a guy from behind into the boards, earning himself an early trip to the showers and his team the only (seemingly, ha) way Minnesota was going to get back in the game…a major power play. Luckily, his teammates stepped up and bailed him out, but the question does wonder how the third plays out if Michigan has the services of one of their top two centers. That is just the situational awareness that the team in general has lacked. Regardless of if that play should have been a penalty, it was completely unnecessary.

-Mark Estapa has quietly been having himself an improved season. He got on the scoreboard, thanks to a goofy decision by normally sound Minnesota goal Justen Close. Close came out to play the puck and fired it straight to Kienan Draper. Draper sent the puck into the crease and Mark Estapa tallied, giving Michigan an not so insurmountable 3-0 lead.

Defense Notes.

-Honestly, Michigan’s defense was really, really good all night. They only allowed five shots on goal in the first period, just seventeen through two periods, and could not really be primarily faulted with any of the five (!) goals. Obviously, there are always things that could have been done better or plays anyone would want back, but Michigan pretty much kept their House and zone clean. While the third period got out of hand, this may have been the first time that I wasn’t complaining about really any defenseman’s play consistently.

-In 2010, Bryan Hogan got hurt in net, as Michigan season was falling apart around them. Walk-on Shawn Hunwick entered the net. Michigan’s team basically had a Come to Jesus moment, saying “EVERYONE…is defending HARD, tonight.” And…they did. They shut down Notre Dame, and won the game…followed by many more that season to preserve the Tournament Streak by winning the CCHA Tournament and even an NCAA Tournament game. It sorta felt like that tonight. Michigan’s skaters knew their starter was not available, and after last night’s lackluster performance, everyone to a man needed to up the ante and get the team to the finish line. And weirdly, even after checking the final scoreboard, they did…sans one forward on one play at the end of the game.

-Seamus Casey is ALIVE! After scoring in 22 of Michigan’s first 25 game, Casey has registered one point (a meaningless secondary assist) in his last eight games…until Saturday night. Casey looked much more like himself, skating, creating, and just pivoting away from guys, keeping the puck moving. He also hit the net twice on the power play and set up Gavin Brindley for his sweet snipe. This is the Seamus Casey Michigan will need for every game for the rest of the season.

-Jacob Truscott was very good on Saturday. Steve Holtz played fine. Luca Fantilli, Tyler Duke, and Marshall Warren all made plays and played very good defense. That is a very weird thing to say about a team that gave up five goals, but here we are!