U-M Hockey @ MN BTT Sat Open Thread
Welp. Game 1 just had to be an OT loss. Now it's win or go home.
Time: 5PM ET
Watch: FSD+
Listen: MGoBlue Audio
Let's Go Blue! Grill them gophers!
And stay out of the damn box!
Are you lost? Not enough couches in East Landfill? Why don’t you just go to your trailer and pull it over a cliff and don’t look back. Now that’s VICTORY!
You are the worst "fan" ever.
They NEED at least 2 before the end of the period at this rate...
Jeez.
The roof is caving in.
Now 4-0 Minnesota
...and now Cecconi goes to the box for roughing.
I'm disappointed but not shocked here. Michigan has been collapsing late, and giving up the game last night seems to have taken the wind out of the sails. And I thought that would be the case last night--the OT was a must-win, and that penalty (that was completely legit, and dumb to commit) seemed like the death-blow that it wound up being.
The team plays very well for significant stretches. They grind, they work. But they don't score enough (top-end scoring talent is missing), they make crucial mistakes (Quinn earned a lot of respect by owning up to his against PSU, but he wasn't the only one) and the goalies absolutely can't keep them in these games.
It sounds like a lot of problems. Really, though, a couple of real scorers to develop a real scoring line or two, a little more defensive discipline (they've got some good parts back there) and a goalie who can stay north of 90% and make the occasional bailout save, and this is a much different team.
The biggest, most glaring issue is goalie. Google “wolverines in the NHL.”
lots of defenders and wingers and centers. No goalies. Al Montoya is still playing in the ECHL I believe but really hasn’t been, and won’t ever, be, an NHL goalie. Goalie has been a massive hole in the program for over a decade. North of .900 is not good enough. Need a goalie who can be north of .925.
not sure if the issue is poor recruiting that position for almost 20 years or goalie coaching, but they need to fix this first and foremeost or they’re gonna languish in the B1G for a long time
Montoya was a goalie in the NHL for years. Not really a starter, mind you, but a capable rotation guy that could win games.
North of .900 isn't great, but "north" means "higher than" in my parlance, and right now neither of our goalies are capable of that, which has been a serious problem. North of .925 is a top ten goalie in college hockey, which would be great, but let's get clear of .900 first and see where we go from there. St. Cloud and UMD have goalies that post .907 and .913, respectively, and they will be #1 seeds this season. Michigan... does not have a goalie nearly that good.
Disappointing season, but this is one of the youngest teams in college hockey. Only 3 seniors leaving plus in all likelihood Hughes (and possibly Norris). 15 underclassmen (10 frosh and 5 sophomores) make up this roster.
It's unrealistic in today's college hockey to make the tournament EVERY single season. Power houses missing this year: BC, BU, Wisconsin, North Dakota (maybe).
Quit being babies. Mel is a good coach and has the program in a great direction.
Another Michigan power play comes and goes with no shots on goal.
We’ve seen that rerun before
And now the Goofphers goes PP. Holding on Van Wyhe
10 minutes left in the season. Still down 4-0
Goal, Winborg. 4-1 them.
And that's all she wrote.
Beat STAEE!
Wait til next year
Thanks for all the updates again this season IBMNB!
You are the MVP.
You're welcome. Wish there were a few more games to do.