There was just enough of this tonight [James Coller]

OFFENSE

Analysis: This was a similar output to the Notre Dame series, where Michigan jumped on ASU early and controlled most of the game until they got sloppy in the third period and took too many penalties. Just like their game last season, Michigan kept the puck and shot from everywhere on the ice.

They got deep in the House area early and finished three times in the first fifteen minutes. Sanchez scored off of a great pass from Marody that slid across the top of the crease. He also poked in a rebound a few minutes later to give Michigan the 2-1 lead. Michael Pastujov scored his fourth of the season on a rebound late in the first. Michigan tacked on a fourth in the second period after Warren circled the net and found Cecconi for a snipe from inside the dot. Michigan needed every bit of this…as we will get to the next couple of sections.

[After THE JUMP: unspecial teams]

No, don’t give him the puck [Coller]

DEFENSE

Analysis: The last few games I’ve been able to smile and rave about the defense as I’ve written this section. I’m not going to do that tonight. The Corsi number isn’t terrible and the House number is mostly fine. For me, though, it was the DZTOs and struggles with breakouts against a team vastly inferior talent-wise; Michigan has seven drafted skaters while Arizona State has zero.

A minute into the game, Luke Martin gave away a puck on a horrendous clear that led to the Ice Devils' first goal –a snipe the went just under the bar. He also had a bad turnover that led to his penalty. Michigan also struggled with getting the puck out–when they did, they were able to score- in the first period.

They sat back and struggled, taking more penalties, late in the third. An unchecked attacker was responsible for the third goal, just after the power play ended, late in the game. There weren’t a ton of chances for ASU, but Michigan gave them the good ones that they got. Maybe this will wake them up after locking down the Irish last weekend. Still have to show up and beat this team tomorrow night.

That’s probably a penalty, Jake. [Coller]

SPECIAL TEAMS

Analysis: I guess we have to talk about that. Michigan took seven penalties. Seven. Against a team that struggles to score and cannot keep the puck. Jake Slaker had four by himself. Just extremely sloppy. They also surrendered a shot/minute in fourteen minutes. They gave up two goals to a power play that was scoring at a 12% clip. This penalty kill can, and probably will, murder them at some point. I want to pawn this off on playing a bad team in a non-conference series that is hard to be motivated for after last weekend and before the Big Ten Tournament starts next weekend, but…this is not an outlier.

Michigan drew four power plays tonight. They also did not do much on them. If there is something for the Ice Devils to build on right now, it is their penalty kill. They’re pretty average. Michigan could only muster a half a shot/minute. I also do not remember a great chance to score on the man advantage that they just let get away.

Its honestly probably too late this year, but something needs to be done with Michigan’s special teams. It’s bad. They give up goals to everyone. Mostly because they sit super deep and let teams shoot from distance. Some get through traffic, some get deflected, some are unlucky. Regardless, they’re just getting torched week in and week out. At this point, the only thing to do is stay out of the box because everyone is cringing at every penalty at this point…

Not too bad tonight. A little lucky. And unlucky. [Coller]

GOALTENDING

Analysis: Hayden Lavigne was in net again, and he played well enough tonight. He had a few bobbles and drops, but I’m not going to pin any of the goals on him. He made a number of point-blank stops again, mostly on the power play. Honestly, there’s not a lot to talk about here. The defense give up some positions, and the Ice Devils hit some corners. The third goal was off of a rebound, but Lavigne made the original save through a ton of traffic, right at the end of the power play. We know what he is and tonight he was good enough.

ODD-MAN RUSHES

Analysis: Michigan only allowed a single OMR…I think. The Ice Devils got what seemed to be a 4v3 pretty early on in the game. After that, there wasn’t much to speak of at all.

Michigan generated a couple of OMRs. They had a 3v2 that amounted to nothing as the final pass went past Sanchez and into the corner. Tony Calderone got a breakaway in the second period and was stoned as he tried to go five-hole. That was all of the OMRs that I was able to see tonight. Michigan mostly shut it down after they were up 4-1, anyway.

FINAL CORSI NUMBERS

I had: Michigan 54(28), Arizona State 37(15)

www.collegehockeynews.com had: Michigan 53, Arizona State 37