Matt Rust
deserves an apology from me. I was very critical of him earlier in the year and whether I was wrong to do so then or if he stepped it up the last several weeks, he was an absolutely integral part of getting Michigan to within an OT goal of the national title. He didn't put up the hugest numbers, though his assists were pretty good, but he was instrumental in the team's defense. He was huge in shutting down three of the best (and hottest!) PP's in the country during the tourney run, to the tune of the PK allowing 1 (yes, the CC goal was (luckily) technically a PP goal, but their guy wasn't in the play yet, so it was basically even strength) and did an absolutely incredible job not only shutting down the other team's best players and lines and 3 of the most potent lines in the country but his line actually outscored two of the best lines in the country, 2-0 in the Frozen Four. Coming into this year, I thought Rust was probably the best defensive forward in the country, I lost that belief somewhere in the middle of the season, but it's back with full force now.
I know Brian said something similar to all that a few times in his previews/recaps, but I wanted to reiterate, because I was very wrong. So here's to Matt Rust, who is probably the best defensive forward in the country and the most underrated (despite the recent hype he's gotten) player on Michigan's team and one of the most underrated in the country. I hope he has a long pro career, frustrating other team's forwards.
Dear Matt Rust,
I'm sorry. Thank you for proving me wrong and leading Michigan to the National Championship game. You will be sorely missed.
Sincerely,
Random Guy on the Internet
P.S. Your beard was consistently awesome.
April 11th, 2011 at 11:47 PM ^
The PK turned out to be the cornerstone of Michigan's long tournament run this year. No NC (sad panda) but at least we get to watch these guys DOMINATE in the NHL.
April 12th, 2011 at 12:00 AM ^
Word. They killed off two very good PP teams to finish out the Frozen Four.
It wasn't enough with the amount of penalties they took on Saturday, but still...
April 12th, 2011 at 12:21 AM ^
the amount of "penalties" they took on Saturday.
April 12th, 2011 at 12:26 AM ^
Wait what?
April 12th, 2011 at 12:34 AM ^
I saw a lot of flopping going down on Saturday from the UMD players. Some of the penalties looked real and some were just awful. Maybe you have a different opinion but I was very frustrated with the way the PPs were levied, and the way that most of them seemed to be against Michigan.
April 12th, 2011 at 12:37 AM ^
Haha I thought I had spelled it wrong at first, I was looking at it over and over.
No, I didn't see too much flopping. I did see some no-calls on M-D, but for the most part I thought the ones M took were penalties, and were dumb (with one exception).
April 12th, 2011 at 12:45 AM ^
M definitely had their share of dumb moments. I believe there was one boarding or holding call in the 3rd period that was clearly a case of the UMD player flopping like a puppet but offhand, I can't think of anything besides that one.
April 12th, 2011 at 12:53 AM ^
If you're talking about the holding call where the M-D player got around our last defenseman and the guy put his arm between the forwards stick and body and yanked his shoulder, I can attest to that not being a flop, having been on both ends of that equation. You go flying. Incidentally, that was the one good penalty I saw all game.
I've heard from some other former/current hockey players here that they thought there was more flopping than I did (the front page article mainly) so I'll take a closer look when I can, just to see if I was wrong. At this point it is looking like I missed at least a few flops; given the amount of Sierra Nevada and reisling I was consuming it wouldn't surprise me.
No, that was definitely a tackle. I was talking about the one that was called as I believe boarding where the Michigan player gave the UMD forward a little love tap and he fell like a ton of bricks and lay there for about 10 seconds before the whistle blew. It didn't help that the Michigan player was standing right on top of the guy; I think he might have been called for holding.
I busted out the box score and it looks like the one you're talking about was the boarding call. I somewhat remember this as being BS, but boarding is a completely subjective call in the first place. The only really obvious boarding calls are majors, the minors are basically a tool given to referees to control hitting 4-5 feet off the boards.
Thanks for the insight into hockey penalties. I'll try to be less of a homer when judging reffing in Michigan hockey games. It just seems like Michigan always gets the lion's share of penalties, especially as the season wears on. Remember playing at Miami?
Eh it's not so much being a homer as there being some legit complaints. Like I said, I've heard a few people who I know understand hockey very well tell me that there was more flopping than I remember. I'll take a look and let you know what I think UFR (get it? haha) if it comes up again. I could certainly be wrong about any of the flopping stuff.
Honestly I remember UND as having more calls go their way than M-D. Their goalie blatantly tripped an M player at a crossroads in the game while the ref sat on his ass and did nothing, for example. Miami was awful, as was Miami last year in the regional semifinal.
A note about boarding: the actual rule reads that a boarding penalty can be assessed for any contact that throws an opponent violently into the boards. Obviously there are cases when this isn't in question, like when some kid gets teed up five feet off the boards and goes in head first, but you can see where the subjectivity comes into play, especially when the entire point of checking is to violently remove the opposing player from the puck, usually along the boards.
I saw a lot of flopping. UMD realized the hockey east refs were calling a panzy ass east coast style game where if you breathed on another player you get sent to the box. Good for them playing to the refs preferred style.
April 12th, 2011 at 12:47 PM ^
April 11th, 2011 at 11:53 PM ^
he has an nhl future, IMO. he will be a 3rd/4th line regular and a penalty killing stallion. i can see him being like a darren helm, kris draper, drew miller type at worst. go wings, by the way.
April 12th, 2011 at 12:52 AM ^
what with this being a blog based in michigan
or the fact that the grinder/energy pk specialists you named all play for the wings
I don't understand the point of your comment. If you say that you just wanted people to see your avatar, then I have no qualms with that.
More of a Maltby, but yeah.
Absolutely. Malts had some offensive ability in his younger days, and I think Rust does too. So Maltby might be a better comparison. Him or Helm. Fast, pesky, and can bury it when given the opportunity.
I just got word from my sources that Rust has taken your name off his hit list. He accepts your apology.
What an uninformative thread title.
Anyone know if Rust or any of the other seniors other than Hagelin have signed their professional contracts and will be playing in the playoffs (NHL or AHL)?