U-M Hockey vs PSU in NY Sat Open Thread

Submitted by I Bleed Maize N Blue on January 26th, 2019 at 6:21 PM

With Norris out U-M withstood 15 shots in 1st period on Th. 2nd period was bonkers, as U-M got the 1st goal, then #2-4 came within 92 seconds! Change of venue to Madison Square Garden. This game will probably be different, but the hard work and shot blocking need to continue, and hopefully U-M will keep putting pucks inna net.

Time: 7PM ET

Watch: BTN   (No way! Way!)

Listen: MGoBlue Audio

Let's Go Blue!

 

Fri night scorefests: @MN 9, WI 4; @ND 6, FYS 3.

Pairwisewise: OSU in 6th, ND 12th, PSU at 20th, MN 22nd, U-M 24th

BT pts/GP: OSU 29/14, MN 24/15, ND 23/14, U-M 21/14, FYS 19/15, PSU 17/15, WI 17/13

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stephenrjking

January 26th, 2019 at 9:07 PM ^

Blaming Lavigne would be the wrong response today. It is, however, fair to suggest that he didn't play in a way that bailed his teammates out. That's fine, it's not what he is.

Sitting a goalie in that sort of situation is just a good practice. It's tough on the goalies when things go wrong, and sometimes the team needs a kick in the pants.

Remember, Patrick Roy demanded to be traded from Montreal because he got hung out to dry against the Red Wings, not because he got pulled too soon.

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20143524

stephenrjking

January 26th, 2019 at 9:05 PM ^

I hate this. Hughes is such a gifted player. Physical talents you rarely see in college; some of the things he does are things I've never seen any guy at Michigan do.

But he's also completely irresponsible in his own zone. 

And it's getting to the point where you KNOW he's been told about this. He's just doing it. Maybe it's who he is; fine, Vancouver is going to lock in him the AHL for a year basically telling him to stop trying to win the game on his own.

So, at this point, I worry about the locker room. On Michigan's first PP, at one point Hughes had the puck in Michigan's zone and the breakout consisted of him trying to deke his way through HIS OWN TEAMMATES on his way up the ice. I understand his idea -- explode down the ice, set up, and use his abilities to find guys. He's not trying to throw the game. But he is playing such a hero-oriented game that it can't not be frustrating for the teammates.

I have no problem whatsoever with his stated desire to follow Vancouver's plan for his career and sign whenever they ask him to (we all know it's after this year, and it's good that we know) but he is doing things that suggest that he might not care that much about the way the team he's currently playing for is playing together on the ice.

It's just tough to watch. 

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20143524

mfan_in_ohio

January 26th, 2019 at 9:30 PM ^

It's notable to me that he has the third-worst plus-minus on the entire team.  I get that he's on the ice a lot, which will amplify that stat, but every time I see a game on tv (apart from the Notre Dame game, when he wasn't playing) I see at least one really awful Quinn Hughes turnover that leads to a prime scoring chance.  He's the opposite of the Incredibly Boring Safety that our football fans love.  As exciting as he is to watch, his stickhandling is resulting in better chances for our opponents than it is for us.  

I don't think it's unreasonable to ask if we're a better team without him right now.  

Joined: 01/26/2009

MGoPoints: 18189

stephenrjking

January 26th, 2019 at 10:00 PM ^

We lost our entire top scoring line. The Hughes return was big for us, despite his responsibility issues, but Michigan still has a hard time scoring this year, especially on the power play. And we've lost Norris, who was our most dangerous scorer.

There was a time in the spring when it looked like we might get Jack Hughes, keep Quinn Hughes, and also get Oliver Wahlstrom, a first-round type. Jack did not accelerate to enroll at Michigan, Wahlstrom didn't get in and went to BC, and the team has just never put together a full weekend.

I've never seen such consistent inconsistency. Splitting basically every weekend. It's astonishing. 

Honestly, this is the year I expected us to have last year. 

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20143524

I Bleed Maize N Blue

January 26th, 2019 at 10:13 PM ^

Team wasn't playing that well last season, until after the GLI. Lost a series to ND, but only 2-1 both games, which was better than they'd been playing. Swept MN then PSU, some wins & losses, then swept ND at the end of the season. They were on the bubble, finally getting in with some fortuitous losses elsewhere and a couple wins vs WI in the BTT.

Beat Northeastern then BU in the Mass. Invitational, but lost 4-3 to ND in the Frozen Four. So it ended better than it started.

Joined: 09/27/2008

MGoPoints: 58670

Monk

January 27th, 2019 at 8:40 PM ^

very frustrating, I thought this was the weekend they would get the elusive sweep in conference.  Maybe the MSU weekend since the second game is in Detroit.  Even a win and a tie would be fine since the big ten is pretty solid. 

Joined: 12/25/2008

MGoPoints: 952