GBMW: Michigan Hockey — Bowling Green at Michigan — Preview
Bowling Green at Michigan
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GBMW: Michigan Hockey — Bowling Green at Michigan — Preview
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#16 MICHIGAN (4-6-0, 2-4-0) 10th in the CCHA
Bowling Green State University (1-8-1, 1-4-1) 11th in the CCHA
Friday 11/20/09 7:35 p.m. Yost Ice Arena and
Saturday 11/21/ 09 7:05 p.m. Lucas County Arena, Toledo, Ohio
Falcon Facts:
Bowling Green is an original CCHA member, (’69-70) with a 40-year history. The program has won 7 CCHA regular season titles and 5 CCHA tourney titles. They are also credited with 9 NCAA appearances and 1 National Championship (1984). BG Hockey is undergoing turmoil as the program is in jeopardy of being folded by the university administration. Interim coach Dennis Williams took over earlier this year after Scott Paluch resigned. The university gave a reprieve to the program and is evaluating the continued funding and support for Falcon hockey.
Last season the Falcons finished 12-24-3 / 8-19-1 in the CCHA (12th). They bowed out to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the first round of the CCHA conference tournament.
This year’s team features 17 returning letter winners and 10 freshmen.
The Falcons have struggled out of the gate, dropping non- conference series to Minnesota State and Providence. In conference play, the play has picked up as the Falcons split a road series with UNO (winning a shootout), while dropping a pair to a surprising Ferris State squad. Last weekend, BG split a home series with the Alaska Nanooks, winning Friday, 3-1, and losing Saturday, 5-3.
Players to look for:
The Falcons are led by the top line of Sr. Kai Kantola, (6’1” 190), Jr. David Solway, and Fr. Phenom, Jordan Samuels-Thomas (6’2” 190). This line is big, strong and quick, and has accounted for 5 of BG’s 8 goals in the Falcons last three games, including 4 goals and 5 assists against UA. Sr. Thomas Petruska (2 G, 6 A) has also contributed to the BG offense. Samuels-Thomas leads the Falcons in scoring with 5 G and 5 A, and has scored at least one point in the last six games. He is one of five players that lead the CCHA, with a conference high five goals (along with U-M Freshman forward Chris Brown) and was awarded the CCHA’s Rookie of the Week designation for his play last weekend.
On defense, Sr. Kyle Page and Jr. Andy Krelove lead BG. Goaltending has been split this season, but Jr. Nick Eno has the majority of the minutes between the pipes. The Buffalo Sabres draft choice is (in conference) 1-2 this season with a 2.67 GAA and a .916 save %. He is backed up by Fr. Andrew Hammond, who is 0-2-1 on the season, with a 3.74 GAA and a .897 save %.
Comments from the Coach:
Coach Williams mentioned in his media notes that he would like to see his team’s secondary scoring pick up and that the defensive play has really started to reflect a commitment to the system. He wants to see his team give no space to Michigan. The Falcons are at their best when they force turnovers from a patient and effective forecheck. He has really been pleased with the play of David Solway, who is returning from a pretty serious knee injury. Coach Williams referred to the diminutive center as a “little Chihuahua ” because of his style of play between the two big wingers.
Wolverine Notes:
Michigan’s record marks the first time in 23 years that the program has been under .500 through the first ten games. The current losing string is the longest since the 05-06 campaign. The current ranking is the lowest since the 1999-00 season ended.
The Wolverines elected Carl Hagelin and Luke Glendening as Alternate Captains.
Should I re-hash the last two weekends? Uh, no, I better not. The stats are already too ugly to talk about. Besides, if you don’t know what happened against MSU, then you have been living under a rock.
(The Really) Offensive Numbers:
Michigan has only scored four goals in their last four games, albeit against top ranked Miami and #6 MSU, but just the same, the offensive output has been dismal, recording only 25 total goals in ten games this season.
Coach Berenson, in an effort to shake up the offense, has juggled the top two lines. Matt Rust (4 G, 5 A) will now be with Hagelin (4G, 4A) and Chris Brown (5G, 3A) on the top line. Louie Caporusso (1G, 3 A) will now team with center David Wohlberg (1 G, 3 A) and Fr. A.J Treais (1 G, 0 A) on the second line. Nine goals are credited to the remainder of the roster, including our defense.
Berenson on the move: “I put Treais with Caporusso because A.J. is really good with the puck and I think he can make plays to Louie. Wohlberg and Caporusso had a good history last year, but they both got off to slow starts this year. Now we’re putting them back together and hopefully they’re ready to take off.” Louie also commented on how there is a fine line between winning and losing and that the team is still trying to get back on track.
Penalties! Penalties! Penalties!
Well, aside from the Wolverines’ anemic scoring, the team discipline has been less than stellar so far this season.
Check out these penalty figures:
Llewellyn … 11-33
Brown … 8-27
Wohlberg … 6-20
Langlais … 6-20
Kampfer … 5-18
Summers … 6-12
Hagelin … 6-12
Lebler … 5-10
That is way too many penalties for experienced guys (except for Brown) that should be leading the team on the ice, not to the box. And just so you don’t think I am too off base, let me add that Michigan (NOT Ferris State) leads the CCHA with 143 penalty minutes (conference play only). You can’t score; check that, you can’t win playing like that.
Other Relevant Conference Statistics:
Scoring Offense: Michigan 5th @ 2.5 GPG … BG 9th @ 2.17 GPG
Scoring Defense: Michigan 9th @ 2.83 GPG … BG 11th @ 3.33 GPG
PIM: Michigan 143 (#1) 23.8 MPG … BG 103 (#4) 17.2 MPG
PP: Michigan 12th 8.3% … BG 11th 12.1%
PK: Michigan 1st 92.1% … BG 11th 75%
Goaltending:
Hogan 2-4, 17 GA 2.85 GAA, .885 SV% (17th) – Eno 1-2, 9 GA 2.67 GAA, .916 SV% (10th)
Last season head to head:
Michigan dropped a 3-0 decision to BG at home on 11/16/09 in what was probably one of their most disappointing regular season performances of the year. Michigan rebounded to post a narrow 1-0 victory in BG the following evening, thanks to a late second period goal by Chad Langlais.
Keys to the match up:
1) Score first and often. BG’s strength is keeping teams close, forcing turnovers and making their opponent play a come from behind, plodding, dump-in style game. They are not a good come from behind team, although they did come back from 3-0 against Alaska last Saturday to make that game interesting. Louie, it’s time to relieve some of the pressure and go out and have some fun.
2) Stay out of the penalty box. Similarly, BG doesn’t have strong special teams, so force them to take penalties in order to keep their top guns on the bench. Michigan may even find that bonus PP goal, too.
3) Limit the turnovers. Michigan has been serving them up regularly this season, and it was the primary reason that BG beat them last season. Stay patient, my friends.
4) Hogan needs to step up. He is averaging (IMO) at least one soft goal a game and has to start controlling his rebounds better. He also needs to close that enormous five hole he has been sporting.
5) Stop the BG top line. For goodness sakes, they have 60% of their offensive production, and, considering how anemic Michigan ’s offense is, they cannot afford to let that line go off on them.
Prediction:
Friday at Yost … Michigan 4 BG 2
Saturday at Toledo … Michigan 3 BG 2 (OT)
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Written by GBMW — Yostmeister
