GBMWolverine: MICHIGAN Hockey Looks to Leash The Ferris State Bulldogs
Posted at 4:00pm — 10/29/2010
GBMWolverine: MICHIGAN Hockey Looks to Leash The Ferris State Bulldogs
#4 MICHIGAN (3-1-2, 2-0-0) vs. Ferris State University (4-2-0, 1-1-0)
Friday 10/29 7:05 p.m. Ewigleben Arena, Big Rapids, Mi.
Saturday 10/30 7:35 p.m. Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Mi.
TV: Friday-None. Streamed on PPV Internet. Saturday-Comcast Local ch. 900
Tenacity Still Defines This Group
Coach Bob Daniels has held the reins at FSU for nineteen seasons and is excited about his core group of returning players for 2010-11. The Bulldogs, 3rd place finishers in the CCHA last season, took a roster hit offensively, but still packs a talented lineup. His team enters action against Michigan fresh off of a home split with Ohio State last weekend. Ferris defends its home ice as well as any team, finishing 15-3-2 last season, second only to Michigan’s previous opponent, Nebraska-Omaha. As a matter of fact, Michigan has dropped their last two games in Big Rapids, and is 4-2 against Ferris in the previous three seasons-3-0 at Yost. The teams split last season in a home and home series in January. Michigan leads the overall series, 62-28-3.
Not The Same Bite… But Still A Threat
Ferris was a legitimate threat in the CCHA last season, featuring a high powered group of forwards and stout defense. The Bulldogs lost key components such as CCHA points leader Cody Chupp and defenseman Matt Case, but return a senior laden team headlined by defenseman (Captain) Zach Redmond (3-3-6, +5) this season. Forwards Mike Embach (2-0-2), Nate Hennig (4-1-5, +3) and Todd Pococke (0-2-2, +4, 19 PIM’s) join Redmond in leading Ferris’ net attack. Stay at home defenseman Scott Wietecha anchors the blueline along with Junior Chad Billins (2-3-5, +4) and Junior Brett Wysopal (0-1-1). Goaltender Pat Nagle has gotten his senior season off in fine fashion, sporting a 4-1 record, a 1.60 GAA and a .932 save %. Look for contributions from the underclassmen as well, including sophomore forward Matt Kirzinger (1-2-3) and freshman Corey Kane (1-2-3).
More Disciplined Out of The Gate
I would typically warn fans that a series between these two teams usually results in a ton of penalty minutes, choppy play and tight checking. There is no love lost for the Wolverines especially in Big Rapids where Michigan has dropped their last two games indirectly due to undisciplined play. They lost last season in the last minute due to a late penalty call, and the previous year in overtime during 4×3 play. Ferris is usually no better, leading the NCAA annually in penalties and penalty minutes. So far this season, though, they have stuck to solid defensive hockey and timely goal scoring. Michigan should be the first real test though, as Ferris has split a road series with Alabama-Huntsville, swept lowly ECAC conference bottom feeder St. Lawrence, and split with a young, yet inexperienced Buckeye team. Ferris is ranked 19th in the country in scoring, tallying three goals per game while yielding an NCAA ninth best 2.2 goals against.
The biggest hole in their game so far is on special teams, which is scoring on 23% of their PP chances (13th) and holding a 77.8% PK (35th). It is a good thing that they are taking fewer penalties with those numbers, averaging 13.2 minutes per game (27th).
In contrast, Michigan is still scoring at 3.83 GF per game (12th), allowing 2.5 GA (18th). The special teams carried Michigan up until last weekend, where the Maize and Blue was mostly ineffective on the PP and yielded a couple PPG’s. Still, they rank 4th in the NCAA with a 28.6% PP conversion and a disappointing 84.6% PK, (15th) nationally. That would go hand and hand with their penalty minutes (23.2 per game) which is 2nd in the country.
It will be difficult to gage whether Ferris will be able to handle Michigan’s speed (compared to last season when they could) without taking more calls, or settle for a tight checking , hard hitting style that defines their typical home effort. Michigan would be wise not to put Ferris on the PP too much in what I figure to be a very low scoring affair in Big Rapids- their PP numbers are skewed higher at home. The opposite has been very much the case back at Yost, where Ferris’ discipline has usually led to Michigan jumping out to leads and never looking back. The Bulldogs will not blow out teams this season, but will rely on their strong defense and top two lines to supply enough offense to win games.
Wolverine Notes:
Louie Caporusso still tops Michigan’s offense with a 2-6-8 +4 mark. Luke Glendening continues to lead the team with a +6 rating. Carl Hagelin (2-4-6), d-man Brandon Burlon (2-3-5), Matt Rust 2-3-5, David Wohlberg (4-1-5) and Scooter Vaughn (4-1-5) pace what is a very balanced attack. D-man Jon Merrill 1-4-5 leads the freshmen in scoring. On the flip side, Chris Brown (1-1-2) has been extremely quiet. AJ Treais
(-2), Jacob Fallon (-1) Kevin Lynch (-2), Lee Moffie (-2) and Luke Moffatt (-3) need to step up their game in order to stay in the lineup. Lynch has been victimized on the top two lines and will most likely have more grace to work through his offensive dry spell- based on his work effort.
It was good to see Freshman Derek DeBlois earn his first multi-point game last Saturday, setting up both of Scooter Vaughn’s goals.
Look for Coach Berenson to continue the goalie rotation with Shawn Hunwick getting the call in Big Rapids and Bryan Hogan starting Saturday at Yost. Also look for more roster shakeups as Red enters players in the lineup based on their practice efforts as well as other trends- like the above +/- stats.
Keys To The Weekend:
1. The number one issue that I am identifying is discipline. Michigan’s failure last Friday was directly correlated to taking untimely penalties. They stayed clear of momentum sucking calls in Saturday’s victory.
2. Another factor – especially on the road- is grabbing an early lead. Goals may be at a premium in Big Rapids.
3. Start fast – finish fast. I have observed lapses in effort, especially due to momentum shifts, that has to be corrected, especially in the forwards back checking. Michigan will not outwork FSU on their home ice and cannot mail in any part of the game there, or at Yost. They do not have the type of talent to play 45 minutes a game and win against a still talented Ferris team.
4. Goaltending has been, for the most part, solid. Shawn Hunwick has to bounce back from a subpar performance (too many rebounds) against UNO, on the road. Bryan Hogan has been quietly putting together a couple of efforts that may make him the front runner for the rest of the season.
Yostmeister’s Prediction:
Friday – Michigan 3 Ferris 2 (OT)
Saturday – Michigan 5 Ferris 2
Written by GBMWolverine Staff
Go Blue — Wear Maize!