Michigan Hockey: 2010-2011 First Half Report — Part 1

Posted at 8:00am — 12/28/2010

Michigan Hockey: 2010-2011 First Half Report — Part 1

Rewinding Michigan’s Last Game Action:

The Wolverines defeated MSU 5-0 at The Big Chill held at Michigan Stadium on 12/11 before a record setting crowd of 113, 411. Shawn Hunwick stopped 34 shots in route to his first shutout this season. Carl Hagelin scored twice and added an assist, and Freshman defenseman Jon Merrill scored the first two goals of the game to pace Michigan’s offense. Matt Rust also added three assists in one of his better games this season. Junior defenseman Brandon Burlon also added two assists, as did Senior blueliner Chad Langlais. Michigan used three power play tallies to power past the Spartans. Michigan’s defense contributed six points on the afternoon to hold onto their top five spot in the country in blueline scoring.

Senior netminder Bryan Hogan was to have started the game but pulled up lame in warm-ups due to what has now been reported as a torn groin tendon. He’ll have to sit for the next 6-8 weeks to allow it to heal- the very same injury that sidelined Hogan at the end of the 2009-10 campaign. Shawn Hunwick jumped into the game with thirty minutes notice and played solid. It looks like any goaltender controversy will have to be put on hold since Hunwick will be the guy to lead the team in the second half of the season. Hogan could potentially come back in the middle of February and get in some playing time prior to the CCHA playoffs.

Recapping The First Half:
Michigan opened the season ranked #2 in the country on the heels of a miracle run through the CCHA playoffs last March, and a tough double OT loss in the NCAA Midwest Regional Final against Miami, Ohio. The national media as well as the CCHA coaches picked Miami and Michigan to finish 1-2 in the conference preseason polls and expected Michigan’s Senior dominated lineup to pace a powerful offensive attack. Michigan started the season with a rare nonconference game (prior to any of their typical Canadian college exhibitions) and blew a 4-1 lead late in the second period to eventually eek out a 4-4 tie with lowly Mercyhurst. It was a good indicator of the type of erratic effort this team put out in the first weeks of the season, as the Maize and Blue struggled to sweep a down and out Bowling Green program, followed by a tremendous tilt at (now ranked) #2 UNH. Michigan scored three power play goals and took three leads, but could not hold on as the Cats came back and tied the Wolverines. UNH carried most of the play late and into OT, but both teams held on and skated off with a 3-3 tie.

Right behind this colossal battle was another tough series with (now ranked) #8 UNO. Nebraska-Omaha had struggled with Michigan throughout their ten year history in the CCHA, but moved on to the WCHA under new coach, Dean Blais. Coach Blais recruited well in his short time at UNO and brought in a big, fast and powerful squad. UNO wasted little time putting aside the unbalanced history with Michigan, spanking the Wolverines in the first game 4-2, and then getting run over by the home team 6-1 to split the series. UNO has now taken three of the past four meetings with Michigan.

Michigan then took on in-state rival and #20 ranked Ferris State for a home and home weekend, beginning up at Big Rapids. Ferris has always played Michigan tough in their home rink and led most of the evening. Michigan rallied with two third period goals- the second coming with just seconds on the clock- to take the game into OT. Ferris eventually won the extra point in a shootout in an affair that will go down as a tie for NCAA purposes. The next evening at Yost, Michigan earned a tight 3-2 victory on the strength of good goaltending and defense. The Wolverines then embarked on the toughest road trip of the season, up in Fairbanks, Alaska against yet another ranked team, as Alaska checked in at #14 in the country. Michigan’s Friday night woes continued, as Alaska blanked the Wolverines, 3-0. Michigan rebounded the next night and scored two odd third period goals to outdistance the Nanooks, 5-2.

The following weekend, #12 Notre Dame came calling to Yost. The Irish were an unknown quantity coming into the season, as several players graduated and other heralded underclassmen left the program. Never count out a Jeff Jackson led team, though, as the Irish defeated Michigan 3-1 in the first game. Michigan rebounded nicely in the second game 5-3 to split another series. The Irish showed that their young freshman class was quite good, with two of their players vying for league rookie honors this season.

Michigan entertained Lake Superior State next and swept the Lakers rather easily, routing the visitors 7-2 on Friday before outlasting the Lakers 3-2 on Saturday.

The Wolverines then traveled to Madison to face the #16 Badgers in the last College Hockey Showcase. Michigan led throughout the game but gave up an early third period power play goal to settle for a 4-4 overtime tie. Wisconsin’s defense had a hand in each goal and leads the country in blue line scoring. They also notched three power play goals and are top five in that category as well. Two days later Michigan visited #19 Minnesota and dropped an uninspiring 3-1 defeat in what had to be the most deflating, uncompetitive effort this season.

Michigan continued on with the Big Ten portion of their schedule and split a road series with Ohio State. The Wolverines held a slim one goal lead in the last ten minutes of the game, but gave up an extra attacker goal with: 10 left then lost in overtime. The following evening, Michigan came from behind to tie the Bucks in the third period, then scored a goal with less than four minutes to go to hang on to a 2-1 victory.
This was the fourth series in the past five that the teams have split, and continued Michigan’s poor execution on Friday night.

Michigan concluded the first half of the season with their best overall effort of the year at the Big Chill.

The #11 Wolverines finished the first half at 10-5-4 (9-3-1-0) good for second place in the CCHA, one point behind #12 Notre Dame and one point ahead of #6 Miami.

Part 2 later on today we will discuss “The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly”
Part 3 tomorrow we will discuss “The Second Half along with the GLI Preview”

Written by GBMWolverine Staff

Go Blue — Wear Maize!