GBMWolverine: Michigan Hockey — First Half Recap and Analysis — Part I

Posted at 6:00pm — 12/19/2011

GBMWolverine: Michigan Hockey — First Half Recap and Analysis — Part I

Seeks New Start After Rough First Half
The Michigan hockey team is talented. I don’t want anyone to discount that fact. But the first half of the 2011-12 season was less than memorable for many of the Yost faithful. Let’s take a look at the first half and examine what they have to do in the second half for another crack at an NCAA berth.

Michigan began the season fresh off of a national title run that ended in bitter overtime defeat. Along with that was the departure of a highly skilled group of seniors and at least one junior from the national runner-ups. Also gone was a valuable member of the coaching staff who decided to take a head coaching position. In came a former Wolverine star to assume those duties. Four holdover seniors took the reins over a young but skilled team that featured eight freshmen. The fresh faces immediately made their impact as rookie forwards Zach Hyman and Travis Lynch broke out against opening game foe, Niagara. Fellow freshman Phil DiGiuseppe became an instant fan favorite also demonstrating his speed and skill over outmatched Bentley. The defense, featuring two freshmen, held up nicely. The Wolverines jumped out of the gate with a 4-0 start after lighting up St. Lawrence with ten goals. It appeared to be business as usual on State Street. The one noticeable absence was returning sophomore Jon Merrill, who apparently had gotten into serious trouble violating team rules. So far, though, all was well on the ice.

Michigan’s three week home break-in period last October was a mixed blessing. It gave the Wolverines a chance to initiate the freshmen into the rigors of division I hockey and settle into their studies. The downside was that it all came too easy against soft opponents. Michigan would hit the road for the first time against NMU, a team that was always difficult to face in Marquette. The Wolverines got slapped around, losing the first night after veteran fifth year senior captain Shawn Hunwick melted down and was tossed for throwing a punch at an opponent. Back up net-minder Adam Janecyk inherited the duties and played admirably, but gave up soft goals in a loss. Michigan went on to earn a shoot out win the next night- but clearly showed that its lofty ranking and high degree of confidence would be challenged.

The Wolverines returned home and made quick work of another ranked conference foe, sweeping Ferris State. WMU, another up and coming ranked CCHA team, followed the Bulldogs into Yost and split two highly contested games with the Wolverines. Cracks were beginning to appear in Michigan’s veneer, though, as the Broncos physical style wore down the young defense. Michigan was 7-2-1 at this point. They had played eight of the first ten games at home. They had gotten unexpected offensive contributions from unknown freshmen and by a junior class that carried most of the anticipated firepower. They were ranked in the top five in offense, and defense. The bottom was about to fall out, though as teams identified and took advantage of Wolverine weaknesses.

Michigan traveled to face their biggest nemesis in the past few seasons, the Miami Redhawks. This is where the psyche of the Wolverines got damaged. Miami was wobbling off a terrible start after being heralded as one of two CCHA teams that were expected to compete for the national title (the other being Notre Dame.) The Redhawks jumped on the Wolverines early and never succumbed in the first game. The MO on the Wolverines now was to hit them hard and often and pressure their defense. Michigan came out a different team the next night, but coughed up an early two goal lead and had to score a fluky late goal to earn a tie, followed by a shootout loss. The mistakes mounted as archrival Ohio came to Yost- a team as young as Michigan- but was playing lights out. They did something that no OSU team had done in 25 years- swept Michigan at Yost.

The tailspin continued as two nondescript but talented teams from the east came in over Thanksgiving and swept Michigan convincingly. The Wolverines were a mess defensively, could not kill penalties and suddenly couldn’t hold leads or score key goals. Incredibly Michigan was 1-6-1 in their last eight games and faced a long, cold and difficult trip to Alaska. Things didn’t go any better in game one, as the Wolverines lost for the fifth straight time. Finally, it took freshman forward Alex Guptill’s fluke OT winner to end the string. The Wolverines returned home and faced in state rival MSU in a home and home series. Michigan looked much more confident in defeating the Spartans 4-3 before tying and losing a shootout the next night. The bleeding had stopped, but the season was still on life support heading into the break. Michigan rests in 8th place, 13 points behind 1st place and three points out of fifth place, the last first round bye slot. 9th place Miami is one point behind Michigan.

Tomorrow GBMWolverine will talk about in the second part of GBMWolverine: Michigan Hockey — First Half Recap and Analysis — Part II — “What does this mean”, “What Do They Have To Do To Accomplish This” and “Did They Do ANYTHING Well?”

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Written by GBMWolverine Staff — YostMeister

Go Blue — Wear Maize!