GBMWolverine: Michigan Hockey -- Wolverine Icers Rest and Eagerly Away Return to Action

Posted at 6:00am — 1/31/2012

GBMWolverine: Michigan Hockey — Wolverine Icers Rest and Eagerly Away Return to Action

A question was posed to Coach Red Berenson about the bye on Michigan’s schedule this past weekend. He was asked if the time off is good or not considering that the Wolverines have rolled to an 8-2-2 mark since ending a lengthy winless skid in December. He wistfully remarked (and I paraphrase) that, well, it is good and bad. Good in the sense that injuries can heal and the team can focus on academics and maybe a quick trip to see family. Bad in the sense that, it seems as though players never want to stop playing when they are in a groove. I don’t think anyone watching the program closely can conclude that they are not playing well right now.

I didn’t have a chance to poll the team, but if I did I bet the break would be welcomed as a mixed blessing as their coach suggested. So, how did the team use the time off (as part of the oddity of an eleven team conference)? Coach Berenson gave the team some time off, but also focused practices based on an intramural type competition. Players were broken into two different groups and challenged each other to 3×3 games. Points were tabulated and added to a special skills competition mimicking the NHL’s activities.

(I won’t steal the thunder on the results provided by the fine hockey beat writers at the Michigan Daily. Please check out their work- it is excellent.) I will say this- the team relaxed, had a good time and dusted off a trophy that was initiated by a previous break several years ago. One of the tidbits that came out of the week was that defense-man Greg Pateryn took honors for the hardest shot competition.

The team also focused on two of their weakest areas statistically- that is the power play and the penalty kill.

Both are lingering in unfamiliar territory for Michigan and will be vital in order to move forward in the CCHA playoffs as well as the NCAA playoffs. The power play is of special concern with the team conversion at a dismal 15.9% (17/107) and is 9th in the CCHA. It did come alive last weekend in South Bend, as two PPG’s were the only offense generated in a 2-1 victory. The penalty kill on the other hand has been better, but still only ranks 26th in the nation and sits 8th in the CCHA at 82.6% (20/115).

One injury concern did come out of the week long competition. Senior forward David Wohlberg collided with a teammate earlier this week and did not practice the remainder of the week. He is favoring his right arm which is in a sling. More details will be available as the week progresses as to his availability next weekend against Miami. This would be a major blow to the momentum the Wolverines are building if Wohlberg is out of the lineup. Wohlberg has been terrific since he was joined with fellow teammates Chris Brown and Alex Gutptill to form the top scoring line. Matter of fact, since that line was formed, they have been involved in 60% of the scoring and continued that trend last weekend. Guptill scored twice in the two games.

Take a look at the impact that line has had:
Guptill (14-12-26) is currently 37th in scoring in the country, 21st in goals, but, as a freshman, sits 3rd in the CCHA and is tied for 4th overall in PPG’s in the conference. He leads the team in game winners, goals, points and power play goals. He is clearly one of the top candidates for CCHA rookie of the year. He also is not shy about using his big frame, as he has taken 29 minutes in penalties, third behind Brown (37) and Pateryn (36). His +15 rating is tied with Wohlberg for second on the team behind leader Lee Moffie (+18).

Wohlberg (11-14-25) is 8th in CCHA scoring and has been consistent in the past ten games. His speed and size compliment his wingers and his faceoff winning % is only behind Zach Hyman and AJ Treais.

Brown (9-16-25) is the big banger that also possesses an NHL quality shot. He is 2nd in CCHA goals and assists and carries a +12.

Losing Wohlberg for a considerable period would not only impact the offense, but the chemistry that this trio has formed.

What About The Rest Of The Team?
The offense is clipping along at a 3.4 GPG average (8th) and ranks #1 in the CCHA. But, I have concerns that the subsequent lines are not contributing as well as they were in the early season. Grant it, the competition has gotten tougher and Michigan has slowed their torrid scoring from the first fourteen games.

Michigan was 7-5-2 after 14 games and scored 56 goals (sure, ten of those were in one game) and yielded 33 goals against. In the next 14 games where Michigan went 8-4-2, the total goals scored has dropped down to 39 goals and yielded another 33 goals. Part of this is credited to a better emphasis on team defense and some of it is due to a definite lack of production from early contributors. (Team defense is 12th in the country at 2.36 GA and is 3rd in the CCHA-not bad, but certainly has to be better in lower scoring games like last weekend.)

Case in point:
Freshman Phil DiGiuseppe (8-8-16) had a terrific first half of the season and accumulated most of his points prior to the holiday break. He hasn’t scored a goal since the Alaska series twelve games ago and has only recorded two assists. Yes, he missed one game for the WJT Canadian team tryout, but that shouldn’t factor too much. PDG has to get it going on the second line. His +9 is solid, though, and he has been creating more chances with linemate AJ Treais- but needs to convert. His play to keep the puck in to set Treais’ GW PPG last Saturday was crucial.

Sophomore Luke Moffatt (4-6-10) appeared to be breaking out of his slump when he had a fabulous GLI, but hasn’t scored in the six games since then. The third line can use his punch again.

Junior Lindsay Sparks (5-8-13) scored all his goals in the first six games of the season and hasn’t found the net since. He has four assists since that hot streak, but also was taken from the lineup for his lack of defensive play. He missed nine games and was reinserted into the lineup last weekend only to go scoreless and to take a foolish misconduct during one of the many skirmishes with the Irish.

Junior Kevin Lynch (4-4-8) was never going to be looked at as a sniper, but he is capable of providing more offense on the third and fourth lines than what he has. He hasn’t hit the score sheet in six games. His biggest issues, though, were staying out of the penalty box and playing better defense without the puck. He has done that and has added some toughness on the forecheck.

If Michigan is going to advance in the playoffs, they will need these guys to get going. Sooner or later whether by injury, by better competition or simply by probability, the top line is going to slow down.

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Later today we will talk about Future expectations, The CCHA and how it Stack Up Against Other Conferences, and Next on Tap.

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Written by GBMWolverine Staff — YostMeister

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