Michigan Wolverine Hockey: University of New Hampshire — Preview
Posted at 5:45am — 10/17/2014
Michigan Wolverine Hockey: University of New Hampshire — Preview
Maize & Blue Icers Fall At Ferris 4-3, Prep For Hockey East’s UNH
What: #8 Michigan vs. #19 New Hampshire, Yost Ice Arena, Fri/Sat October 17-18, 7:30 p.m.
TV/Radio: None / WTKA 1050 a.m. with Al Randall & Bill Trainor. www.mgoblue.com
Rewinding The Action:
The Wolverines opened the regular season by dropping a 4-3 decision to Ferris State on 10/4. Michigan surrendered two goals in the first 1:03 of the contest- one on a bad defensive pairing line change (resulting in a breakaway at: 27) and the other on a failed defensive zone clear. The Bulldogs added a PP goal late in the period on another partial breakaway.
The Maize & Blue responded much better in the next period, basically controlling the play which resulted in a goal by Tyler Motte just: 10 into the period. The turning point of the game came later in the period when Michigan was pressing on a PP and Motte was stoned in the crease by his Hobey Baker candidate (goaltender) brother C.J. Motte. Ferris counter-attacked and, combined with shoddy defensive coverage, put the game away with a shorthanded goal. The Wolverines added an early third period goal by Travis Lynch followed by an Evan Allen goal late in the game, but were foiled after that, ending the game with a PP and an extra attacker advantage. Zach Nagelvoort went the distance in net and was nominal in defeat.
Michigan also played two exhibition games the following week, hosting the USNDT (under 18) at Yost arena on 10/6. The Wolverines gave up an early goal in this contest, but stormed back for a 7-4 see-saw victory. Tyler Motte potted two goals and freshman Dylan Larkin scored his first two goals in a Michigan uniform. Nagelvoort played the first two periods and seemed a bit rattled. Steve Racine gave up a goal in his first appearance, early in the third period.
The Wolverines also hosted Canadian university Wilfrid Laurier last Thursday, 10/9. Michigan jumped all over their visitors with a 4-0 lead on two goals by freshman defenseman Zach Werenski along with a goal and two assists from Larkin. Defenseman Kevin Lohan scored his first ever goal as a Wolverine. Laurier cut the lead to 4-2 on a couple of poor turnovers in the second period, just over a minute apart. Michigan iced the game with an empty netter for a 5-2 final. Nagelvoort and Racine split time once again in goal.
Head coach Dick Umile’s New Hampshire squad is undergoing a bit of a transition this season from an experienced squad to a team stocked with ten freshmen. Last year’s addition was a disappointing 22-18-1 (4th in the HEA), including a tie and an overtime loss to Michigan up in New England. The roster saw three veteran defensemen depart including would be senior Trevor Van Riemsdyk as well as scoring forwards Kevin Goumas and Nick Sorkin who provided the bulk of the offense for the Cats.
The biggest loss though appears to be returning senior netminder Casey DeSmith who is suspended for the first semester due to a pending legal issue related to domestic violence. UNH’s back up goaltenders are presumed starter freshman Adam Clark (6’5”, 220 lbs, 0-1-0, 3.00 GAA, .875 save %) or junior Jamie Regan. Clark started and lost the only regular season game that UNH has played, a 3-1 loss at defending national champion, Union.
Both saw time in the Wildcats opening exhibition 2-0 loss at home to Canadian university St. Francis Xavier.
The offense now rests on the shoulders of senior captain Matt Willows (1-0-1 this season) and senior alternate captain Grayson Downing (0-1-1). Junior Dan Corriele (0-1-1) also skates on the top line. The remainder of the forwards is well represented with seniors Jay Camper and alternate captain Casey Thrush along with juniors Maxim Gaudreault, Jamie Hill, Collin MacDonald and Kyle Smith. Two sophomores and five freshmen round out the forwards. The defense is really the area with the least game experience. Returning junior and All-HEA defensive candidate Brett Pesce is the anchor along with senior Ryan Randall, junior Harry Quast and two sophomores: Matias Cleland and Dylan Maller. Freshmen Richard Boyd, Dylan Chanter, John Furgele and Cameron Marks will battle for a top six position.
The Wildcats are expected to be competitive on the strength of the hard forechecking style and speed that Umile brings in. The offense is going to have to come along at the expense of a non-descript blueline corps that usually is a big part of UNH’s attack. For instance, in the Union game the offense got on the board first, but surrender the next three goals- all in the middle period- including two shorthanded tallies. They fired 34 shots at the Union netminder after needing to open up their offense.
Hockey East is expected to be the deepest conference in college hockey this season and UNH may get caught up in the jet wash of programs like BU, BC, Providence and UML. Most prognostications list the Cats as a 7th or 8th place team with the capability to stay in most of their games. The loss of DeSmith is a huge blow but may play dividends later in the season and next year. For now though, the Cats are a team searching for an identity among some of the most talented teams in the country.
– The Wolverines are a bit banged up after the string of three games in a week. Andrew Copp sat out the exhibitions after taking a hard hit in the Ferris game. Andrew Sinelli was forced to leave the Wilfrid Laurier game and is nursing a sore hand. Michael Downing left the USNDT game after blocking a shot and didn’t appear in the next exhibition. JT Compher sat out the final exhibition and Tony Calderone has yet to see action while tending to a sore groin. Zach Werenski also had to leave the Wilfrid Laurier game due to an undisclosed injury.
– Freshmen Nik Porikos, Cutler Martin and Sam Piazza saw their first action in the exhibition games.
– The Wolverines hit the road for the next four games following this weekend, continuing the B1G Ten-Hockey East Showdown at UMass-Lowell and at Boston University. The Showdown is now an annual affair mimicking the similar B1G Ten-ACC basketball competition. A select number of match-ups are chosen between the conferences and the conference winning the most points gets to take bragging rights.
– Michigan will then head up to Houghton to take on Mel Pearson’s Michigan Tech Huskies on October 31st and November 1st
– Goaltending woes: Michigan’s Zach Nagelvoort has given up goals in the first minute of each of the first two games this season (including the exhibition) and Steve Racine yielded a goal in the first minute of action he saw this exhibition season. Overall, both appear to be lacking the cohesion with their defense that they had early on last season. Nagelvoort is sporting a less than impressive 4.08 GAA and a .871 save percentage in the one official game against FSU. Both appeared much sharper in their last outing.
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Written by GBMWolverine Staff — Yostmeister
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