Michigan Hockey: Ohio State -- Preview

Posted at 6:00pm — 1/16/2015

Michigan Wolverine Hockey: Ohio State — Preview

U-M Hockey Sweeps Gophers, Starts Eight Game Road Swing at OSU

What: #19 Michigan (12-7-0) (4-1-0) vs. Ohio State (7-10-2) (2-3-0)
Value City Ice Arena, Columbus — Fri 1/16 7:05 p.m.
TV/Radio: FSD+ / WTKA 1050 a.m. with Al Randall & Bill Trainor. www.mgoblue.com

Rewinding Last Week’s Action

The Maize and Blue Hockey team are still undefeated during the Jim Harbaugh regime. There, I worked in a reference to the hottest topic in Ann Arbor- in parallel of course to how Michigan hockey has suddenly turned a few heads also. Minnesota swaggered into town last weekend and staggered out after the Wolverines took down the reigning B1G Ten Champs 4-3 in overtime on Friday and 7-5 on Saturday afternoon. The Friday game featured a tight checking, yet entertaining affair. The high flying Gophers struck first on a rebound finish in the opening period and dominated the shot board.

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Michigan took charge in the middle stanza on a stretch pass-breakaway conversion by Associate Captain Zach Hyman- who single handily wrecked the Gophers all weekend. The Wolverines took the lead in the third period on a Dylan Larkin goal only to face down a five minute checking from behind major to Captain Andrew Copp just minutes after taking the lead. Minnesota capitalized on the PP, scoring twice to lead 3-2 with under eight minutes left.

Hyman again was instrumental in the tying goal, starting a play that culminated in Justin Selman’s first goal of the season with under five minutes to go- just after the Minnesota PP ended. In the OT session, Michigan never let the Gophers out of their end, with Hyman forcing the play deep. The Gophers collapsed down low and allowed the puck to squirt out to the high slot where freshman defender Cutler Martin snapped a low hard shot that beat All-Big Ten netminder Adam Wilcox just two minutes into OT to secure the comeback win.

On Saturday, Minnesota also opened the scoring early, but then fell victim to their own shoddy defense. The Wolverines scored four straight times (Travis Lynch, Copp, Hyman and JT Compher) to skate off with a 4-1 lead.

The Gophers took advantage of lax defensive play and crawled to 4-2 in the first half minute of the second period. Michigan stretched the lead to 5-2 on a Mike Downing tally that chased Wilcox. Minnesota struck back and ended the period down 5-3. Both teams traded goals in the third period- first Michigan, then Minnesota- for the final score. Hyman was the clear #1 star of the weekend and earned B1G Ten honors. Steve Racine earned his fifth victory in net on Friday and left in the second period on Saturday due to a minor toe injury- so Zach Nagelvoort was credited with his seventh win of the season. Michigan takes sole possession of first place in the conference with 12 points.

Profiling That Team Down South

The Wolverines renew acquaintances with the Buckeyes for the 122nd time in their history on Friday. Michigan holds a 76-33-12 advantage, including an 8-3 drubbing earlier this season at Yost arena. Michigan is 8-0-1 in their last nine versus the Buckeyes and is 10-2 in their last 12 games overall. OSU features a fair offense (2.74 GPG, 28th) versus Michigan’s potent 3.84 GPG (2nd) and less than sparkling defense (2.95 GPG, 42nd.) The Buckeye’s Achilles heel may be their defense (3.21 GPG, 48th) and more specifically their PK, which yields a 22.7% average (50th).

Combine that with Michigan’s 22.9% PP (9th) it is lethal. Alex Kile has scored six PPG’s for Michigan including two of the four PPG’s in the win earlier this season.

Look for Michigan to try to slow down these key offensive players for OSU: senior Tanner Fritz (6-7-13), sophomore Nick Schilkey (5-7-12), freshman Matt Weis (3-9-12), junior Anthony Greco (9-2-11), senior Matt Johnson (8-3-11), freshman Christian Lampasso (1-10-11) and senior Chad Niddery (2-8-10) who all are in double digits in scoring.

The defense is led by junior Sam Jardine (0-7-7), sophomore Drew Brevig (1-3-4) and senior Justin DaSilva (0-3-3). The goaltending has been split between a trio of sophomores, yet a pair, Matt Tompkins (4-5-1, 2.82 GAA, .890 Save %) and Christian Frey (3-5-1, 3.39 GAA, .908 Save %) have taken the bulk of the starts.

The Buckeyes are a Jekyll and Hyde type of team, with enough offensive boost to outscore opponents- including a shocking victory over Minnesota in the B1G Ten tournament semi-finals. They split a weekend series in State College last weekend and are capable of biting the Wolverines in front of a pack house of partisan fans.

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Wolverine Notes

-Senior Zach Hyman has now started to earn Hobey Baker talk, although the clear cut favorite is the sensational freshman forward at BU, Jack Eichel (10-21-31). Hyman (11-15-26) has scored in four straight games and has points in 8 of his last 9 games as well as leading the B1G Ten in scoring. He is tied for fifth in the country in scoring as well as adding three game winning tallies.

-Dylan Larkin, the freshman phenom and Detroit Red Wings draftee, is second in scoring (6-14-20) and potted 3G and 1A against Minnesota.

-Sophomore Tyler Motte (18), Copp (17), Kile (16), junior Boo Nieves (14), freshman defender Zach Werenski (13), Downing (12) Compher(12) and sophomore Max Shuart (10) lead the rest of the team in double digit scoring. Werenski is one of the top offensive defenseman in the B1G Ten.

-Nieves (0-7-7) and Copp (4-3-7) pace the Wolverines attack against OSU- each doing so in 6 career games.

-Nagelvoort (7-6-0, 2.83 GAA, .903 Save %) and Racine (5-1-0, 2.94 GAA, .912 Save %) are quietly getting their collective act together and are needed during the long road schedule the team has ahead.

-Michigan coach Red Berenson, always with a hint of sarcasm and humbleness, calmly acknowledged the fans and media last Saturday after winning his 800th game behind the bench at Michigan. “You guys won’t let me forget” speaking of the record, along with a snappy “for you guys keeping count”, trying to downplay the achievement. In fairness, he did say that the hardest thing to swallow were the nearing 400 losses along the way. ‘You never get used to accepting defeat. It eats at you, especially for the kids.”

-The Wolverines next home game will be 2/22 against OSU after playing games at OSU, Wisconsin, against MSU and at Minnesota.

-Michigan climbed back into the USCHO polls, checking in at 19th, the same pairwise rankings position they hold. Minnesota is the lone B1G Ten team in the top 16, the criteria for making the NCAA tournament. The Gophers slipped to T15th, technically a bubble position.

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Written by GBMWolverine Staff — Yostmeister

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