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Michigan Wolverine Hockey: Michigan at Minnesota Preview

By Eroc Wolverine

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Posted at 6:30pm — 2/13/2015

Michigan Wolverine Hockey: Michigan at Minnesota Preview

U-M Hockey Spanks Spartans In Chicago; Moves On To Pivotal Gopher Series
What: #12 Michigan (16-8-0) (8-2-0) vs. Minnesota (14-9-3) (5-2-3) Mariucci Ice Arena, Minneapolis
Fri 2/13 9:12 p.m. Sat 2/14 8:00 p.m.
TV/Radio: Friday: BTN / Saturday: FSD+ / WTKA 1050 a.m. with Al Randall & Bill Trainor. www.mgoblue.com

Rewinding Last Week’s Action

The Wolverines traveled to Chicago last Saturday night for the Hockey City Classic (a loose term considering that Chicago is NOT a hockey city after the abysmal turnout, and the fact that neither this game nor the earlier games were “classics”.) The game almost was cancelled due to poor ice conditions, but was played later into the night than most were willing to stay up and watch.

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Just the same and aside from my opinions on outdoor hockey venues, a game of great importance was played- and Michigan clearly was the better team most of the night in securing a 4-1 win. Mike Downing started things off for the Wolverines by launching a bomb from the left point just three minutes in for a 1-0 lead. Cutler Martin floated a seeing eye shot through traffic to give the Maize and Blue a 2-0 lead in the second period. Shortly thereafter, Andrew Copp found twine by batting the third rebound of his original shot through Jake Hildebrand.

Things tightened a bit early in the third period when the Spartans gathered a bad misplay by Zach Nagelvoort and scored to narrow the lead to 3-1. The Spartans carried the play to Michigan for most of the period but were put to rest once Justin Selman iced the game with an empty net goal. The victory game Michigan a two point lead in the B1G Ten race over Penn State. Minnesota has now climbed into 3rd place just three points back going into this weekend’s match-up in Minneapolis.

Profiling The Golden Gophers

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Minnesota has had its ups and downs this season- struggling on the road for the most part and dominating at home. They are coming off of a home sweep of OSU after winning and tying in Wisconsin. They have scratched their way into a precarious at-large position for the NCAA tournament as the 14th seed in the PWR and can’t afford to lose many more games down the stretch. Furthermore, Michigan comes into town- a team that swept them earlier at Yost and holds the top spot in the B1G Ten.

This weekend is huge to the Gophers- and may end any opportunity to catch Michigan even with a split. (Four games with a dangerous Penn State team still looms.) Home ice has been a place of solace- big and roomy with Olympic ice- and a house of horrors for Wolverine fans. This team is dangerous and has found its way a little bit. It all starts in net with junior Adam Wilcox (14-8-3, 2.62 GAA & .901 save %) who looked rather average the last time these high flying teams met.

The Gophers offense is led by senior forward Kyle Rau (9-17-26) along with junior defender Mike Reilly (4-24-28) and senior Travis Boyd (13-12-25) who probably has been the most consistent forward. Eleven players are in double digit scoring for Minnesota, but one big piece- sophomore forward Connor Reilly (11-5-16) will be missing with a knee injury. The Gopher defense must play better this weekend and I expect they will. This is a big test for Michigan also and taking any points this weekend may get them closer to their first regular season B1G Ten title.

The Gophers rank 6th (3.54) in scoring, 33rd in defense (2.65), 1st on the PP (29.13%) and 39th on the PK (79.8%). They are in the middle of the pack for taking penalties (12.08 MPG). The lesson: don’t take penalties against them and play a lock down road type style to be successful. They will give up goals unless Wilcox is on his game.

Wolverine Notes

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    • -Senior Zach Hyman is 7th overall in NCAA scoring (16-21-37) but has slumped a little the last two outings earning only one assist. Freshman phenom Dylan Larkin (10-21-31) also stalled against MSU, potting the only goal in the JLA loss two weekends ago. Captain Andrew Copp (13-11-24) was dynamite in both games against the Spartans and scored the backbreaking goal last Saturday. Sophomore Tyler Motte has quietly earned 24 points also this season (7-17-24). Overall, 13 Wolverines have double digit point totals including four defensemen: Mike Downing (5-13-18), Zach Werenski (5-13-18), Cutler Martin (4-6-10) and Kevin Lohan (2-8-10.)

    – Zach Nagelvoort (10-7-0, 2.42 GAA, .914 save %) appears to have won Coach Berenson’s confidence and will be the probable starter in goal. Steve Racine (6-1-0, 3.64 GAA, .892 save %) hasn’t played well since the GLI, although he was in net in both starts against Minnesota at Yost.

    -The Wolverines are #1 in scoring (4.21) #4 in PP (24.14%), yet are 40th in defense (2.88) and 38th in PK (80.5%). They are ranked 36th /59 NCAA teams in PIMs with an average of 10.88 per game.

    -Black Aces: Forwards Evan Allen (7) and Alex Talcott (5) along with defenders Sam Piazza (8) and Mike Chiasson (10) have played the least games this season.

    -Michigan finishes up their massive road journey after this weekend, traveling for a single game at OSU next Friday before finally playing their first home game since January next Sunday against the Buckeyes. Michigan is 4-1-0 on the eight game swing so far and is at the midpoint of the B1G Ten conference schedule, going 8-2-0. Another 8-2 record to finish the regular season may earn them the B1G Ten Title and solidify an at-large spot in the NCAA tourney with the B1G Ten tourney pending in March at JLA.

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    Written by GBMWolverine Staff — Yostmeister

    Go Blue — Wear Maize!


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