Michigan Hockey: Wisconsin at Michigan Preview

Posted at 7:00pm — 2/27/2015

Michigan Wolverine Hockey: Wisconsin at Michigan Preview

U-M Icers At Season Crossroads After OSU Split; Badgers At Yost Next
What: #17 Michigan (17-11-0) (9-5-0) vs. Wisconsin (4-20-4) (2-10-2-2) Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor Fri 2/27 7:30 p.m. Sat 2/28 4:00 p.m.
TV/Radio: Friday: FSD+ / Saturday: Big Ten Network / WTKA 1050 a.m. with Al Randall & Bill Trainor. www.mgoblue.com

Rewinding Last Week’s Action

The Wolverines traveled to Columbus last Friday to finish up a marathon road schedule that took them away from Yost for 45 days. The trip started with a big win in Columbus, followed by a Wisconsin road sweep and a split with MSU- both on neutral ice. Minnesota expectedly swept Michigan- setting up a huge weekend last week. The Wolverines were bitten by their own defensive errors, sloppy defense and goaltending, falling 5-3 to the Buckeyes.

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On Sunday Michigan finally came home and sluggishly battled OSU through 30 minutes before pulling away for a tidy 5-2 win. Zach Hyman and Dylan Larkin battered the Bucks with four points apiece. The Friday loss did the most damage- not only yielding first place to Minnesota, but also dropping the Wolverines out of an at large position in the NCAA pairwise rankings. They currently sit 19th and need help to move up to at least a 4th seed at 14th or 15th- which still is on the bubble considering the erratic conference playoffs which hand out auto-bids. Wisconsin comes calling next- where anything short of two wins- will cancel any at large hopes.

Profiling The Badgers

As I previewed several weeks ago, the Badgers are downright awful- not because of their talent- but more on their mental mistakes and youth. They put together some of their best offense in the first meeting against Michigan (at least in game one) but couldn’t hold on due to their defensive errors. Senior netminder Joel Rumpel (4-18-4, 3.54 GAA, .902 save %) deserves a better fate, usually holding in the Badgers in most games. He will be the reason that Wisconsin will take any points this weekend. Grant Besse, the sophomore from Minnesota, leads the offense (10-11-21.) Senior Joe LaBate (6-9-15) also toils on the first line.

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Michigan Wolverines

The defense is led by junior Kevin Schulze (4-7-11). Wisconsin is a rough and tumble team that lacks system discipline. They do not take many penalties (11.00 MPG, 33rd /59 teams) but often finds the penalties come at key moments. Match that with a 54th ranked PK (75.2%) against a top five PP from Michigan (23.23%) and that is usually the difference in these match-ups. Wisconsin is anemic offensively and defensively while at full strength (1.93 GPG/53rd and 3.79 GPG /55th) so it is easy to see that this team struggles when behind. It will be important for them to get the lead and tighten up to have any opportunity at Yost.

Wolverine Notes

– Senior Zach Hyman is 3rd overall in NCAA scoring (18-25-43) and is rare air when it comes to his points per game average- surpassing Hobey Baker Winner Kevin Porter (2008) and just behind the phenomenal pace Brendan Morrison set while winning the award in 1997. He put on a clinic last weekend, finishing with five points. It will be a crime if Hyman is bypassed for B1G Ten POTY honors and doesn’t get a mention for the Hobey Baker nationally.

– Freshman sensation Dylan Larkin (12-26-38) leads all B1G Ten freshmen in scoring and stands 11th nationally. He has speed and skill and is just a joy to watch. Captain Andrew Copp (13-11-24) sat out last Friday night nursing an injury but gutted out a solid performance Sunday. Sophomore Tyler Motte surpassed Copp for third on the Wolverines amassing 25 points this season (8-17-25). Overall, 13 Wolverines have double digit point totals including four defensemen: Mike Downing (5-13-18), Zach Werenski (7-14-21), Cutler Martin (4-8-12) and Kevin Lohan (2-8-10.) Tony Calderone needs one more point to move to ten points on the season.

– Zach Nagelvoort (10-8-0, 2.65 GAA, .908 save %) yielded the net to Steve Racine (7-3-0, 3.23 GAA, .901 save %) last weekend with mixed results. Both are fighting inconsistencies, including lack of rebound control and poor angles. Coach Berenson is hoping to catch fire with one of the two as they enter the stretch run.

– The Wolverines are #1 in scoring (3.96) #5 in PP (23.23%), yet are 40th in defense (3.00) and 33rd in PK (81.9%). They are ranked 32nd /59 NCAA teams in PIMs with an average of 11.14 per game.

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– Senior Travis Lynch remains sidelined with a broken hand suffered in January against Minnesota. No timetable is set for his return. He has to be close to returning unless his conditioning is limiting him or if he has had a setback.

– Sophomore defenseman Michael Downing will sit out Friday night’s game due to his third major / game misconduct of the season last Sunday. Based on the style and reputation he has garnered among officials, any clean, hard hit now has become a reason to punish the young man.

– Michigan finishes up their massive road journey with a disappointing 4-4-0 record, dropping final three games in Minnesota and Columbus. The Wolverines need to win out: Wisconsin (2), @ Penn State in a series that may determine the B1G Ten regular season title and a home & home with MSU prior to the B1G Ten tournament.

– Michigan trails Minnesota by three points with a game in hand coming into Friday’s action. MSU and PSU are two points behind the Wolverines.

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Written by GBMWolverine Staff — Yostmeister

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