Can Michigan win it all despite Steve Racine?

[UMICH]

Re: Can Michigan win it all despite Steve Racine?

Sorta, if I remember right. When he was on, he was ON. But if he was off....good Lord.

Al's problem at Michigan was he got bored back in net when the play was constanbtly in the offensive zone. Ever notice how he was always playing the puck? Not jhust in dump in's, he'd skate over to the corner to get pucks. And his attention while in goal wasn't the best. He had that outstanding Freshman season where he was locked in on the game because, well he was nervous. Not so much his Sophomore an Junior seasons as he was thyinking about playing in MSG. It looks as if he either figured it out in the NHL or foun a dA^^n good sports shrink.

Yes, Al has all the talent in the world providing he is paying attention.

[UMICH]

Re: Can Michigan win it all despite Steve Racine?

Split on the road last time. I like our chances.

Racine really isn't the deal with Michigan. We won the first game 8-3, the Michigan offense was flowing. The second game Michigan was stymied be the Minnesota defense and Minnesota won 3-2. Racine isn't phenomenal but he is very solid. He's not going to steal any games but he will always keep you in it. When Michigan's offense is off we're in trouble. Not because Racine isn't solid, he is, more because Michigan's defense is highly questionable.

All that being said I think the best case scenario for Michigan is a split but unless Michigan is playing like they can Minnesota could sweep. The Olympic sized ice neutrailizes our speed because our guys get tired so fast.

[UMICH]

Re: Can Michigan win it all despite Steve Racine?

Michigan is loaded, once again, but also once again, it has shaky to substandard goaltending for the potential this team has. Steve Racine has been starting most of the games the Big 14 portion of the season, and he has nice numbers, but he lets up untimely goals. What is Red's problem with goaltenders? He used to get studs all the time, but now it seems like he's getting goaltenders out of the leftover bin.

Any thoughts? I see UM being lucky to reach the Frozen Four, they just don't have the defensive zone chops.

Shawn Hunwick. Little Shawn Hunwick. Michigans 3rd-string goalie at the time. Walk-on Shawn Hunwick. All 5'7" of him, led Michigan to the National Championship game. Sure he was not highly acclaimed coming into college and I don't think he was ever drafted but yes he made it to the show. He didn't play much for the Bluejackets (3 minutes), he played for two different teams in the ECHL and went over to Europe before hanging his pads up in 2013. The guy lived his dream, knew that he'd never be a #1 goalie anywhere so he decided to call it quits and become an agent. He IS our Rudy, it's a better story than the actual Rudy too....

http://www.annarbor.com/sports/ex-mi...-become-agent/

[streaker]

Re: Can Michigan win it all despite Steve Racine?

Racine really isn't the deal with Michigan. We won the first game 8-3, the Michigan offense was flowing. The second game Michigan was stymied be the Minnesota defense and Minnesota won 3-2. Racine isn't phenomenal but he is very solid. He's not going to steal any games but he will always keep you in it. When Michigan's offense is off we're in trouble. Not because Racine isn't solid, he is, more because Michigan's defense is highly questionable.

All that being said I think the best case scenario for Michigan is a split but unless Michigan is playing like they can Minnesota could sweep. The Olympic sized ice neutrailizes our speed because our guys get tired so fast.

The last time Michigan played Minnesota, Racine was hurt. Nagelvoort was in net. But it hasn't mattered in Minnesota because the whole team morphs into a ball of goo. Goaltending is only part of the issue. Team defense is the real problem.

[streaker]

Re: Can Michigan win it all despite Steve Racine?

I can't even remember the last time Michigan recruited and developed an excellent goaltender.

Well, the criticism may be directed at the coaches for not keeping recruited netminders, not the fact in recruiting them. Some guy named Gibson was suppose to step in but bolted his commitment at the last minute for the OHL and is playing in Anaheim. There was another highly touted goaltender that did the same thing either right before or just after that. So, the secret is not to count on the blue chip goaltender but find a kid in the weeds, like North Dakota did, taking Johnson right out of Michigan's and MSU's backyard. Same thing with Connor Hellebucyk for UML, now Winnipeg's netminder.

I do not know much about what is in the pipeline but these are the kids coming next season. Dylan St. Cyr who is the son of Manon Rheume, the former female netminder is suppose to be the next hot goalie recruit for U-M and plays for the US U-17 team. Another kid coming in is 19 year old Hayden Lavigne who has kinda lost his accolades and is playing for the Bloomington Thunder in the USHL. That's his 3rd USHL team in 3 years. In 2017-18, Jack Lafontaine is committed and is playing for the Janesville Jets of the NAHL.

[Hokydad]

best offense in the country imo. so much talent and so many lines that can score. if racine is average i think they have a great chance to win it all.

Average? Average goalies don't have to stop 40 shots a night and offense scores. 2.? Play team D and win a championship like the other top programs do. Not superstar, me me attitude in regular season than obsolete when playoff hockey kicks in

[ThePowerConference]

Re: Can Michigan win it all despite Steve Racine?

Blowing 3 separate leads against the lowly Badgers doesn't exactly show a commitment to team defense. Racine is not great, but he's not terrible either. The problem, like many have already indicated here, is the team defense. They might run into trouble if they play a team with good team defense like Quinnipiac, North Dakota, Boston College, or St Cloud.

[streaker]

Blowing 3 separate leads against the lowly Badgers doesn't exactly show a commitment to team defense. Racine is not great, but he's not terrible either. The problem, like many have already indicated here, is the team defense. They might run into trouble if they play a team with good team defense like Quinnipiac, North Dakota, Boston College, or St Cloud.

I think any team will, but we will see.

[UMICH]

Re: Can Michigan win it all despite Steve Racine?

The last time Michigan played Minnesota, Racine was hurt. Nagelvoort was in net. But it hasn't mattered in Minnesota because the whole team morphs into a ball of goo. Goaltending is only part of the issue. Team defense is the real problem.

I forgot about that but I guess it further emphasizes my point. Racine IS NOT the problem.

[UMICH]

Re: Can Michigan win it all despite Steve Racine?

As middling and overrated I thought Montoya was at UM, he's amazingly still in the NHL and getting playing time. I guess that means Al Montoya has scoreboard.

Speaking of Al....

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/jokinen...2568--nhl.html

[MGoBlueHockey]

Re: Can Michigan win it all despite Steve Racine?

You must not be paying attention if you think Racine is the problem.

It's the horrific defense being played.

I'm not gonna just assume we're in the tournament. I won't believe it until I see it announced officially.

It seems the guys don't give a **** when they're playing terrible teams like the last two opponents but they come to play when it's a big game. BU, GLI, Minn, PSU.

[5mn_Major]

Re: Can Michigan win it all despite Steve Racine?

But hasn't team defense been an issue for MI for a decade or so? Even if team defense were only an issue this year...it'd probably be pinned on the coaches. But after a decade, it seems to me that its a crystal clear coaching issue.

MI has always had a very unique play style. They come at you a wave of individuals with super human effort. While the whole thing works very effectively, it wouldn't surprise me if this play style sacrificed some team defense.

[streaker]

Re: Can Michigan win it all despite Steve Racine?

But hasn't team defense been an issue for MI for a decade or so? Even if team defense were only an issue this year...it'd probably be pinned on the coaches. But after a decade, it seems to me that its a crystal clear coaching issue.

MI has always had a very unique play style. They come at you a wave of individuals with super human effort. While the whole thing works very effectively, it wouldn't surprise me if this play style sacrificed some team defense.

No, it hasn't been a "decade". Explain how they went to the FF in 2008 and to the NC game in 2011? They beat UNO, CC and shutout UND to get there. Hunwick had a ton to do with it, but overall they knew they had basicially 1.5 scoring lines and had to dedicate themselves to defense. The axiom about offense is skill and defense is hard work applies. You have to want to play team defense, even if it is coached up.

Overall your analogy implies that this is a coaching issue- supported by Pearson's departure. So, I'll give you half credit since it has been about 5 seasons since the change occurred. They definitely changed their style- and recruiting after Wiseman replaced him. But you shift your focus on your team's strengths and it is obvious the last few seasons that Michigan has had the skill to score but lack the defense first emphasis. Players still play and Berenson isn't just going to scrap defense. He is playing to their strengths. Combine it with a lack of a goaltender that steals games and this is the recipe your have.

[Bonin21]

Re: Can Michigan win it all despite Steve Racine?

[MGoBlueHockey]

Re: Can Michigan win it all despite Steve Racine?

The one time the defense cares, the teeter-totter of not giving a **** flips to Racine's end.

You must not be paying attention if you think Racine is the problem.

It's the horrific defense being played.

I'm not gonna just assume we're in the tournament. I won't believe it until I see it announced officially.

It seems the guys don't give a **** when they're playing terrible teams like the last two opponents but they come to play when it's a big game. BU, GLI, Minn, PSU.