Michigan Wolverines 2015-2016 Season

[UMICH]

Re: Michigan Wolverines 2015-2016 Season

Stats don't lie:

- #1 offense in the country 4.95 GPG
- #45 defense in the country 3.15 GPG
- #4 PP at 27%
- #45 PK at 79%
- #13 worst PIM's in country (only behind #12 OSU in B1G)

Connor leads the country in goals and total points. Motte is tied in goals. Compher is in top 10 in points.

Other than that we have a pretty pedestrian team that is fun to watch but forget at long stretches how to play defense or adapt to how the game is being officiated.

And Alfa- I like Boo- nice guy, nice talent. But he is weak on the puck (as a senior!) and his line is abysmal defensively, especially when Werenski or Downing are on the ice. Just an observation.

As far as the schedule: there are no more games against teams that will boost their PWR, only subtract from it. They need to keep winning period and the road schedule may have a few games where we don't show up. The biggest series is lining up to be against Minnesota who is their best chance at stealing the conference and winning the autobid. They have gotten increasingly better, can score, play defense and have goaltending. It will be interesting to see what they do in their tourney while we play Penn State again. I am not discounting PSU, but I don't see the same challenges from them as I do from Minnesota.

The regular season championship has NOTHING to do with the autobid. The autobid goes to the conference tournament champion. Therefore it is technically possible for the regular season BTHC champion to miss the NCAA tournament.

Imagine this scenario, sparty wins the conference tournament and is the only representative of the BTHC. While HIGHLY unlikely it is a possibility...

While statistics don't lie they can be manipulated.

[streaker]

Re: Michigan Wolverines 2015-2016 Season

I have a much easier time being a pessimist, because then my hopes and dreams don't get smashed. However, this team is getting me a bit more excited. The offense is insane and fun to watch. The defense and goaltending still need work, but are improving.

I didn't watch or listen to last night's game, just constantly checked the score updates. I'm glad to see us get the win at Penn State against a team that for some reason has always (2 years) been difficult for us. Tomorrow should be interesting.

Stats don't lie:

- #1 offense in the country 4.95 GPG
- #45 defense in the country 3.15 GPG
- #4 PP at 27%
- #45 PK at 79%
- #13 worst PIM's in country (only behind #12 OSU in B1G)

Connor leads the country in goals and total points. Motte is tied in goals. Compher is in top 10 in points.

Other than that we have a pretty pedestrian team that is fun to watch but forget at long stretches how to play defense or adapt to how the game is being officiated.

And Alfa- I like Boo- nice guy, nice talent. But he is weak on the puck (as a senior!) and his line is abysmal defensively, especially when Werenski or Downing are on the ice. Just an observation.

As far as the schedule: there are no more games against teams that will boost their PWR, only subtract from it. They need to keep winning period and the road schedule may have a few games where we don't show up. The biggest series is lining up to be against Minnesota who is their best chance at stealing the conference and winning the autobid. They have gotten increasingly better, can score, play defense and have goaltending. It will be interesting to see what they do in their tourney while we play Penn State again. I am not discounting PSU, but I don't see the same challenges from them as I do from Minnesota.

[MGoBlueHockey]

Re: Michigan Wolverines 2015-2016 Season

The pressure is off in that game because they aren't the new kid at school anymore. And it helps that they are ranked.

[wolverineTrumpet]

Re: Michigan Wolverines 2015-2016 Season

I'm going to be cautiously optimistic.

I have a much easier time being a pessimist, because then my hopes and dreams don't get smashed. However, this team is getting me a bit more excited. The offense is insane and fun to watch. The defense and goaltending still need work, but are improving.

I didn't watch or listen to last night's game, just constantly checked the score updates. I'm glad to see us get the win at Penn State against a team that for some reason has always (2 years) been difficult for us. Tomorrow should be interesting.

[alfablue]

Re: Michigan Wolverines 2015-2016 Season

I'm going to be cautiously optimistic.

While lines 2-4 are not scoring like Connor-Compher-Motte, they are still generating chances. WRT scoring goals, yes, Boo is not what we hoped based on his past, but his play does create a lot of "chaos" and he's able to really get the puck in their zone quickly. Regardless of if he puts the puck in the net- it does wear on the other team.

Not counting the sloppy goal- 3 goas against isn't bad. Especially when faced with 49 shots (again, not counting the stupid fluke goal). Past seasons- those kinds of shots faced got a lot more than 3 goals. So I'm calling that some improvement.

If this team can get the straight up goals down to 2 per game, we'd be in much more confident state- and they have a few months to figure that out. With the D we have, what that really means is not turning the puck over- especially with the blind passes to nobody. That is getting better.

It will be interesting to see what we can do Saturday night.

[streaker]

Re: Michigan Wolverines 2015-2016 Season

Top line is doing most of the scoring, though. Penn State is good, but overrated. They only played one ranked team all season (except for Minnesota), and that was 16th ranked St Lawrence.

Nice win in a game that usually goes the other way fast. Our defense and goaltending continue to make this team a one and done if they make it to the NCAA tourney. No way does our top line score 4-5 goals against better competition. Good job by Piazza stepping in on defense.

Will get Dancs back, but losing Marody hurts the solid line with Calderone.

Nice that Kile scores on the PP, but where is that line full strength. Really disappointed in Nieves.

Maybe they can steal a sweep at another neutral rink that they have not done well at lately.

[Bonin21]

Re: Michigan Wolverines 2015-2016 Season

Connor for Hobey

[MGoBlueHockey]

Re: Michigan Wolverines 2015-2016 Season

Came in expecting a disaster, hoping for the best. That Blackburn-esque goal Racine let in made it feel like it was headed that way.......

And then that pass by Tyler Motte to Connor to get the lead back ended it. That pass was something you wouldn't have seen three years ago or even last year.

Elite effort tonight. Finally got a win in that house of horrors.

[alfablue]

Re: Michigan Wolverines 2015-2016 Season

Michigan Daily is also reporting that Marody is out with mono, so Shuart will move up to third line.

The top half of the lineup chart will be ok, the bottom half will require some shifting this weekend.

While it's not an annual problem, it's also common enough that it seems as if Yost and the student's homes need to be gone over with bleach once a year. yuk

[alnike]

Re: Michigan Wolverines 2015-2016 Season

Michigan Daily is also reporting that Marody is out with mono, so Shuart will move up to third line.

The top half of the lineup chart will be ok, the bottom half will require some shifting this weekend.

[alfablue]

Re: Michigan Wolverines 2015-2016 Season

I, too, and just hoping for a split- we miss Dancs tonight, and Martin all weekend.... But I also wonder if their actions at the end of the game fired up the team at all.

And while Zach looked ok against the USDP team, I expect Racine to start tonight. All weekend, for that matter.

Haven't heard much about any injury reports- so hopefully that nasty spill Connor took at the end of the game doesn't turn out to be a big deal. Recall that he left the ice without a handshake, favoring his right side.

[wolverineTrumpet]

Re: Michigan Wolverines 2015-2016 Season

So, game tonight. Kind of a big series. Michigan is 3-6-0 all time against Penn State (with me in attendance it's 3-5-0). My friends and I have loved taking the trip down to Pegula, but it's not worth it to us for 1 Thursday game. Is anyone going to tonight's game, or Saturday's game? If anyone is going Saturday, are you going to bouncyball as well?

Going into this weekend Michigan and Penn State are tied for 2nd in the conference, 6 points (2 wins) behind Minnesota. The Gophers are in non-conference action this weekend, and all B1G teams will have played half their conference games (10) at the conclusion of this weekend. B1G weekend for conference standings.


I'm hoping for a split this weekend. With the travel, our abysmal record vs. PSU, and some players sitting out I'd consider a split a good result.

[MaizeRage]

Re: Michigan Wolverines 2015-2016 Season

So then don't you find it strange that Ferris State, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan and Lake Superior State all have a total of ZERO commits between them?

Right now, those programs have a total of six NHL Draft picks on their roster(five at Tech) and two of them were drafted after playing a year of college hockey. They're all programs that go after older, more mature junior players. There's only one true 18-year-old freshman playing in the WCHA this year.

Though what that list really shows is just how far off the map Michigan State has fallen for the top kids in the state. Eliot is an exception because of his dad's relationship with Anastos, otherwise, every top kid is picking Michigan.

[JoeZ]

Re: Michigan Wolverines 2015-2016 Season

They only listed commits to Michigan schools, and missed Mitch Eliot, who signed with Michigan State.

So then don't you find it strange that Ferris State, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan and Lake Superior State all have a total of ZERO commits between them?

[UMICH]

Re: Michigan Wolverines 2015-2016 Season

They only listed commits to Michigan schools, and missed Mitch Eliot, who signed with Michigan State.

Well, michigan state can hardly be considered a school.....