Tonight at Miami was one of the best games CCHA games I have seen. The intensity was insane and there was physical play all over the ice! UM should have come out with 4 pts instead of 3... that 4th goal hit the netting and should have been blown dead... still, Michigan is now #1 (for better or worse) and has the inside track to the CCHA regular season crown. Hail to the Victors!! GO BLUE!!!
I'd still say Miami is about a 60/40 favorite to win the league. We'll probably need 3 points or more vs. MSU with neither of those games at Yost to stay in front in the CCHA, and other than that weekend, both teams are favored comfortably to win all their remaining games. Those home ties vs. Northern really hurt us (though they clearly are hot, having just swept MSU).
Nonetheless, a very strong weekend. We were clearly the better team.
Good series by Michigan this weekend. It looks like you guys can breathe a sigh of relief going into the playoffs since it's likely NoDak won't be on the radar this year for another 1st round matchup.
Last edited by RabidBadger: 02-09-2008 at 10:17 PM.
Tonight's game was certainly more entertaining to watch than last night's was.
A few personal observations on tonight's game:
Michigan did a better job of staying out of the box tonight. I thought that their PK was excellent for the most. The Wolverines defense needs to find a way to slow down Ryan Jones though if the two teams meet again. I counted at least three different occasions where they just made it way too easy fo him to get to the net. With the exception of the blunder on one of Andy Miele's goals, I thought Sauer was pretty solid.
The one thing that bothered me about the Wolverines in this series was the fact that they weren't getting enough support from the third and fourth lines. Turnbull was probably the best of the lot. Michigan has gotten some great contributions throughout all four lines all season, but it just didn't seem like it was there this weekend.
One Wolverine that I'm liking more and more each time I watch the team is Tristan Llewellyn (sp?). He's gained considerably more ice time since Quick's departure and has really made the most of it. I was really impressed with how he played in this series. He did a great job near the end of the first period tonight in staying with Jones and keeping him on the outside before taking him down. I thought that it was a smart, textbook defensive play.
Both of these teams could conceivably meet at the Joe for the Mason Cup next month and it would be a great series to watch again. While I think Michigan has definitely arrived, I also feel that Michigan can (and needs to) push their game up another notch if they want to make it to Denver in April and win it all.
IMO, the biggest difference between this year's team and last year's team is that last year's team may have had more talent player for player, but this year's team has better balance throughout the lineup. It's not necessarily the most talented teams that win national championships, but it's the most balanced ones that do. MSU and DU are two recent national champions that are perfect examples of that.
That's my two cents. So congrats to the Wolverines on taking three of four points from Miami at Cady.
Very entertaining game on Saturday night. The Pacioretty-Porter-Kolarik line was great...4 of the 5 goals. I'm disappointed the Wolverines couldn't hold the 2-goal lead in the third period but it's still a 3-point weekend against the #1 team in America. I think with the win on Friday, the Wolverines might regain that top spot in the poll going into next week.
Very entertaining game on Saturday night. The Pacioretty-Porter-Kolarik line was great...4 of the 5 goals. I'm disappointed the Wolverines couldn't hold the 2-goal lead in the third period but it's still a 3-point weekend against the #1 team in America. I think with the win on Friday, the Wolverines might regain that top spot in the poll going into next week.
They should. UND was idle, CC split with SCSU and MSU was swept by NMU. UNH swept Maine, but considering that the Black Bears are unranked, the best UNH can move up to is either third or fourth, depending on how the polls treat UND in their bye week.
They should. UND was idle, CC split with SCSU and MSU was swept by NMU. UNH swept Maine, but considering that the Black Bears are unranked, the best UNH can move up to is either third or fourth, depending on how the polls treat UND in their bye week.
Red hates being ranked #1, and I can see why, we only seem to disappoint when in the top spot nationally... so I am actually pulling for UNH to make a massive move up the rankings!
Kevin Quick resurfaced with the Norfolk Admirals of the AHL, Tampa Bay's affiliate. Apparently, Quick used a stolen credit card to rack up thousands of dollars in purchases... word on the street is the card belonged to his roommate/teammate and that the team is pretty furious at the violation of trust by Quick.
Michigan sweeps LSSU and Miami gets swept by Ferris. Louie with a pair!
NOW things get tough for the Wolverines. Next week is MSU. We all know what kind of a grudge match that one is! Then they close out the season against Ferris. If anyone thinks that Ferris is going to be a cakewalk, I've got news for you, they're rolling and playing some of their best hockey right now. If I'm Michigan, Ferris is the team that I'd be worried about. They just swept Miami this weekend and took three out of a possible four points from Notre Dame last weekend.
Michigan sweeps LSSU and Miami gets swept by Ferris. Louie with a pair!
NOW things get tough for the Wolverines. Next week is MSU. We all know what kind of a grudge match that one is! Then they close out the season against Ferris. If anyone thinks that Ferris is going to be a cakewalk, I've got news for you, they're rolling and playing some of their best hockey right now. If I'm Michigan, Ferris is the team that I'd be worried about. They just swept Miami this weekend and took three out of a possible four points from Notre Dame last weekend.
Unfortunately, Kolarik had to be helped off the ice in the third. Rumor is a serious injury to his groin.
Hope he is ok. Good sweep for UM. I am looking forward to beating the tar out of Sparty.
EDIT: Kolarik is out a possible 4-5 weeks with a hamstring injury. Terrible timing in the season for this to happen, though at least its not already the postseason. Hopefully he recovers well and is 100 percent for the tourney.
Michigan went down earlier tonight to State 5-2 in a very entertaining game.
First off, gotta give Red Berenson a great big on coaching his 1,000th game, even if his boys did come out on the short end of it.
Until the third period, the Wolverines really kept it close, but the Spartans busted it open in third with three goals, two of which came in a span of about 20 seconds apart. Despite giving up five goals, I thought that Sauer played really well and I think he'll be able to bounce back just fine tomorrow night. IMO, what really cost Michigan, especially in the third period were defensive zone lapses and bad penalties (which in this particular case seemed to go hand in hand). Berenson definitely could NOT have been happy with his team's defensive effort tonight. Travis Turnbull, who replaced Chad Kolarik on the Porter line, I thought played well, all things considered.
As for the Spartans, the Wolverines have to figure out a way to shutdown Abdelkader and Kennedy because these two (along with Chris Mueller) were burning the Wolverines much of the game and not surprisingly, figured prominently in MSU's win. Also, a note to Michigan - you guys have to shoot high on Lerg. If the shots are low, then chances are he's stopping them. Lerg may be small but he's quick, moves extremely well and his positioning down low is nearly unbeatable, especially if he sees the shot coming.
But the player for the Spartans that IMO was the most impressive was Jeff Petry. On the goal that Kennedy scored, the shot he put on net was perfect for a rebound chance that TK put home. Couldn't really fault Sauer on that one. This IMO was Petry's best game so far. He's really gotten comfortable with jumping into plays and having the puck on his stick. It's good to see him finally showing the offensive prowess that people were raving about when he was in the USHL.
Tomorrow night's game at the Joe should be a doozy. For those of you not attending and/or outside the Detroit area can catch it on the tube on FSN Detroit (and on FCS Atlantic for those of you on Comcast Digital cable outside of the Detroit area).
BTW Michigan fans some more bad news.....Miami won tonight 2-0 over Western and Ferris continues to roll right along. They beat BGSU 2-1.
Well, Friday night was a bummer, but Saturday night made up for it. Big win for Red and the boys and the first win vs. MSU for 9 starting true freshman.
One more win to go to seal up the CCHA regular season title. Hopefully they'll get it done nice and quick on Friday's senior night. It really stinks that Chad Kolorik can't play in that game, because he and Kevin Porter deserve a great send-off.
Have been watching a number of Michigan's games due to Pacioretty, got to say that Red has his team playing some great hockey this year considering how many underclassmen they have.
Have been so impressed with Pacioretty, he's really coming along well, saw him once in the USHL last year and wasn't really for the Habs drafting him, but wow has he impressed me as the season has gone on. I believe that after starting the season pointless in his first 4 games, he's had a point in every game this year but 4. He's scored some big goals in the last few weeks, 5 goals in the series against Miami and Michigan St. Have to wonder how long he'll stay at Michigan.
Anyone want to start making predictions about the CCHA tourney? I like our chances a lot, though I am REALLY weary of Sparty. They play us better than anyone else.
Anyone want to start making predictions about the CCHA tourney? I like our chances a lot, though I am REALLY weary of Sparty. They play us better than anyone else.
They'll have to go through Miami, who whooped them twice in East Lansing already.
Great win tonight over Ferris State... though he didn't play, Kolarik was able to skate with his teammates after the game on a victory lap!! Picked to finish fourth in the CCHA, Michigan wrapped up its 10th CCHA championship in the past 17 seasons. GO BLUE!!!
Great win tonight over Ferris State... though he didn't play, Kolarik was able to skate with his teammates after the game on a victory lap!! Picked to finish fourth in the CCHA, Michigan wrapped up its 10th CCHA championship in the past 17 seasons. GO BLUE!!!
Congrats. What a year!!! Coming into the season my expectations for this year were as low as I remember for a Wolverine Hockey team and then they win the CCHA and are ranked #1. Without doubt, Berenson for Coach of the Year and Porter for the Hobby Baker.
on coaching his 1,000th game, even if his boys did come out on the short end of it.
