This weekend was more support for the theory that either Michigan can't play in front of Billy Sauer or Michigan can't play on Friday night. Hogan has allowed just two fewer goals than Sauer, but he is 6-0-0 while Sauer has matched last year's loss total with a 2-4-0 record. But the goals of support? Michigan has scored 10 goals with Sauer in net and 30 for Hogan.
I'm of the belief that it's a Friday/Saturday thing more than a Sauer/Hogan thing. There are only a few guys on this team who weren't on the roster last year, so most of the team knows how good Sauer can be and how unbelievable he was for all but one period last year. I don't think they've lost their confidence in him. We've seen Michigan teams have this problem before. I can't remember if it was 2000 or 2001, but that was a team that was great Friday night and horrible Saturday night. I'm sure they'll get it together, but it doesn't help our CCHA Title hopes to drop games to the 10th, 11th and 12th place teams. But then, as it is we're only 5 points behind Miami with 2 games in hand (so we could be just 1 point back).
One thing is for sure, after they fell flat on their face during their "Validation Weekend" last year, the Red Hawks are going to bring it against the Wolverines down in Oxford this weekend, so we'd be wise to show up Friday night ready to play no matter who's in net.
Stuff from the game, which I couldn't watch or listen to:
-David Wohlberg kept up his strong play in the offensive zone by notching his 4th goal in 5 games. I gotta say, I didn't think he'd outperform Czarnik, especially in the offensive end. But he has 4 goals to Robbie's 1 at this point.
-Louie Caporusso put the game away with a natural hat trick in the third period. He has matched last season's goal total in just 12 games. I knew he was poised for a big season, but I didn't have him at a goal per game. He's tied for the national lead in goals (and Palushaj is the national leader in points with 20).
-I didn't think that anyone would have a prayer of competing with Aaron Palushaj's effort against St. Lawrence for "Goal of the Year" but Tim Miller could at least be in the conversation. He scored Michigan's second goal of the game by spinning around to receive a pass from Caporusso, splitting the defense, spinning back around, and tucking it through Riley Gill. I think I'd severely injure myself if I ever tried something like that.
-Caporusso's second was off a beautiful feed from Palushaj. Palushaj cut in and darn near scored himself, then he went and corraled the puck, brought it back toward the front of the net and fed Caporusso for an easy tally.
-Good work on the special teams: 2-7 on the PP, 6-6 killing penalties (and 10-10 on the weekend), though the Broncos did take 12 of their 20 shots when they had the man advantage.
-Here's an interesting stat: The Wolverines took 8 penalties in the game and not a single one was on a defenseman. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but it's nice to see Summers and Llewellyn go the whole weekend without getting sent to the box.
-Some cool stats courtesy of KC8NIY:
-I don't care that he plays the PP and doesn't play much on the PK, the fact that Aaron Palushaj has been on the ice for 26 of our 40 goals and just 4 of the 31 we've allowed is damn incredible.
-The surprising one is that Lebler has been out there for 10 of our goals and just 2 that we've allowed. I kind of thought he might be the odd man out on a lot of occasions this season, but if I remember right, he was one of the guys the coaches cited as having had a great offseason and it looks like it's paying off.
-Bryan Hogan has given up 4 goals combined in the first two periods, but 10 in the third. But Sauer's best period has been the third (5-8-4 goals allowed in the three periods).
Links and whatnot:
MGoBlue.com did a really cool feature on what our white sweaters have looked like over the years. The link takes you to the hockey page, and the link to the video is a few items down the Multimedia list.
Also, I got the question as to what font Michigan is using on the white jerseys this season, so that one could be customized. I found out that the lettering and numbering is actually the Green Bay Packers font this year. I guess we're just making the rounds through the NFC North.
The Port Huron Times-Herald did a story on local product and future Wolverine netminder Jack Campbell. I provided a couple of quotes for the story. It's a nice read if I do say so myself!
Mike Milano was charged with with two crimes, including one felony, in the incident which left Steve Kampfer on the injured list. Red hinted that there might actually be a chance that Kampfer will return to the ice this season, but that's still really up in the air, and I'd imagine it will depend in part upon how his re-evaluation goes. I'd expect they'll treat that one very carefully.
3 comments:
One thing my spreadsheet factors, but doesn't notate, is the 3rd period of the BU game. Hogan replaced Billy and gave up 3 goals. That skews things quite a bit.
I'd like to see Hogan get a Friday start and Billy a Saturday, just to help try and figure out if there's a pattern or if it really might be a team Sauer/Hogan thing.
I think they should try flipping the goalie order, too. I don't know what the players do on Saturday that they don't on Friday (or vice versa) but they need to figure it out. They're f'in awesome on Saturdays but unimpressive (though still of course good) on Fridays. What gives?
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