So it's apparent my blog has become a seasonal blog now, with me getting more and more anxious for playoffs, perhaps it's the only way I know how to relieve my anxiety. Now that the regular season is over, it might be fitting to look back, fire up the 'ole brain, and scribble something into a new post. Let's begin!
Season Review
What can I say about Michigan's season that makes me sound like I don't despise the Maize and Blue? I find the inconsistency to be the most troubling trend within the last couple of years, that has me somewhat thinking that Red leaving might not be a bad thing. I couple years ago I'd never find myself saying such nonsense, but it seems as if the players lack respect for the iconic head coach.
The season obviously got off on a good note. Beating BC and starting 10-2-1 was an early positive for Michigan, who seems to never really start strong. This team looked to be unbeatable in the early goings, but quickly lost steam. Then...more goaltending issues. Nagelvoort and Racine seemed to both hit a rough patch midway through the year, and we ended up losing to teams like OSU, MSU, and PSU. That's not acceptable at Michigan. I'd say the Defense was one of the worst defensive cores I've seen in recent years. Obviously losing Merrill and Trouba are gigantic losses, but the Freshman that came in gave me some hope. Early, they looked to be a stable group, but throughout the year their inexperience showed, and it was painful to watch them at times. I will say that they is a lot of potential here, and if we can avoid early departures, the next 2 years look VERY promising. Nolan De Jong is one of my favorite new players to watch. Not necessarily a big guy, but he's an incredibly gifted skater and can move the puck very well. Mike. Downing. I'm not sure how to feel about Mike Downing. Obviously he's a gifted player and certainly can make a difference, however, I saw too much negative in his game, especially in the Minnesota series in Minneapolis in Mid-Feb. He looked so inexperienced compared to Mac Bennett and the likings, I was amazed he was even dressed, yet alone starting. Follow his performance up with some awful penalties, and it would be very easy for me to dismiss Downing as a top D-guy. BUT, he IS a difference maker. At times he can be our best defenseman and he does have a pretty good sense for where to be on the ice. He has all the attributes to be a very good defenseman. On to the forwards, and where do I begin? Copp, Compher, Di Giuseppe, all stars in their own fashion. This group can be scary good when they want to be. One player that I'll focus on that I hope to continue to see more out of, and especially next year, is Alex Guptill. Guppy has been a favorite of mine since he stepped on campus two years ago. Him and DiGi were going to be the future. I was sure of it. Then we ran into this year, and although both players didn't have the years they wanted to last year, it appears that there was a larger affect on Guptill. His attitude this year has been awful, hence him probably being a "healthy" a couple of times. His attitude on the ice, towards officials, teammates, opposing players. He seems so negative, and I can't imagine it's helping his chances playing at the next level. He's been fine since being sat down, in fact he's been one of the best on the ice night in, and night out. I hope he can keep his focus for the remainder of this year, but more importantly, for next year as well. He truly is an incredible player, he just needs to hold himself to a higher standard.
Playoff Outlook
I'll be there Thursday when Michigan takes on Penn State at Xcel Energy Center. Let's hope we come ready to play. We've already proven that we can't let a team like PSU hang around. I've been looking at the scenarios and playing with USCHO.com 's pairwise predictor, and a win on Thursday puts us in a really good position for making the Tournament. Lose, and we still have a shot at getting in, but I wouldn't want to hope my way into a the field of 16. I really do believe they can make a push for the inaugural B1G Tournament crown, but it's going to take three of our best games all year. Plus, if we did end up winning the B1G title, most of the scenarios I've seen pushed us into a 2 seed. As if it really matters. I'm hoping for a 3 seed, but I guess we'll get dealt what we deserve.
Depending on how Thursday goes, I'll report back with a recap from the game, and a brief preview of the Wisconsin game (which I will unfortunately not be able to attend). Thanks for the read and as always, GO BLUE!
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