One Up, One Down: Michigan Cruises Past AIC
Three Observations from Michigan’s First Round Win over American International
On Friday afternoon in Allentown, the University of Michigan men’s hockey team cruised past the American International Yellow Jackets by a score of 5-3. When we say “cruise,” we intend to synthesize the positive and negative connotations of the word.
The Wolverines’ top talent performed, taking command of the game with their elite passing and finishing well before the Yellow Jackets had their skating legs.
At the same time, some lackadaisical defensive zone coverage invited AIC back into the game, and while Michigan had built a lead strong enough to endure a third-period push, it was not a stellar performance from the Maize and Blue.
As of this writing, Michigan awaits the winner of tonight’s St. Cloud State-Quinnipiac game (as of this writing, 2-1 Bobcats in the second period), with a trip to the Frozen Four on the line Sunday evening.
Bordeleau’s Synecdoche
If you wanted the game in miniature, it came from Thomas Bordeleau’s canter around the Yellow Jacket zone in the third period.
Bordeleau collected the puck from the skates of the fallen Ethan Edwards—who had gained the zone through expert puck carrying of his own—in the corner to AIC goaltender Alec Calvaruso’s right. The clock showed seven minutes and twenty-five seconds remaining in the period.
To begin his exploration, the Houstonian-Quebecois center turned his back to Yellow Jacket forward Julius Janhonen to shield the puck as he carried behind the net.
When he approached the corner to Calvaruso’s left, Bordeleau doubled back with a punch turn. Crossing back to where he took the puck off Edwards before emerging from the goal line with it on his backhand.
After wheeling around the top of the circle, Bordeleau turned toward the slot, removing his left hand from his stick to again ward off Janhonen and attacking Calvaruso’s glove side.
With another punched reversal, Bordeleau sent Calvaruso helpless into the corner and gave himself room to open up on the forehand and survey his options, before firing a wrist shot.
Calvaruso saved. The clock read 7:10.
Throughout the afternoon, the Wolverines resembled Bordeleau in those fifteen seconds. Their elite skill overpowered even the most ardent of Yellow Jacket efforts; throughout the game, Michigan maintained a healthy gap between itself and AIC. The outcome never felt in serious jeopardy, yet the final score reflects the Wolverines’ lack of intensity in closing out their opponent.
Throughout the sequence in question, Janhonen attempted a litany of slashes and crosschecks, increasing with his desperation as Bordeleau evaded him undaunted.
What stood out was not the end product (it is worth noting that Bordeleau didn’t actually score), instead it was the ease with which Bordeleau proceeded.
This ease was not a product of a lack of effort on behalf; if anything, Bordeleau may have benefited from a bit more urgency toward the net.
And yet, the play provided beautiful representation of what the Wolverines bring to the NCAA Tournament: a mountain of transcendent skill.
While it didn’t match the sterling efforts we saw against Notre Dame and Minnesota in the Big Ten Tournament, Michigan made sure to flash their offensive prowess for the nowhere-near-capacity crowd in Allentown.
Arriving Hungry & Changes to Come
If you entered the tournament skeptical of Michigan’s ability to translate its talent into postseason victory, you could point to the third period of Friday’s game to reaffirm that stance.
If however you watched Michigan win the Big Ten Tournament and know they have their own effective postseason formula, there need be no cause for concern.
Michigan showed their hunger for this tournament with a fast start, mounting a two-goal lead before five minutes elapsed.
Much like the Michigan State B1G quarterfinal series, Michigan was content to play a more open game than you would expect from the postseason because of its confidence that it could out-finish its opposition. The style of play (and frankly the performance) would have little bearing on the hockey to come in that tournament.
In a game of traded chances, the Wolverines’ heavy artillery could humble AIC’s arsenal. By the time Michigan led 4-1 in the early stages of the second period, the outcome was in little doubt.
With Blake Bennett’s power play goal midway through the third, the Yellow Jackets gave Michigan’s fans a scare, managing to hem the Wolverines in for solid stretches in the remaining six-and-a-half minutes. The goal was the most obvious Wolverine break down in the defensive zone of the game.
As a consequence, Michigan had to sweat out the remainder of the game, but another serious scoring opportunity never came.
Michigan marches on. When they play Sunday and if they play beyond, a performance like Friday’s is unlikely to suffice.
But it did on Friday, and, as the Big Ten Tournament proved, the Wolverines know how to adapt their style to the demands of various, taxing opponents.
Everybody Eats
On a team with thirteen NHL draft picks on the roster, who scored the opening goal of the NCAA Tournament campaign? A fourth-line senior from Seattle, Garrett Van Wyhe.
We at Gulo Gulo have gushed before about Van Wyhe’s abilities as a depth possession player. Though perfectly willing to make the requisite sacrifices for defending in his own zone, Van Wyhe (along with his usual linemates Jimmy Lambert and Nolan Moyle) has earned the trust of Mel Pearson thanks to his ability to retain possession well outside of the offensive end.
Van Wyhe excels along the boards, with a unique ability to maintain control of the puck as he dips his shoulder and burrows past a defender. He has the kind of active stick any peewee coach worth their salt extols, and his anticipation helps make him a crafty presence as a penalty killer and forechecker.
Before Friday’s game was four minutes old, Van Wyhe pounced on a puck in the slot for a decisive snapshot to open the scoring with his fifth goal of the season.
What followed was a game in which Michigan received contributions from its top-end skill and its depth.
Freshman third-pair defenseman Ethan Edwards’ third goal showed the poise and finishing you might expect from a top-line winger to double the lead.
Dylan Duke, with assists from Owen Power and Mackie Samoskevich, ensured that the third line got in on the scoring act with his tenth of the year.
Meanwhile, the Wolverines Olympic top line of Brendan Brisson, Matty Beniers, and Kent Johnson accounted for two goals and five assists between them.
Brisson scored a power play goal in the opening minute of the second, making a tricky one-timed finish look simple as he finished off a passing sequence from Power and Johnson.
Exactly two minutes after Brisson’s marker, Beniers made it 4-1 through a scintillating passing sequence that Johnson initiated with a behind-the-back backhand to Brisson, who fired a cross-ice pass to Beniers without taking a touch, leaving the Massachusetts-born center with a lay-up of a one-timer.
For both Brisson and Beniers, the goals were the twentieth of the season.
If Michigan continues to receive contributions in kind from its depth and its stars, the rest of the NCAA field is in trouble