Re: THE University of Michigan 2010-2011 Season Thread
Saturday could have been just as bad if it wasn't for Hunwick. He got hung out to dry the last half of the game and made 5-6 huge saves. If our boys don't stop being cute in our defensive zone and in the neutral zone and learn to just chip the puck out when they are tired, they're gonna get bounced by UNO fast. Too many times they couldn't clear the zone and it pinned them in, creating multiple scoring chances. They also had too many bad line/defensive changes and got caught in transition. Our offense is predicated on head manning the puck quickly out of our defensive zone and creating speed in the neutral zone. If the opponent isn't giving us that, then you have to dump and chase it. Pretty simple stuff, especially when protecting a lead. If you don't have a guy going to get the puck, it's like a turnover. We'll get eaten alive by BC if we survive UNO.
I don't get it- all of a sudden our defense appears to be tentative in making the decision to pinch or give up the line, too. We'll need to scratch and claw for offense, especially since our PP stinks. Don't need to play from behind, too. Have to say it, but Merrill is starting to look more like a freshman and less like the calm, dependable defenseman he was earlier this season. Too non-chalant, and that dumb move dumping the net friday to put us down 5x3 was costly. Our youth really hurt us back there on Friday with Burlon out... doesn't seem like our opponents are afraid to camp out in front of the net without paying a price and our forwards didn't backcheck very well, either.
Overall, I didn't see a whole lot of good things this weekend other than the team gutting out a win yesterday over a shell shocked team. They just capitalized on their breaks more than ND did and probably got more luck, although you couldn't prove that to me by that first goal ND scored.
Originally posted by UMICH
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I don't get it- all of a sudden our defense appears to be tentative in making the decision to pinch or give up the line, too. We'll need to scratch and claw for offense, especially since our PP stinks. Don't need to play from behind, too. Have to say it, but Merrill is starting to look more like a freshman and less like the calm, dependable defenseman he was earlier this season. Too non-chalant, and that dumb move dumping the net friday to put us down 5x3 was costly. Our youth really hurt us back there on Friday with Burlon out... doesn't seem like our opponents are afraid to camp out in front of the net without paying a price and our forwards didn't backcheck very well, either.
Overall, I didn't see a whole lot of good things this weekend other than the team gutting out a win yesterday over a shell shocked team. They just capitalized on their breaks more than ND did and probably got more luck, although you couldn't prove that to me by that first goal ND scored.
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