NMU Preview

Jack-O-Latern Johnson (courtesy of my friend Natalie) 

Michigan travels to Marquette this weekend to face their first road test of the season with a pair of games against the Northerns. #20 NMU is 3-3-0-0 on the young season with a sweep of Wisconsin, a split at Nebraska-Omaha, and a 5-2, 3-2 sweep at the hands of Notre Dame last weekend. They follow that up with a series against Michigan and then a series vs. Miami. Who'd they piss off in the CCHA office? Yikes.

The Wolverines will be without Brennan Serville this weekend. He's not making the trip and Red said he has a "facial concussion", whatever the hell that means. Mike Szuma will dress, and it's especially critical that no defensemen get hurt, as the Wolverines are once again back down to six.

Steve Racine will get the nod on Friday night and apparently if he plays well he'll go again on Saturday. Take that for what you will.

As far as the Wildcats go, Junior Jared Coreau is manning the nets full-time this year after Reid Ellingson graduated. Coreau was gradually stealing playing time away last year and now he's the unquestioned #1. Despite his current 2.78/.907, he's a hoss. Last year he went 12-7-2 with a 2.22/.928. Michigan got to him last year, however, scoring 7 goals on 56 shots in a win and a tie.

Back on the blueline, the Wildcats return their entire defense corps from a year ago, including CJ Ludwig, son of NHL veteran Craig and the winner of NMU's top defenseman award a year ago. Kyle Follmer had 4-22--26 a year ago and was named to this year's CCHA Preseason Second Team.

Matt Thurber put up thirty points last year and he's off to another good start this year, with 6 points in as many games (1-5--6). Sophomore Ryan Daugherty has already matched last year's goal total (3) to tie for the team lead with freshman Cohen Adair, a big forward out of the BCHL who has been a pleasant surprise.

NMU's power play is 2/22 on the season and they've allowed a short-handed goal, so their net total is actually under 5%. (Speaking of, Quinnipiac is 0/24 and have allowed 4 short-handed goals. Ouch.) The PK is 17 for 20.

A year ago, AJ Treais had 2-3--5 in four games against NMU. Lindsay Sparks and Lee Moffie also averaged a point a game. Moffie leads the Wolverines with six career points against the Wildcats. No Wildcat player has scored more than two against Michigan.

Unlike SOME SCHOOLS THAT I KNOW OF, Northern offers streaming video of their games for $7. You can also buy a season pass for $75, and if you're reading this blog, don't have season tickets, and claim that you wouldn't fork out that much for a Michigan version of the same thing, I will call you a damn liar. It's 2012 and this is Michigan fergodsakes. We shouldn't have less access to video of games than Northern Michigan fans. Just saying.

Other Stuff:
-The Daily caught up with Shawn Hunwick, who is playing for the South Carolina Stingrays in the ECHL.
-Mike Legg's goal made #7 on Sportscenter's list of the Top Ten Trick Plays of all-time. Too low, but it was also the only hockey representation on the list. #1 was the Music City Miracle.

1 Point in Two Weeks

Not good. I mentioned in my Miami preview that if the RedHawks were going to have a successful weekend, that Cody Reichard was going to have to continue his dominance over the Maize-and-Blue and he pulled it off on Friday, making 20 stops in a 2-1 win. The Wolverines got to him a little bit more on Saturday (scoring 3), but Miami overcame a two-goal deficit and won in a shootout. Luckily for Michigan, Zach Hyman scored late in regulation to at least salvage a point.

This weekend Ohio came to town and went home with their first sweep at Yost since 1986. The Buckeyes have won 7 in a row and it appears that Mark Osiecki has something going in Columbus.

On Friday night, the offense sputtered again, scoring just one goal on 30 shots in yet another 2-1 loss. Tonight, the offense got it going, but the penalty killing and defense failed. The Buckeyes came out on top of a 6-5 decision. OSU was 3 for 7 on the power play, and scored two goals in 16 seconds during a Chris Brown major penalty to open up a 4-2 lead.

The losses drop Michigan to an ugly 3-5-2-1 in conference, which puts them in a tie with FYS for 7th (though FYS has two games in hand).

Quite honestly, I don't have a whole lot else for you right now. I'm frustrated that I haven't been able to provide the coverage this season that I'm accustomed to providing. A big chunk of it is that the TV coverage this season has been pretty lame and we no longer have the streaming video option that we had for so many years.

I think it's absolutely ridiculous that a school that makes as much money as Michigan does is so far behind the game in terms of streaming video. I can watch Ferris State games on PPV on the internet, I can watch ANY game from the CHA, but not Michigan? Hell, I can watch UW-Superior games on the internet, but not Michigan. A freaking D-3 satellite school has this figured out. We've actually managed to regress. It's 2011. This internet thing is here to stay. I'm not even asking for the free video to be brought back (though it'd be nice). Give me something like B2Network, where I can pay for the whole season, watch every game, and not miss half the season because I play in my own games on Friday night (they archive them). I don't mind paying, I just want to see the games. Might I suggest joining me in sending a tweet @DaveBrandonAD 's way if you're in a similar situation--or even if you're not and you just happen to like me. There are options out there. If the FAIRBANKS ROLLER GIRLS can pull streaming video of home games, I have no doubt that the greatest university in the world could do the same.

Since Wisconsin bugged out of the College Hockey Showcase, the traditional Thanksgiving tournament is no more. Instead, Michigan has Northeastern (Friday) and Union (Sunday) coming in. Northeastern won a pair of games this past weekend, but they're struggling this year. Union is 6-3-3 and 5-1-1 away from home. Hopefully Michigan can get back on the winning track before heading up to Alaska after the holiday.