The Michigan hockey team is traveling to the northeast this weekend for their biggest non-conference clash of the season against the high-flying Boston University Terriers:
The No. 11 Michigan Wolverines (3-2-1) headline the weekend slate of college hockey games with a road collision against the No. 5 Boston University Terriers (4-1). Michigan is coming off a 4-3 (OT) exhibition victory over the USNTDP, and BU is back home after a series split at North Dakota. With massive Pairwise implications on the line, neither team can afford anything less than three points this weekend.
Although Boston is replacing Hobey Baker Award winner Macklin Celibrini and Lane Hutson, the Terriers are not rebuilding. Despite losing those two high-profile scorers, BU remains a top-10 scoring team in the country, averaging 3.80 goals per game.
Led by the stout 6-foot-5 forward Shane Lachance, the sophomore has thrived in an increased role with six points through the first five games. Supplementing Lachane is the highly touted freshman Cole Eiserman, who has seamlessly acclimated to the collegiate game with four goals and five total points to start his career.
Defensively, BU has taken a step back. Last year, the Terriers were ranked in the top-six in scoring defense, while this season, Boston has plummeted to No. 36. Looking to help outscore opponents instead of slowing them down is a duo of talented scorers — sophomore Tom Willander leads all BU blue-liners with five points, and standout freshman Cole Hutson (yes, Lane’s younger brother) has chipped in with four.
The combination of scoring at both levels has helped Boston’s power play score at an impressive 30.4 percent clip which ranks top-five nationally. The battle between this unit and Michigan’s Big Ten-leading penalty kill (.833) will be the strength-on-strength matchup to watch all weekend.
In net for the Terriers, senior Mathieu Caron has done what he can behind a regressive defense. Caron has a .909 save percentage while starting every game so far this year. He and this struggling defense present a timely opportunity for the Wolverines to get their offense clicking.
Shockingly, to the start the season, Michigan has showcased a stout defensive identity but has lagged behind offensively. Despite a sputtering team output, a few players have still individually shined. Freshman sensation Michael Hage leads the Wolverines with seven points (4G, 3A), and sophomore Garrett Schifsky leads the team with five goals, including three short-handers.
On the blue line, although Arizona State transfer Tim Lovell (2A) has struggled to get his offensive game going, he has helped bolster a unit that has needed a defensive jolt for three years. Perhaps no one has benefitted from this defensive improvement quite like the net-minders.
Michigan’s goalie battle is “ongoing” with both graduate transfer Logan Stein (.925 save percentage) and true freshman Cameron Korpi (.915 save percentage) showing high-ceiling flashes through six games. Korpi appeared to have the early lead after a strong performance against Minnesota State, but after overcoming some season-opening jitters, Stein has been dominant and is on track to be the first two-game starter for a single series this year.
Key to the game
Puck possession. Last season, Michigan won 52.8 percent of faceoffs, a nine-year program high and easily the best of the Brandon Naurato era. Building off that momentum, the Wolverines have improved even further this season by posting a 53.1 percent faceoff win-rate through six games.
If Michigan can continue to dominate in the circle, it can control puck possession and create more scoring opportunities for its struggling offense. Furthermore, puck possession increases the probability of drawing a penalty and allowing the Wolverines to gain invaluable power play reps to finally get that aspect of its special teams to the level that fans have grown used to under Naurato.
Game 1
When: Friday, Nov. 1, 7 p.m. ET
Where: Agganis Arena, Boston, MA
How to watch: ESPN+
How to listen: Varsity Podcast Network
Game 2
When: Saturday, Nov. 2, 7 p.m. ET
Where: Agganis Arena, Boston, MA
How to watch: ESPN+
How to listen: Varsity Podcast Network