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Michigan set for tough test after weekend sweep |
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We know all about the star power at Michigan: seven first-round draft picks, 12 drafted players in total.
On paper, they’re as impressive as it gets.
As you know, hockey games are not won on paper, they’re won on the ice. While talent can only get you so far, that talent needs to come together and put forth the effort on the ice.
Again, this you know.
The Wolverines opened their season last weekend with a sweep of Lake Superior State, outscoring the Lakers 13-5.
Brendan Brisson (29th, 2020 VGK) and Owen Power (1st, 2021 BUF) had five points each in the sweep. Thomas Bordeleau (38th, 2020 SJ) had four points, Kent Johnson (5th, 2021 CBJ) had three, so on and so on.
Michigan found itself trailing by two in the second period on Saturday, before storming back with five unanswered goals en route to the 7-4 victory.
“It seems like we’re just going to go play offense,” Michigan coach Mel Pearson said. “We’re going to score goals; we’re going to get plenty of chances. But we can’t play high-risk high reward hockey.”
The Lakers are not a bad hockey team by any means, in fact, they’re coming off a WCHA Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance a year ago. It certainly was a tough test for the Wolverines, but not as difficult as the one ahead.
Michigan heads to Duluth to participate in the Ice Breaker Tournament. They’ll open with a highly anticipated contest against host, Minnesota Duluth Friday and then take on either Providence or Minnesota State on Saturday.
All three opponents are some of college hockey’s best and are expected to compete for a national championship come April. All four teams playing in this weekend’s tournament are ranked inside the top-10.
“We’re not going to see any better opponents than we are this weekend the rest of the year,” Pearson said. “So, I think it’s going to be another good matchup, another good learning lesson especially for our young players, first time we have to go on the road and play in someone else’s rink with their fans.”
It’s going to be the first real test for a young Michigan team, one with high expectations this season. It’s likely to be an indication of whether Michigan is more than a bunch of exciting names on paper.
The Bulldogs of Duluth have appeared in three of the last four national championships, winning back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019. They know how to play and win in big games.
Michigan was scheduled for a first-round NCAA Tournament date with the Bulldogs last season before COVID related issues forced them out of the NCAA Tournament. While Friday’s lights won’t be as bright as they would have been had the two met last March, all eyes are on Michigan and how they’ll respond.
“We get another crack at Minnesota-Duluth. And they scheduled us for a reason, just because we weren’t able to get them last year,” said senior Garrett Van Wyhe. “This will be a playoff game, it’s nice to get one of these types of games under our belts really early in the season.”
For young, returning players like Power, Bordeleau and Matt Beniers, this provides another opportunity to showcase not only their talent, but prove what this team is capable of in a magnified setting.
Michigan was bounced from the Big Ten Tournament in the second-round last season, losing in overtime to Minnesota 3-2.
What will ultimately define Michigan’s season is what they do at the end of the season, not a weekend tournament in October. But before we cross that bridge, Michigan has something to prove beforehand.
Despite their loaded roster, not everyone is buying the Michigan hype. A tournament win at the Ice Breaker this weekend could change some of that.
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