Michigan needs more from its offense

I

t took just three seconds for 
Alex Kile to score a goal that 
ranks among the best of this 

young season.

The senior forward emerged 

from a routine 
scrum near 
the boards 
with the puck, 
surrounded 
on the ice 
by all five 
Michigan Tech 
players. With 
no teammates 
near, he evaded 
one defender 
before falling 
to his knees and sliding toward 
the net.

And somehow, despite losing 

his balance, he deked out Huskie 
goaltender Matt Wintjes and 
poked the puck into the net to 
give No. 11 Michigan a 2-1 lead. It 
was an amazing individual effort 
— the type that will find its way 
onto postseason highlight reels.

But the incredible goal from 

Michigan’s co-captain only 
illustrated the problem facing the 
Wolverines early on this season: 
an offense that lacks cohesion 
and has relied on a steady diet 
of individual performances like 
Kile’s to stay afloat.

Sure, Michigan has a 3-1-1 

record through five games, and 
no one expected the Wolverines 
to replicate the lethal attack 
they had last season, when they 
averaged 4.76 goals per game on 
the strength of perhaps the best 
line in all of college hockey.

If Michigan hopes to finish 

in the top half of the Big Ten, 
though — let alone make it back 
to the postseason — it will need 
to develop a more consistent 
approach when it has the puck.

Perhaps some sporadic 

moments from players new to 
their roles are to be expected.

The standout performances 

from new contributors have 
been a pleasant surprise. A more 
sustainable model of success, 
though, would be more efficient 
play across the board.

The Wolverines have been 

outshot in all five games, and 
while shots don’t often tell 
the whole story, Michigan has 
struggled to move or possess 

the puck, tallying a Corsi For 
percentage (a measure of puck 
possession) of just 37.5 thus far.

The Wolverines’ average 

goals per game and power-play 
percentage don’t tell the full 
story, either. Michigan averages 
3.20 goals per game — good for 
25th in the nation — and has 
converted on 
24 percent of its 
power plays, but 
there are far too 
many instances 
during both even-
strength play and 
on the power play 
when the attack 
stagnates. Shots 
are few and far 
between and 
Wolverines skate 
up and down the ice, aimlessly 
chasing dumped pucks.

Possession was rare in 

Saturday’s game against 
Michigan Tech, when the 
Huskies controlled the puck 
and subdued Michigan with an 
aggressive forecheck — a tactic 
that both Union and Ferris 
State, Michigan’s previous two 
opponents, also utilized to great 
effect.

Michigan Tech 

ended with a 
27-shot advantage, 
peppering 45 
shots on goal 
compared to 
just 18 from the 
Wolverines.

To Michigan’s 

credit, this isn’t an 
issue that’s new 
to them, and the 
players have been 

working on correcting it. They 
know that being outplayed for 
most of the game won’t always 

lead to wins or ties, and they’ve 
already heard from coach Red 
Berenson and the rest of the staff.

“I mean, let’s face it, we 

haven’t played the best teams in 
the country yet,” Kile said after 
Saturday’s game. “Once we play 
Minnesota, Ohio State and Penn 
State, we can’t play like this, or 
else we’re going to lose.

“We’re going through some 

growing pains, and we’re trying 
to find our chemistry right now. 
But I think we’re going to get 
better. We got outplayed both 
games this weekend, and we 
were lucky to come out on top 
last night and get the shootout 
win today.”

Michigan freshman netminder 

Jack LaFontaine, whose 42-save 
performance Saturday helped 
his team escape with the tie, was 
more positive when it came to 
evaluating his team.

“We’re a very clutch team,” 

LaFontaine said. “When the 
going gets tough, we get tougher. 
And I think that’s good. But 
today, coach Berenson was 
talking about how we have to 
play a full 60 (minutes), and 
I personally see it as a silver 
lining. If we can do this in the 
third period, what’s going to 
happen in a couple months with 
the first and second periods?”

And it’s hard to argue with 

LaFontaine. It’s difficult to know 
just how good this team could be 
if it sharpens up offensively.

But what’s clearer is what 

the result will be if Michigan 
continues to play inconsistently 
into the bulk of its schedule — a 
lot fewer wins and draws.

Sang can be reached at 

otsang@umich.edu and on 

Twitter @orion_sang.

Wolverines’ young players have stepped in well so far, but team must improve consistency for the long haul

AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily

Senior forward Alex Kile and Michigan have strung together some clutch goals in their five games this season, but the Wolverines still need to improve their puck movement.

ORION 
SANG

“We haven’t 

played the best 

teams in the 
country yet.”

Tuesday, October 25, 2016 // FACEOFF 2016
3B 

