Michigan sweeps Arizona State to complete regular season...

[Puckhead]

Both nights seemed to be mirror images of each other. Michigan stormed out to large leads both nights, then started making trip after trip to the penalty box and let ASU hang around. In the end both games ended up being 5-3 wins for Michigan.

In tonight's games Michigan State beat Notre Dame, OSU beat Wisconsin, and Penn State beat Minnesota.

The first round of the Big Ten tournament is set.
OSU will host MSU
Michigan will host Wisconsin
Penn State will host Minnesota

Minnesota traveled to Penn State this weekend and got swept. That flipped the teams in the standings, moving PSU into the #4 spot and Minnesota to #5. This means that Minnesota has to go back to Penn State next weekend to open Big Ten tournament play.

Going into the weekend Michigan was assured of home ice in the first round, but their opponent was not known and could have been any of the teams; PSU, Minnesota, or Wisconsin. The PSU sweep over Minnesota and the OSU sweep of Wisconsin, ended up sending Wisconsin to Yost.

Not sure where the Pairwise is going to settle, it seems to take a lot longer for results to be reflected this year than in years past, but Michigan will probably stay right around where they started this weekend at #11. These wins over ASU aren't going to help Michigan much, losses would have hurt them badly, but wins won't help much. It will be interesting to see what the PSU sweep does as it relates to Minnesota and PSU.

Anyway, it's officially playoff season.

 

[Puckhead]

Well here is at least part of an answer as far as the Pairwise is concerned. Michigan has moved into a tie for 9th, but is effectively sitting at the #10 spot. There are still some games being played that could impact this, but right now they have moved up 1 spot in the Pairwise.

 

[alfadriver]

So win next week should guarantee them in, right.

Talked a little with one of the parents, and apparently ASU is a tough team to play against. Not sure exactly what that means, so..

 

[Puckhead]

So win next week should guarantee them in, right.

Talked a little with one of the parents, and apparently ASU is a tough team to play against. Not sure exactly what that means, so..

I would think if they get past Wisconsin and reach the Big Ten semi-finals that they would be in. That won't be easy as these two teams played each other pretty much to a draw over the season. After all the games were done, Michigan is sitting in 10th in the Pairwise so getting to the semi's should be enough to get them. They just want to stay away from that bubble and the longer they play, the better their chance of that not happening.

They could mean that ASU is very physical and they play, let's just say chippy. Last Saturday up in Houghton there was an all out brawl at the end of the game that their coach got involved in (of course Tech's coach got involved too, so it wasn't just one of them). Right now I think, since they are still independent, that they see this as a us against the world sort of thing and they just keep coming at you. Michigan couldn't really put them away either night. Some of that was Michigan getting sloppy after building a good lead, but the rest of it was ASU just keeping after it.

As a side note, the guy who scored more goals over the weekend for either team was Jonny Walker from ASU (I think that spelling is right), but regardless he is the last remaining player who started from their club team when they first went varsity. He must have been a freshman then to still be hanging on or missed a year from injury or something.

 

[alfadriver]

What? Johnny Walker was on their club team?? Wow- he’s got a great shot, to the point that someone should give him a pro chance somewhere.

Looking to the future, other than travel, the only conference that makes sense for ASU is the B1G. Otherwise, they would economically dominate the other conferences. Fitting is more than just hockey. As I see it.

 

[Capt28]

Well, whether ASU is tough to play against or not (8-21 says not), those were 2 woefully unfocused and undisciplined performances on our part, particularly the last 22 minutes of both games (looks at Slaker).. Look at the highlight video of Fridays' game on mgoblue.com and look at Mel's reaction after ASU scored the first goal 51 seconds in. This level of focus will spell trouble for us next weekend against Wisconsin, which based on the regular season results is our worst matchup out of them, Minny and PSU. I hope not to see any more of Trent Frederick, far and away their most dangerous player, cruising around unmolested in the scoring areas waiting for the puck - saw enough of that in our 4 games against them. (On the other hand - Wisky sort of looks like they're reeling right now.)

But the team that must really be feeling jinxed right now is Minny - got manhandled twice in State College this weekend to get knocked out of home ice for the first round, and now they have to go right back there again.

 

[alfadriver]

Tough is relative. It's not that they are difficult. Tough covers a lot of items.

We talked to a few players yesterday at the Deker's Banquet- and I would not be overly concerned about the ASU games going forward. They know.