Michigan Hockey: 45th Annual Great Lakes Invitational Preview

Posted at 8:00am -- 12/29/2009




45th ANNUAL GREAT LAKES INVITATIONAL PREVIEW

Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan

MICHIGAN (9-9-0, 5-7-0) 10th in the CCHA vs. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Engineers (9-9-1, 3-4-0 8th in the 12 team ECACHL conference) 7:35 pm

13th ranked MSU (12-6-2, 9-3-2) 2nd in the CCHA vs. Michigan Tech Huskies (3-14-0, 2-13-0 10th in the 10 team WCHA conference) 4:35 pm

Wednesday, 12/30/09:
Consolation Game 4:35 pm
Championship Game 7:35 pm

GLI Facts:

Michigan Tech was the founding team of this annual Holiday tournament, having hosted it now for 45 years. 28 different teams have participated in the GLI, with 13 different teams skating to the tournament championship. Michigan leads all participants with 13 titles followed by MSU with 11 titles and MTU with 9 titles. Michigan has won back to back titles, with MSU’s most recent title in 2007 and MTU’s most recent championship in 1980. Michigan and MSU became permanent invitees back in the 1980 season when the event was moved to Joe Louis Arena.

Michigan holds an overall GLI record of 47-30-1, including an 8-7-1 mark versus MSU, (7-7-1 according to MSU records) including a 6-5-1 lead in the championship game and a 17-10 record against Michigan Tech, including eight straight wins. Michigan also snapped a five game GLI losing skid to MSU in 2008, and also broke a long championship dry spell since the last GLI title in 1997.

MSU is 42-27-1 overall at the GLI, and brags of the leading winning percentage amongst the three permanent invitees. The Spartans have enjoyed great success in the past decade, being in the championship game 10 of the past 12 years and 13 of the past 16 seasons, winning 11 titles, including 6 of the past 12 championships. State has owned the Huskies, recording a 21-4 mark in the GLI (20-5 according to MTU historians) and held an eleven game unbeaten string against Tech until 2007. Michigan Tech, does, however, own an overall 77-73-2 record all time against the Spartans.

Red Berenson has a GLI tournament leading 35 victories as Michigan’s head coach.

The John J. MacInnes Trophy is awarded the Tournament MVP, in honor of the legendary Michigan Tech coach, who is currently third in GLI wins behind MSU’s Ron Mason and Berenson.

Recapping The Wolverines:

Michigan is still searching for consistency, following a nominal first half of play. Matter of fact, Michigan not only split their final series with the Irish, but have split their last ten games. Coach Berenson minced no words in detailing the anemic offense, lapsing defensive coverage and inconsistent goaltending in a recent interview with Michael Spath from The Wolverine. You can find that article here: http://michigan.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1030347

The opportunity to begin anew starts with this tournament as Michigan faces an opponent fans have not seen Michigan play since a series in Ann Arbor dating back to January 1986. Rensselaer or RPI as they are more easily referred to- plays in the ECAC league. They have played Michigan ten times in their illustrious history, and hold a 6-3-1 mark over the Wolverines. The series most recently played was split, with RPI winning the first game 7-6 and Michigan rebounding to win a wide open 11-10 OT affair.

Ironically, RPI had played Michigan in their only appearance in the GLI in 1985. They routed the Wolverines 8-3, before losing in the Final against MSU by the same score.

RPI would go on to win their second National Title that season on Joe Louis Arena ice. They had also defeated Michigan in the semi finals in 1954 to move on to their first title chance and beat Minnesota in OT that season.
MSU would then go on in 1986 to win their second national title. Michigan Tech, on the other hand, has three national titles, but none since 1975, when Michigan and MSU also played in the WCHA.

Full Roster For Michigan:

I cannot recall the last time Michigan did not send a member of their team to the U-20 World Junior Tournament. This year marks the first year that has happened in close to two decades, as Chris Brown was one of the last cuts made on the USA roster. David Wohlberg also did not make the team, and no other players were considered for Canadian or European rosters. This is a good break for Michigan, considering the struggles they have gone through this season. I am sure Brown will get his opportunity next season.

Speaking Stats:

Michigan’s attack is still led by the usual suspects- Carl Hagelin takes his 9-7-16 total to Detroit along with Brown’s 7-8-15 and Matt Rust’s 6-9-15. The guy to look for, though, is surging Louie Caporusso, (5-9-14) who also happens to be the 2008 GLI MVP, scoring four goals in last season’s tourney. Caporusso has produced 5 GLI goals and 1 assist in his two tourney appearances, including two game winning goals.

Michigan is now averaging 2.78 goals per game, good for 31st in the country. The Wolverines are ninth best in defense, holding opponents to 2.28 goals per game.
The PP is clicking at a 16.3% clip, 37th in the country and the PK slipped to 2nd, although a sparkling 91% average. The team still is second in conference penalty minutes, totaling 329 for the season, but only 117 minutes due to minor penalties.

Bryan Hogan sports a 9-9-0 record with a decent .905 save percentage and a nominal 2.23 goals against mark.

Michigan holds a 2-6 record against ranked teams this season, and will only play one ranked team in the event both Michigan and MSU advance to the Championship game.

Who Are These Engineers?

RPI is located in upstate New York, in Troy. They boast of having the finest and oldest technological university in the country, competing with other storied engineering schools such as Clarkson and Cornell.

RPI comes into the GLI fresh off of a 5-3 non league victory at Boston University. They had lost their previous four games, and entered the third period trailing, 3-2 and pulled off a modest comeback. This was the third common opponent of Michigan that RPI had played this season, including Alaska and Alaska-Anchorage. They are coached by Seth Appert, a Ferris State 1997 graduate.

RPI has not been a hockey powerhouse since their 80’s glory days, but they are not a doormat, either. They play a tough, physical and fundamental style of hockey that forces opponents to work for every inch of ice, similar to how several CCHA teams play. They feature six NHL draftees on their roster and have good offensive and defensive balance with a roster of 5 Seniors, 9 Juniors, 8 Sophomores and 5 Freshmen.

One of those draftees will be missing the GLI, though. Freshman sensation Jerry D’Amigo (Toronto, 2009 6th round choice) was selected on the USA National Junior Team. D’Amigo has tallied 5-9-14 for the Engineers, and will be sorely missed up front. RPI’s cupboard is not bare, offensively, though. Junior Chase Polacek leads the offense (12-14-26) and is 3rd overall in the NCAA in scoring, and is 7th in the nation in PPG’s with six. Freshman Brandon Pirri (Blackhawks, 2nd round) has chipped in with 7-11-18. Senior Paul Kerins 5-8-13 also adds a little grit, leading the team with 35 PIM’s. Junior Tyler Helfrich is on a five game point streak, going 3-3-6 over that period to total 4-9-13 for the season.

On defense, RPI features Senior Christian Jensen (Sharks, 9th round) Junior Jeff Foss (Nashville, 6th round) So. Mike Bergin (Dallas, 7th round) as well as Captain (Junior) John Kennedy, Senior Co-captain Peter Merth and Jr. Co-captain Bryan Brutlag on the blueline.

The goaltending is mostly handled by Sophomore Allan York (Columbus, 6th round) who is 6-8-1 with a 2.93 GAA and a .895 Sv. %. Freshman Bryce Merriam is 3-1 with a 2.27 GAA and a .898 Sv. % in spot duty.

RPI is 2-2-1 against ranked opponents, including wins over UNH and Yale as well as losses to Cornell and Union. The Engineers settled for a tie with Alaska.

Overall, the Engineers score an average of 2.9 goals per game, and give up 2.8 goals per game. They average about 13 penalty minutes a game, (253 minutes on the season) but are having trouble killing penalties, at a dismal 77% clip. Their PP is not bad, converting almost 20% of their opportunities.

Look for RPI to try to control the tempo of their games and keep Michigan and MTU/MSU close. Penalties may bite them, though, which appear to be one of the areas coach Appert is looking to improve.
Michigan Tech facts:

Michigan Tech owns a 40-50-0 all time record at the GLI, but has not had much success in the tournament in the past few decades. The few bright spots have been a 7-3 rout of Michigan in 2000, a 4-1 semi final win over MSU in 2007 (followed by a tight 1-0 2OT loss to Michigan in the Final) and a victory over North Dakota in last year’s consolation game.

Tech has fallen on hard times again this season, winning only three games to date, all, ironically, on Friday nights. It is important to note that MTU does play a difficult schedule, ranked 2nd most difficult in the country only below fellow WCHA partner SCSU.

The offense, what there is of it, is supported by Freshman defenseman Steven Seigo who has posted 1G and 10 A on the season. Up front, Sophomore Brett Olson has chipped in 17 points (8G-9A) and Senior Malcolm Gwilliam has pushed across 14 points on 7G and 7A. The defense is also supported by Brighton, Mi native Senior John Kivisto, who has added 4-5-9 on the year.

Freshman goalie Kevin Genoe is 2-10-0 on the year, with a respectable .900 Sv. % and a 3.56 GAA. Sophomore Josh Robinson spells Genoe and is 1-4, with a .856 Sv % and a 5.04 GAA.

Tech has struggled to produce two goals per game, while allowing four. Their PP is an anemic 15.6% conversion, while their PK is a pathetic 63.4%. The Huskies have dropped their last eight games in a row.

Tech has played all of their non conference games against CCHA opponents and will continue that trend if they move on to face Michigan in the tourney final.

Update on Michigan State:

This is MSU’s 35th year participating in the GLI. They are averaging just fewer than 3 goals per game this season and giving up just over 2 goals per game. The Spartans are coming off of a fine first half, and ended the first half with a come from behind sweep of the Bowling Green Falcons.

Their PP is still a below average 17% conversion, while their PK is at 83% on the season. They have taken a total of 266 minutes in penalties, with most of them being minors.

Junior Corey Tropp leads the nation in points with 16-11-27. His two hat tricks lead the country also and he was recently named CCHA POTW on December 14th.
Freshman Derek Grant has also boosted the Spartan offense, with 7-12-19 numbers. Junior Defenseman Jeff Petry shares the lead in scoring from the blueline in the CCHA, tallying 2-14-16. Goaltenders Bobby Jarosz (4-1, one SO,) and Drew Palmisano share duties, with Palmisano ranked 8th nationally in GAA (2.03) and 7th in Sv. % at .927.

This week’s keys to the match up:

1. Michigan should continue to attack, forcing RPI and their other opponent into special team’s situations. Convert on the PP.
2. Do not get goaded into taking bad penalties, no matter how well your PK unit is doing. It killed any chance for rebounding in the last ND game. RPI is dangerous offensively, so Michigan will already be in a position where necessary penalties may need to be taken.
3. Michigan needs secondary scoring from their third and fourth lines. Expect RPI to try to shutdown the Michigan go to offensive players. Same with Tech or MSU.
4. Bryan Hogan has to be the best line of defense to start the second half. He has the tools, and he also has last year’s experience where he gave up one goal the entire tourney.

Prediction:
Tuesday ... Michigan 3 RPI 2 ... MSU 5 Michigan Tech 3
Wednesday ... Michigan 2 MSU 1 ... RPI 4 Michigan Tech 2

Go Blue and Happy New Year… may it be Amaizing for YOU!

Written by Yostmeister

Go Blue -- Wear Maize!