Weekend With The Wolverines

From The Vault
Nick Roberto leads a rush up ice in a 2-1 loss at
Michigan in October of 2013.
(Photo by Matt Dresens)

A week after opening their Hockey East schedule with a three point effort against Northeastern, BU heads back on the non-conference trail, traveling to Michigan for a pair of games with the 18th ranked Wolverines.

Michigan has been disappointing so far this year. They are 4-3-1 and have yet to play a ranked opponent. UM opened their schedule with a split against Union at home, before picking up five of a possible six points against Ferris State and Michigan Tech in a three game span. Then things went downhill with two games out east. In the last weekend of October, Michigan traveled to Vermont and was blanked 3-0. The next night, they lost 3-2 at Dartmouth in just the second game of the year for the Big Green. Last weekend, they topped Arizona State 4-1 in Glendale.

BU and Michigan met last year in a two game set at Agganis. BU won game one in dramatic fashion, erasing a 2-0 third period deficit with goals from Danny O’Regan, Robbie Baillargeon and Doyle Somerby, who scored the game winner with five minutes left. The next night, Michigan rolled to 4-2 win.

Scouting The Wolverines
There are no runaway scoring leaders on Michigan's roster and the top two point getters are freshmen. Will Lookwood has eight points in eight games, scoring five goals and adding three assists. Jake Slaker has notched three goals and four assists for seven points. Luke Martin is certainly another player to keep an eye on. He was ranked #1 on the NHL Central Scouting preliminary list prior to the season, but has since fallen to #20 on ISS Hockey’s top 31 prospects. Needless to say, wherever he is ranked, the kid can play. The 6’2 defenseman from St. Louis, Missouri has one point, an assist vs ASU last weekend, in eight games played.

Michigan has had a revolving door of sorts in net. Three goalies, including two freshmen have all seen time this year. Jack LaFontaine is 1-1-1 in three appearances with a 2.28 goals against and a .936 save percentage. Hayden Lavigne is statistically the Wolverines’ best goalie, posting a .944 sv% and a 2.00 GAA. Finally, we get to Zach Nagelvoort, who is 1-1-0 in his career against BU. This year the senior from Holland, Michigan has seen time in two games and has allowed 5 goals on 72 shots.

BU Notes
-Earlier this week, the Boston Hockey Blog reported a slew of injuries for the Terriers. First, Clayton Keller is listed day to day with a lower-body injury (probably a knee) and is likely out this weekend. Nik Olsson will be available for Friday’s game and his injury is not shoulder related. He missed most of the second half of last year due to a separated shoulder. Ryan Cloonan is also “day to day” and coach Quinn is “not sure when he will be ready.”

- There was no update on Chase Phelps

- One would have to think Oskar Andrén will stay in the lineup along with Johnny McDermott and Gabriel Chabot. It will be all hands on deck this weekend with the forwards.