CLICK HERE for Game Recap from Kristy McNeil and other pertinent information.

What just happened (TL;DR): Michigan gave up ten power plays, and it did not come close to mattering. Woof. Lake State is not good. Adam Fantilli has a big night. TJ Hughes adds a couple of goals. Erik Portillo does fine. Another ho-hum win the in UP. Fireworks, anyone?

FINAL CORSI NUMBERS (www.collegehockeynews.com)

Forward Notes.

-This was such a sloppy game from so many perspectives. There were 15 (!!) total power plays, so the even strength numbers plummeted through the floor. Lake State could not skate with Michigan, anyway, so it wouldn’t have really mattered. This was the best possible outcome in terms of game style for the Lakers, and they still got steamrolled.

-Dylan Duke and Mackie Samoskevich each scored a goal at even strength. Duke finished with three points. Adam Fantilli continued his phenomenal weekend tallying four more points (1G, 3A). His goal came during some FloHockey malfunctioning, so it will be lost in the ether forever. He now has 15 points in 6 games. All three member of Michigan’s top line are in the Top 6 in scoring, nationally. Maybe they’ll give the CCM line a run? Are we calling them the FSD line? We could…

-TJ Hughes tallied a couple of goals. He’s becoming a real player. He looks the part on the power play, and he finished a very nice move at the net for his even strength goal. Jackson Hallum made a couple of plays, including forcing the DZTO that leads to the Hughes finish.

Defense Notes.

-Once again, Michigan’s defense was pretty sound overall. The Lakers just could not skate well enough to really trouble Michigan in the offensive end. The Wolverines had a few sloppy moments at 5v5, but still did not giveaway anything dangerous. Keaton Pehrson did have a nice play to clear away a puck that got through Erik Portillo in the third period.

-Luke Hughes, Seamus Casey, and Ethan Edwards all got forward at times and created offensively. Casey looked particularly menacing with quick movements and passes in tight spaces. He ended up taking four shots on net. Luke Hughes had six.

TJ has more goals than Luke? (Patrick Barron)

SPECIAL TEAMS CHART

Power Play. Michigan was up and down on their advantages. They moved the puck and created space well on a couple and did not look very good on others. Adam Fantilli blasted a shot from the dot and TJ Hughes cleaned up the rebound for his second goal of the night and Michigan’s only power play tally. TJ Hughes has been skating on the first unit and has looked the part. He’s cementing a spot not only in the lineup but on one of the top power play units in the country.

Penalty Kill. The Wolverines took way too many penalties. Were some of them soft? Perhaps. Either way, Michigan was always going to dominate the game at 5v5. Too many silly penalties. Still, the Wolverines did well on the Kill, stifling the Lakers other than one quick sequence. A nice tic-tac-toe beat Portillo from in tight to get the Lakers on the board. Timo Bakos got the tally. Other than that, Michigan completely short-circuited the Lakers power play.

Erik Portillo kept an eye on everything all weekend (Patrick Barron)

GOALTENDING CHART

Notes. Erik Portillo had a non-descript night. There was a stretch in the second period where he made a few scramble saves and held down the fort during some sloppy defense. The only goal to get by him was the one breakdown on the penalty kill. He had no chance as the Lakers put together a very nice tic-tac-toe sequence. This was never going to be a series where Portillo was the difference. He was fine.

ODD MAN RUSH CHART

Notes. Michigan gave up a semi-breakaway (that I rounded up to a whole), as a Laker came down the boards. Erik Portillo took away the angle and made the save. That was the only real chance in transition for Lake State.

Michigan got a breakaway from Jackson Hallum, but he drew Seth Eisele’s blocker. The Wolverines also added a 2v1 that amounted to nothing. It was not an exciting night in transition overall.

FINAL THOUGHTS

In the end, Michigan thumped a bad Lake State team. They were never threatened all weekend. Adam Fantilli and TJ Hughes were the dudes on Saturday night. Dylan Duke added points. Michigan needs to NOT GIVE UP TEN POWER PLAYS, but it was still never going to be a problem on this night. A huge revenge series for the Western Michigan Broncos looms next weekend. Friday night at 7pm at Yost. BTN+, ugh.