[ad_1]
If there’s one thing Michigan hockey coach Brandon Naurato loves, it’s being on the power play. It’s easy to see why, as when the Wolverines played with a man advantage last season, they scored more than anyone else. Michigan led the NCAA in power play output and efficiency in 2023-24, boasting a whopping 50 goals and converting at a 33% clip.
So when the Wolverines struggled relative to their standard on the power play Friday and Saturday against Minnesota State — to the tune of a 1-for-7 showing — Naurato wasn’t satisfied.
“We’re going through it,” Naurato said Tuesday about the power play units. “Hopefully you can survive to be pretty good on the power play and then get great at the end because you need it. Our penalty kill has been really good, but you need them to score those goals, and that’s what breaks that game open on Saturday or keeps you in it on Friday.”
Much to Michigan’s chagrin, neither of those things happened. The power play wasn’t the problem Friday, as the Wolverines struck pay dirt when sophomore forward William Whitelaw sniped a one-timer into the back of the net. Saturday, though, was a different story, as Michigan’s 0-for-5 effort stymied opportunities for an offensive eruption.
While the Wolverines didn’t need their power play Saturday to skate off the ice victorious, not every game will follow that script — they’ll need consistent production with a man advantage. However, it takes time to foster a successful power play, let alone one that sets the NCAA standard. And after a summer full of departures that gutted Michigan’s elite power play, it needs to figure out its best lines.
“I take a lot of pride in the power play, but there’s just a lot of little things,” Naurato said. “The whole thing of ‘just have good players and put them on the ice’, no chance. That doesn’t work. It’s not (because of) me that (the) power play was good last year. It’s two years of development with those guys, and they were together the whole time.”
Without crusading forwards like Dylan Duke, Rutger McGroarty and Seamus Casey, that production now needs to come from somewhere else. The Mavericks exposed this reality, and it’ll take time for the Wolverines to get back to their standard. However, they’ve played just two games, and they’re still adapting.
And behind its returners, there’s a path forward for Michigan.
Junior forward T.J. Hughes lit the lamp eight times on power play goals last season, trailing only Duke. A leader on and off the ice, he’s had plenty of time to develop his skills and connect with his linemates. He’s not alone, as sophomore forward Nick Moldenhauer bagged an additional three goals. But a power play unit that leads the nation can’t lean on just two players — it needs two full lines that balance chemistry and talent.
“I think outside of (Moldenhauer) and T.J. and then (graduate defenseman) Ethan Edwards a little bit, they’re all new guys (on the power play),” Naurato said. “So I did think it looked different.”
With new lines but the same goal, the Wolverines believe it’s just a matter of time before things click. Whitelaw’s goal was a positive start, and freshman forward Michael Hage earned the assist with a crisp pass from wing-to-wing. Along with the returners like Moldenhauer and Hughes, it’s a solid base. The talent is there, but it’ll take time for the group to gel.
Naurato prides himself as a special teams coach, and the power play is a crucial element to Michigan’s performance. While the first week was a reality check that brought the Wolverines back to Earth, Naurato hopes his power play can blast off to new horizons.
Naurato knows Michigan can score on the power play. He’s seen them lead the nation in years prior, and he’s hoping it’ll get back to that standard — and soon.
Related articles
[ad_2]
Source link
