The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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score," said junior forward Alex Kile, who was tied for fourth on the team with 10 goals. "We had a great top line last year, but we returned a lot of skill and guys were eager to step into roles they hadn't been given before. "With opportunity, we expected guys that maybe didn't have the chance in the past, whether it was on the power play or even getting a lot of ice time in five-on-five situations, to step up." Michigan's roster features a pair of 20-goal scorers in Motte (an NCAA- leading 27 in 27 games) and Connor (22), plus 10-goal scorers in Compher (11), Kile (10) and senior Justin Sel- man (10). U-M has six more players that have scored five goals or more and while those skaters do not hit the net consis- tently, they average about two com- bined goals per night, complement- ing a top line that boasts a clip of 2.5 markers. "When one group of guys has suc- cess, the confidence spills over, and the competition and hunger and de- sire to contribute all become bigger," Knuble said. "Guys are pushing each other constantly, you become used to seeing that red light go on and it just feeds this inner belief that you're go- ing to score." Michigan has scored five goals or more in 16 of 27 contests this season (59.3 percent), its best percentage since 1996-97 when the Maize and Blue hit that mark in 28 of 43 contests (65.1 percent). "It's fun to watch," said Billy Muck- alt, an alternate captain on Michigan's 1998 national championship team. "They're running a fast-paced, up- tempo style, and because they have the offensive skill, it's resulting in re- ally big numbers. "I'm sure the fans are loving it, the players love to score and even the coaches enjoy it. It makes for better viewing when it's up and down the ice, but it's also the kind of hockey that usually doesn't win in the post- season." DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS The adage is an oft-used cliché in sports, but largely because it has merit. All four former players inter- viewed for this article mentioned the Denver Broncos' recent Super Bowl title and a stifling defense that neu- tralized Cam Newton and the Caro- lina Panthers offense. Over the last decade of national champions, not a single title winner allowed more than 2.75 goals per game during its four-game NCAA run. Some scored at a high rate — Bos- ton College averaged 6.00 goals in 2009-10 while Union averaged 5.00 in 2013-14, and the Eagles (2007-08), Boston University (2008-09) and Prov- idence (2014-15) all averaged 4.75 per game — but there were relatively few high-scoring games overall. In the 40 games won by NCAA champions from 2006-15 — two re- gional contests, a semifinal and the final in each of the last 10 years — on just five occasions did those teams al- low four goals or more and prove vic- torious. Just twice did they surrender five goals and win.