U-M Rallies Again to Earn Shootout Win against Badgers

Saturday, December 5

Ann Arbor, Mich.

7:35 PM

Michigan

8-2-3, 1-0-1-1B1G

Wisconsin

3-6-5, 0-1-1-0B1G

OT 1

Wisconsin

Michigan

U-M Rallies Again to Earn Shootout Win against Badgers

12/5/2015 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey

Box Score

Dec. 5, 2015

» Michigan rallied from a 5-3 deficit to earn the tie with three third-period goals and prevailed 2-0 in the shootout.
» The Wolverines are unbeaten in their last five games (3-0-2).
» Senior forward Justin Selman (2G, A) now has nine goals against Wisconsin.

• Boxscore | Photo Gallery

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Yost Ice Arena)
Score: #11 Michigan 6, Wisconsin 6 (Michigan wins shootout, 2-0)
Records: U-M (8-2-3, 1-0-1-1 Big Ten), WIS (3-6-4, 0-1-1-0 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Dec. 11 -- vs. Minnesota (Yost Ice Arena), 7:05 p.m.

• Kornacki Postgame Feature: Michigan's Comeback Kids Pull Out Another Win

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan ice hockey team rallied from a two-goal third period deficit to earn a 6-6 regulation tie against Wisconsin on Saturday night (Dec. 5) inside Yost Ice Arena.

The Wolverines won the ensuing shootout, 2-0, on goals from JT Compher and Alex Kile to earn two points on the night in Big Ten play, taking five of six points overall on the weekend against the Badgers. Freshman goaltender Chad Catt, in his first extended action of the season, made 12 saves in regulation and two in the shootout. Catt replaced junior goaltender Zach Nagelvoort (16 saves) who was lifted in the second period after Wisconsin took a 4-3 lead midway through the second period.

Trailing 5-3 entering the final period of play, the Wolverines tied the game quickly in the opening 6:04 of the frame on goals from junior forward Tyler Motte and Compher to tie the game. Compher set up Motte's goal on a broken play, as Motte lost the puck in the slot, but Compher was there to feed it back to him for a tap-in goal at 3:19.

At 6:04, junior defenseman Nolan De Jong made a beautiful seam pass to hit Compher in stride on a breakaway. Compher cut to his backhand and beat Wisconsin goaltender Matt Jurusik (34 saves) to tie the game at 5-5.

Michigan took the lead at 10:45, as Downing corralled a loose puck at the left point and fired a long wrist shot through traffic past Jurusik to give the Wolverines the lead.

But Wisconsin's Matthew Freytag notched his second goal of the night, and Wisconsin's third power play goal of the game on a deflection in front at 15:31 to send the game to overtime.

The Wolverines had a late power play that carried over into the extra frame with Luke Kunin sent to the penalty box for hooking at 19:10 of regulation. But chances for Kile and freshman forward Cooper Marody were turned away by Jurusik.

In the shootout, Catt made saves on Wisconsin's Cameron Hughes and Luke Kunin, while Compher beat Jurusik over the arm, and Kile shoveled a backhander into the top corner.

The back-and-forth play that defined most of the play on Friday night carried over into the first period on Saturday, as the two teams combined for five goals, with Michigan leading 3-2 at the break.

The Wolverines got off to a quick start, scoring twice in the opening 5:00 of the game to take an early 2-0 lead. On a 3-on-2 rush, Kile's toe drag slid off his stick to senior forward Selman (2G, A), who fired a shot on net. Senior forward Cristoval 'Boo' Nieves (G, 2A) crashed the slot for the rebound and poked the puck past Jurusik at 1:29 to put Michigan ahead.

With Wisconsin on its first power play of the night, the Wolverines scored their second shorthanded goal of the season with Nieves and Selman combining on a 2-on-1. Nieves kept the puck for a shot from the left wing and the rebound trickled wide of the net. Selman found the puck, skated back in front and found an open net at 4:38 to give the Wolverines a short-lived 2-0 lead.

On the same Wisconsin power play, Ryan Wagner deflected a shot from the point off the chest of Nagelvoort, then batted in his own rebound at 5:39.

The Badgers tied the game on another power play minutes later, Marody was sent to the penalty box for hooking at 8:27. Wagner scored on a clean deflection at 9:47 to tie the game.

But Michigan answered late to regain the lead, with Selman notching his second of the game at 15:45. Nieves set the play up, as he skated around two Wisconsin defensemen but lost the puck. Selman found it in the slot and beat Jurusik to put Michigan back in front after one period of play.

The Badgers scored three second period goals to take control of the contest, as Tim Davison scored from the high slot at 8:09 with Wisconsin skating 6-on-5 on a delayed penalty for Michigan. Just over two minutes later, Kevin Schulze's shot from the from left point deflected off the stick of U-M defenseman Joseph Cecconi and over the shoulder of Nagelvoort at 10:13 to put the Badgers ahead, 4-3.

Catt entered the game shortly thereafter, making several saves to steady the Wolverines, but Freytag notched his first of the contest on the backdoor of a 2-on-1, taking a feed from Seamus Malone and finding an open net at 18:23 to put Wisconsin up 5-3 and set up the wild finish.

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