Kornacki: Hyman Shows Off Hobey Baker Skill Set
3/20/2015 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
March 20, 2015
Zach Hyman seconds before scoring the game's first goal.
By Steve Kornacki
DETROIT, Mich. -- Zach Hyman learned on Thursday morning (March 19) that he was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, presented to college hockey's top player. Later that night, he wasted little time showing why he's one of only two Big Ten players on that short list.
Hyman scored Michigan's first two goals in a 5-1 win over Wisconsin in its Big Ten Tournament opener at Joe Louis Arena. The Wolverines next face archrival Michigan State in a semifinal game at 8 p.m. Friday (March 20).
Hyman, the Big Ten's leading scorer, now has 21 goals and 52 points. The Wolverines haven't had a player score 21 goals since Louie Caporusso five years ago. Caporusso also was a finalist for the Hobey Baker, a coveted honor that went to Michigan's Kevin Porter in 2008 and Brendan Morrison in 1997.
"l found out about it from a family member who sent me a text to say, 'Congrats,'" said Hyman. "It's pretty special, and I'm humbled and honored to be part of that."
Minnesota defenseman Mike Reilly, whose team faces Ohio State at 4:30 p.m. in the other semifinal, is the Big Ten's other Hobey Baker finalist.
The award will be announced next month, and Hyman's focus on Thursday was doing his part to help the Wolverines get the first of three wins required to win the conference tournament and automatic NCAA Tournament berth.
The Wolverines entered the game with the nation's top-scoring offense, averaging 3.88 goals per game but lacked timing on passes and quality scoring opportunities for most of the first period.
Hyman finally got Michigan on the scoreboard by turning a clang off the post into a bang-bang goal.
Dylan Larkin fired a shot that hit the post to the left of Wisconsin goalie Joel Rumpel. The puck ricocheted to the right and Rumpel's stick side, and Hyman quickly back-handed it into the net.
"Dylan had a one-timer," said Hyman, "and hit the post. I thought it was in, but I saw it come out the side. And so I thought I better put it in again to be sure."
The power-play goal allowed the Wolverines to take a deep breath and a lead into the first intermission.
"It was huge," said Berenson, "and it was nice to see that because Zach hasn't scored in recent games and has played really well. It's nice to see him get rewarded. He's been a horse for us all year, and we needed to get a good start against this team, and he provided it. It was nice to see him capitalize."
First-line center Andrew Copp said of Hyman: "I don't think you can overestimate how much he's meant to us. And in terms of goal-scoring, that first one tonight meant a lot to us."
Michigan took control by scoring twice in the second period.
Senior defenseman Andrew Sinelli notched his first goal of the season 2:05 into the period on a shot that deflected off Wisconsin center Ryan Wagner's stick. The puck popped high in the air and over the shoulder of Rumpel before falling into the net.
"I joined a rush down ice and Boo Nieves made a good play on that," said Sinelli. "It trickled in over the goalie and bounced for us. I'll take it, though."
Hyman's second goal wasn't quickly signaled because nobody -- not the officials or the players on either team -- seemed to know where it was for several seconds. But the puck Hyman deflected off a Cutler Martin shot was lodged off the ice and in the back of the net.
"It was kind of a mystery," said Hyman. "Nobody knew where the puck was. It was like, 'What's going on here?' The players and officials couldn't find it. Cutler took the shot, it hit my stick, and I thought it went out of play. And then Dylan came over and pointed and said, 'It's in the net!' "
Martin and Larkin got assists on the goal.
Wisconsin's Jedd Soleway cut the lead to two goals by scoring at the 9:14 mark of the third period, and two minutes later the Wolverines had to fight off a two-man advantage for the Badgers for a stretch of 1:03 with a pair in the penalty box.
The outcome wasn't settled until Larkin added a goal that was a product of his great speed and feel for the game. He rushed the net and poked it past Rumpel at the 14:23 mark, and Justin Selman's goal finished the scoring three minutes later.
The Wolverines went 5-0 against the Badgers this season and hadn't beaten one team five times since MSU in 2008-09.
Michigan is 3-2 this season against Spartans, who won the last encounter, 2-1, in Ann Arbor on Saturday (March 14). It was a game that cost the Wolverines a share of the Big Ten regular-season championship.
That defeat also ruined Senior Night for Hyman, Sinelli and their classmates.
"We're still got a pretty bad feeling in our stomachs after last Saturday," said Sinelli. "Senior Night hurt. It will be a packed house for this one, too, and we're hoping to get a little revenge."
Hyman said, "We want to avenge last weekend's loss. It's always fun playing State and what better place to do it than at 'The Joe' in the semifinals? It's going to be a really good game, and we're excited about it."
• Larkin, Hyman, PK Lead U-M Past Wisconsin in B1G Tournament
