Michigan
Ohio State
Maize and Blue Set for Road Battle with Buckeyes
2/21/2017 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
• Complete Game Notes (PDF)
THIS WEEK
Friday, Feb. 24 -- at No. 12 Ohio State (Columbus, Ohio), 7 p.m.
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Saturday, Feb. 25 -- at No. 12 Ohio State (Columbus, Ohio), 5 p.m.
TV: Big Ten Network | Live Stats | Watch | Listen
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THE SERIES
The University of Michigan ice hockey team will travel to Columbus to take on Ohio State for its final regular-season road trip of the season.
Michigan and Ohio State meet for the 131st time, with the Wolverines holding an 80-37-13 advantage over the Buckeyes. Michigan is 36-18-6 all-time at Ohio State.
U-M is coming off an 0-2 weekend in Madison to the Badgers. Michigan fell, 5-2 on Friday and then was bested in a back-and-forth battle on Saturday, 6-4.
The Wolverines split their weekend series at Yost with Ohio State earlier in the season, taking the Friday game, 5-4, and falling, 6-5, on Saturday. Michigan registered a season-high 14 total points in Friday's contest, while the five goals in both games tied a season high.
The Maize and Blue went 1-3-1 against Ohio State last season, holding a 0-1-1 record at Columbus. U-M tied, 5-5, and then dropped the shootout in the first meeting (Jan. 15) before falling, 6-5 (OT), in the second game at Nationwide Arena (March 6).
Ohio State heads into the weekend after sweeping Michigan State last weekend in East Lansing. The Buckeyes took the first game, 3-2, then secured the sweep with a 4-3 victory on Saturday.
SLAKER LEADS THE WAY
Jake Slaker recorded one assist last weekend and has recorded seven points in his last six games. Slaker currently leads the Maize and Blue with 20 points (6g, 14a), 14 assists and 13 power-play points heading into the weekend.
WELCOME BACK, COOP
After returning to the team for the second half of the season, Cooper Marody has recorded 11 points (5g, 6a) in 12 games while also leading the team with a .565 (118/209) faceoff percentage.
KEEPER TRIO
Freshmen Jack LaFontaine and Hayden Lavigne have combined with senior Zach Nagelvoort between the pipes for the Maize and Blue, with Lafontaine and Nagelvoort appearing in 10 games apiece and Lavigne with 11 appearances.
FIRST TIMERS
Ten Wolverines have scored their first collegiate goals this season, which include seven freshmen (Lockwood, Luce, L. Martin, Merl, Sanchez, Slaker and Winborg), the most rookie scorers since the 2009-10 season (seven). The freshman class accounts for 69 of the team's 182 total points heading into the weekend.
POWER PLAY HEATIN' UP
After not registering a power-play goal in four straight games, U-M has scored six man-up goals in the last six games. Michigan's PP ranks No. 18 throughout NCAA DI (19.8%).
SHORTIES
U-M has registered six shorthanded goals thus far, tied for fourth most in NCAA DI coming into the weekend. The Wolverines have already reached the total from last season (6). Will Lockwood's two shorthanded goals ties him for third in NCAA DI.
JUST BLOCKIN' IT
Michigan leads all of NCAA DI in blocked shots per game with 17.36 heading into the weekend. Luke Martin has the 10th-best blocks per game average in NCAA DI (2.29).
UP AHEAD
The Maize and Blue will host Minnesota next weekend (March 3-4) in its second-to-last regular-season series. Earlier in the year Michigan dropped a pair of games to the Gophers in Minneapolis, 5-2 and 4-2.
