Michigan
4-3-0, 0-0BIGTEN
Lake Superior State
5-1-0, 2-0-0WCHA
Wolverines Earn Weekend Split With Victory Over Lakers
11/3/2018 10:40:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Josh Norris recorded two goals and is riding a five-game goal streak and he has at least one point in every game thus far.
» Jake Slaker recorded two points (one goal, one assist) and had four points over the weekend.
» Michigan handed Lake Superior State its first loss of the season.
Site: Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. (Taffy Abel Ice Arena)
Score: #12 Michigan 5, Lake Superior State 3
Records: U-M (4-3), Lake Superior State (5-1)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Nov. 9 -- vs. Notre Dame (Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena), 7:30 p.m.
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. -- The No. 12-ranked Michigan Wolverines (4-3) earned a weekend split after defeating Lake Superior State (5-1), 5-3, on Saturday night (Nov. 3) at Taffy Abel Ice Arena. Sophomore forward Josh Norris continued his hot start to the season with two goals and an assist in the winning effort.
Michigan got on the board first at the 3:41 mark of the opening period when Norris buried a rebound in front of the net off a Joseph Cecconi shot from the point. The goal was Norris' fifth in as many games and he has recorded at least one point in each of Michigan's seven games this season.
The Wolverines capitalized on a failed Lakers breakout when freshman forward Garrett Van Wyhe picked off an errant pass and found junior forward Jake Slaker on the LSSU doorstep. Slaker scored his fourth goal of the campaign off a one-timer at the 11:56 mark of the first period to double Michigan's lead to 2-0.
With 15 seconds left until the first intermission, Lake Superior State would cut the Wolverine lead in half when Diego Cugllietta picked up a rebound on the back door off a Jacob Nordqvuist shot.
Lake Superior State evened the score at 2, just 1:36 into the second stanza when Anthony Nellis tipped a shot from the point that bounced over the head of U-M freshman goaltender Strauss Mann.
The tie would be short-lived. Michigan scored twice in a span of two minutes to regain the lead, 4-2. Sophomore forward Jack Becker potted his first of the season at the 5:38 mark when he slipped one by the Laker netminder off a shot from the left faceoff dot on a two-on-one opportunity. Two minutes later on the power play, it would be sophomore defenseman Quinn Hughes with his third of the year off a wrist shot from the point that made its way over the glove of the LSSU keeper.Â
Michigan continued to pour on the pressure when Norris scored his second goal of the night --Â this time short-handed -- when he picked the pocket a Laker defender in the neutral zone and found the back of the net on the breakaway 13:54 into the second period.
The Lakers had their best chance to cut into the Michigan lead when they were awarded a power play with 7:04 remaining in the third period, but U-M was able to kill of its fifth penalty of the game to preserve the three-goal cushion for the final score.
Mann earned his second win between the pipes after stopping 28 shots.
Michigan will host No. 5-ranked Notre Dame on Friday and Saturday (Nov. 9-10) in a rematch of the 2018 Frozen Four Semifinal at Yost Ice Arena. Puck drop for both games is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
