Michigan
6-6-3, 2-3-3-1B1G
Michigan State
6-7-1, 2-0-1-1B1G
Michigan Grabs Point from Spartans, Falls in Shootout
12/1/2018 11:21:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Quinn Hughes extended his point streak to nine games.Â
» Nicholas Boka scored his first goal of the season.
» Strauss Mann stopped 18 shots in his seventh start of the season.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena)
Score: #14 Michigan 1, Michigan State 1 (SO, L)
Records: Michigan State (6-7-1, 2-3-1-1 Big Ten), U-M (6-6-3, 2-3-3-1 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Dec. 7 -- vs. Minnesota (Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena), 8 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich -- The No. 14-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team skated to a 1-1 tie against rival Michigan State on Saturday night (Dec. 1) on Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena. The Wolverines were unable to earn a split with the Spartans, as MSU claimed the extra point thanks to Brennan Sanford finding the back of the net in the fourth round of the shootout.
"I thought we played hard tonight," said head coach Mel Pearson. "I thought we did a good job limiting their opportunities. The Big Ten is going to be close every night and we have to make sure and take advantage of our opportunities to score."
The in-state foes picked up where they left off Friday night with physical play coming from both teams. Michigan went on a power play with 13:42 remaining in the opening period when the Spartans were called for interference.
As time was winding down on the man-advantage, senior defenseman Nicholas Boka found the back on the net with a one-timer off a cross-ice pass from Quinn Hughes. It was Boka's first of the season. Jimmy Lambert also was credited with an assist on the play.
The Michigan penalty kill came up big late in the first period when they Wolverines stopped five shots on net to preserve the early lead. U-M looked as if it was going to extend its lead with just 16 seconds left in the first period, when junior forward Jake Slaker had a pass redirected that slid towards an empty net before the Spartan goaltender recovered and fell on the puck.Â
Michigan State went on a power play 5:23 into the second period and capitalized on the man-advantage to even the score at 1, when Taro Hirose was left wide open in the high slot and found the back of the net.
The Maize and Blue had another power-play opportunity late in the second period when MSU was called for goaltender interference. The MSU defense blocked five shots on the power play as the two teams headed into the second intermission tied at 1.
The Wolverines got their best chance to pull ahead when a Spartan tripping call set up U-M on the power play midway through third period. Michigan had a scoring chance near the end of the power play, but was unable to convert as the teams got tangled up in front of the net resulting in an MSU power play that U-M eventutally killed.
As the horn sounded after 60 minutes of play, the game was deadlocked at 1 and sent the game into overtime, the Wolverines' fourth OT game in their last five.
The extra five minutes of five-on-five hockey did not produce a winner so the game ended in a tie. The teams then played three-on-three to decide which team would pick up the extra Big Ten point, but neither team scored and resulted in going to a sudden-death shootout.
Michigan started the shootout with Norris, who missed the first Wolverine attempt, which was followed by an MSU miss. Lockwood missed on his attempt, and was followed by another Spartan miss. Hughes was called on to shoot for Michigan, but he was stopped by the MSU goaltender. The Spartans then missed wide, and the shootout went to a fourth round. Luke Morgan missed on his attempt, but Sanford converted to give the Spartans the extra point.
The Wolverines will take to the ice again next Friday and Saturday (Dec. 7-8), when they play host to Minnesota. Both games at Yost Ice Arena are scheduled to start at 8 p.m., and will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.
