Michigan
Minnesota
Wolverines Drop Heartbreaker to Minnesota, Split Weekend Series
12/8/2018 11:29:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Josh Norris tallied his team-leading 10th goal of the season.
» Michigan's 53 shots on net are the most since it recorded 57 at Penn State on March 12, 2016.
» Nick Pastujov and Michael Pastujov scored for their ninth and third goals, respectively.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena)
Score: Minnesota 4, #15 Michigan 3
Records: U-M (6-7-4, 2-4-4-2 B1G), Minn (5-6-4, 3-2-3-0 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Dec. 30 -- vs. Michigan Tech - Great Lakes Invitational (Detroit, Mich.), 1 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich -- The No. 15-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey fell to Minnesota, 4-3, on Saturday night (Dec. 8) on Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena in the finale of its Big Ten weekend series against the Gophers.
"This was a tough loss," said head coach Mel Pearson. "Those ones hurt. We told the team after the game that if we play with that effort, that conviction, that energy and that passion, we will win a lot of games."
The Wolverines got their first chance on net less than a minute into the game when senior forward Brendan Warren had a breakaway opportunity and was one-on-one with the Gophers' goalie Mat Robson. Warren deked and tried to sneak the puck under Robson's pads, but was turned away. Minnesota countered and went down ice with a head of steam, and a shot from Brannon McManus got the Gophers on the board 1:08 into the opening period.
Minnesota later skated into the Michigan zone four-on-three and fired a cross-ice pass to McManus who appeared to be headed to his second goal of the game before freshman goaltender Strauss Mann came up with the pad save. The McManus shot rebounded out in front of the goal and Sampo Ranta tapped the puck in to give the Gophers a 2-0 lead 4:34 into the contest.
Michigan cut the Minnesota lead in half when freshman forward Nolan Moyle blocked a Gopher shot from the point out of the U-M zone and won the battle to the puck. Moyle found junior forward Nick Pastujov streaking up the ice and in the slot all alone. Pastujov beat Robson one-on-one with a backhand shot that went five-hole, to make the score 2-1 at the 7:43 mark of the first period.
The Pastujov goal sparked the Wolverines as redshirt sophomore forward Luke Morgan fired a shot on net that was deflected behind the Minnesota goal. Sophomore forward Michael Pastujov collected the rebound and wrapped around to find an open net as Robson fell outside of the crease. The goal tied the game at 2 at 9:26 of the first period.
Sophomore forward Josh Norris nearly gave the Wolverines the lead when junior forward Will Lockwood found Norris skating through the neutral zone toward the Gophers' zone. Norris' shot from the right faceoff circle beat Robson, but rang off the far pipe.
The remaining nine minutes of action went without a goal and the teams entered the first intermission deadlocked at 2. Michigan put 18 shots on net, its most in a first period this season.
Sophomore forward Jack Becker had a chance to give Michigan the lead early in the second period when a bouncing puck found his stick in the slot for a good chance on net before Robson blockered it away.
The continued pressure from the Wolverines paid off when Norris dumped the puck into the zone sending Lockwood chasing after it. Lockwood beat the Minnesota defense to the puck and fired a backhand pass from the end line that ricocheted off Robson's stick and out in front of the net. Norris was in the right place at the right time, skating in from the blue line and firing a shot from the left faceoff circle to put the puck past Robson's glove, giving U-M a 3-2 lead 6:59 into the second period.
The Michigan power play had two opportunities late in the period but could not capitalize. The Wolverines' best opportunity came when Michael Pastujov's shot bounced around in front of the net and created three more opportunities for the Maize and Blue that ultimately came up empty.
The Wolverines took a 3-2 lead into the second intermission, having outshot the Gophers 40-19 through 40 minutes. The 40 shots on goal were the most by Michigan this season through two periods. The 22 second period shots are the most by U-M in the second period this season.
Minnesota earned the equalizer early in the third period, when Tyler Nanne took a shot from the point in front of a crowded net. Mann made the initial save, but Tyler Sheehy found the rebound and scored 55 seconds into the period.
With time winding down in regulation, the Wolverines appeared as if they had scored the game-winning goal when Lockwood buried a loose puck that was under Robson's pads. After review, the initial call of no goal was upheld as a U-M player made contact with the goalie.
The Wolverines had another opportunity minutes later when Michael Pastujov's shot from the slot skipped off Robson's blocker and hit the post.
Minnesota responded with the game-winner with 1:41 left in regulation time when Jack Sadek fired a shot from the point that went sliding across the ice in front of the goal. Brent Gates Jr. got his stick down at the last second and redirected the shot over the shoulder of Mann and into the net.
The Maize and Blue tallied 53 shots on net, eclipsing the 50 they took against Vermont on opening night and are the most since the Wolverines recorded 57 against Penn State on March 12, 2016.
The Wolverines have reached the midpoint of the season and will have a three-week break before returning to action on Sunday, Dec. 30, against Michigan Tech in the annual Great Lakes Invitational. Puck drop is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
