Michigan
14-13-3, 9-10-3-2
Michigan State
10-18-2, 4-14-2-1
Michigan Outduels Rival MSU to Defend 'Iron D' Trophy
2/10/2018 10:53:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Hayden Lavigne stopped 32 of the 34 shots he faced to earn his 10th win of the season.
» Quinn Hughes scored for the second consecutive night and recorded his 18th point of the season.
» The Wolverines claimed the annual "Iron D" trophy in back-to-back years and two out of the first three since its inception in 2016.
Site: Detroit, Mich. (Little Caesars Arena)
Score: #19 Michigan 3, Michigan State 2
Records: U-M (14-13-3, 9-10-3-2 B1G), MSU (10-18-2, 4-14-2-1 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Feb. 16 -- at Notre Dame (Compton Family Ice Arena), 7:35 p.m.
• Kornacki Postgame: Hughes Deals in the Dazzling
DETROIT, Mich. -- The No. 19-ranked University of Michigan hockey team reclaimed the Iron D trophy after a hard-fought 3-2 win over in-state rival Michigan State in the annual "Duel in the D" game at Little Caesars Arena. The 314th installment of the most-played rivalry in college hockey did not disappoint as both teams had plenty of scoring opportunities complimented by outstanding goaltending, including sophomore goaltender Hayden Lavigne stopping 32 shots.Michigan opened up the scoring when junior forward Cooper Marody found the back of the net 4:22 into the first period. Sophomore defenseman Griffin Luce passed the puck to senior captain Tony Calderone inside the Michigan State zone. Calderone found Marody uncovered near the crease and he finished off the chance. The goal was Marody's 11th of the season, a new career high for the Brighton, Michigan, native. The goal proved to be the only scoring play of the period, giving the Maize and Blue a 1-0 advantage heading into the first intermission.
It took nearly the entire second period before another entry was made on the scoresheet, but the Wolverines doubled their lead with 1:30 remaining in the second frame, taking advantage of a five-minute major penalty assessed to the Spartans. Sophomore forward Nick Pastujov fired the puck behind the net where it was picked up by sophomore forward Adam Winborg, who directed the puck towards the crease, where freshman forward Jack Becker was able to bury the puck in the net on the ensuing scramble. The goal was Becker's seventh on the season, with all seven coming in 2018, after tallying his first career goal in the same rink when Michigan battled Bowling Green in the Great Lakes Invitational on Jan. 1.
Michigan took a 2-0 lead into the third period, but it did not last long. Spartan forward Taro Hirose snapped a quick shot over Lavigne's glove after Hirose picked up the puck on an offensive-zone faceoff won by teammate Patrick Khodorenko. The goal came just 21 seconds into the final period and halved U-M's advantage.
After a Wolverine penalty kill that featured several key saves from Lavigne, freshman defenseman Quinn Hughes restored Michigan's two-goal lead when he beat the MSU goaltender with just under six minutes remaining in the contest. Marody held the puck along the half-boards in the Michigan State zone and fired it across the ice to a waiting junior defenseman Joseph Cecconi, who immediately fired the puck back to other side to Hughes, catching the Spartan defense off-guard. Hughes pulled off another impressive toe-drag and put the puck just over the goaltender's glove. It was Hughes' second goal of the weekend after not scoring since the season-opener in October against St. Lawrence.
A little more than a minute later, Michigan State again reduced the Michigan lead to one when David Keefer sent a shot into the Wolverine net. He received a cross-ice pass from Khodorenko and put the puck in the net with 4:35 remaining in the final period.
Two minutes later it appeared the Spartans would tie the game when Lavigne was pulled out of his crease during a net-front scramble. MSU's Cody Milan took a backhand shot at the gaping Wolverine net, but was denied by Cecconi covering for his netminder. Cecconi's saved proved to be the last major threat imposed by Michigan State as it could not score after pulling its goalie, resulting in the 3-2 Michigan victory.
Michigan will head to South Bend, Indiana, next weekend to kick off a home-and-home series against top-ranked Notre Dame on Friday (Feb.16) at Compton Family Ice Arena. They will return to Ann Arbor on Sunday (Feb. 18) for the second game of the series at Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena to conclude the 2017-18 Big Ten conference schedule. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. on Friday and 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Coach Pearson, Quinn Hughes and Joe Cecconi speak to media following tonight's win. #GoBlue https://t.co/d3G0mKMGSU
— Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) February 11, 2018
