Michigan
19-13-3
Wisconsin
14-18-4
U-M Takes Down Badgers in Game One of B1G First Round
3/2/2018 11:41:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Tony Calderone tallied a career-high four goals -- the most in a single game since Kyle Connor on March 18, 2016.
» Lavigne recorded a career-high 48 saves of the 53 shots he faced -- the most in his career for a single game.
» Tony Calderone (4-0-4) and Quinn Hughes (1-3-4) tallied four points each; the first time since Zach Werenski and Kyle Connor did so on March 19, 2016.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena)
Score: Michigan 6, Wisconsin 5
Records: U-M (19-13-3), U-W (14-18-4)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, March 3 -- vs. Wisconsin (Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena), 7:30 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 3-seeded University of Michigan hockey team used four power-play goals to defeat No. 6-seeded Wisconsin, 6-5, Friday night (March 2) at Yost Ice Arena in the first game of a best-of-three series in the Big Ten Tournament first round. The Wolverines are in the midst of a six-game unbeaten streak, the longest since the 2014-15 season when they won seven straight contests.
Wisconsin saw a scoring chance less than a minute into the contest when Tim Davison took a shot from the point that was put into the net on the rebound by Matthew Freytag. The goal was reviewed and negated due to goaltender interference.
Michigan responded 1:40 into the contest when junior defenseman Joeseph Cecconi sent Cooper Marody and captain Tony Calderone on a 2-on-1 rush and it ended in a goal for the Wolverine captain, his 20th on the year. Marody extended his team-leading point streak to six games following his assist on the goal.
The Badgers got on the board shortly after when a bouncing puck off the boards was put past U-M goaltender Hayden Lavigne on a one-time shot from the left circle. The goal scored by Tyer Inamoto was assisted by Seasmus Malone.
The 1-1 tie was broken 6:59 into the opening stanza after a shot from Wisconsin's Wyatt Kalynuk sparked a scramble in front that ended when Matthew Freytag put the rebound home. The play was also sent to review, this time the shot was confirmed as a goal.
The scoring continued for the Badgers when they scored their third unanswered goal after a U-M turnover in its own defensive zone. Ryan Wagner gave Wisconsin a 3-1 lead on a pass from Trent Frederic at the 8:03 mark of the first.
A slashing penalty to Wisconsin's Linus Weissbach gave the Wolverines a chance on the power play. Goaltender Kyle Hayton stood tall for the Badgers as he fended off two grade-A chances, but could not stop a third shot as freshman defenseman Quinn Hughes fired the puck from the point that shot was redirected in front by Calderone, who scored his second goal of the game and 50th as a Wolverine. Cecconi earned his second point of the night with another assist.
The Wolverines took advantage of another power-play opportunity when a cross-ice feed from alternate captain Sam Piazza was put home by fellow alternate captain Jake Slaker to tie the game at 3. The second power-play goal of the game for Michigan marked Slaker's 20th career goal.
Coming off of two power-play goals against, the Badgers went shorthanded again after receiving a bench minor for too many men on the ice. A scoring chance off the faceoff from Cecconi wound up on the stick of Hughes, who put it past Hayton to give Michigan a 4-3 lead heading into the first intermission.
The offense continued to produce for the Maize and Blue early in the second period. Just over three minutes into the middle frame, Calderone scored the hat-trick goal following a Wisconsin hooking penalty. The fourth power-play goal of the game for Michigan was assisted by Hughes and Cecconi, both earning their second assists of the contest.
The Wolverine penalty kill held the Badgers off the board for the first 3:51 of a five-minute major, but Wisconsin took advantage of the man-up situation when Weissbach scored to draw Wisconsin within one.
Wisconsin took advantage of another power-play opportunity; Ryan Wagner tied the game at 5 for the visitors with his second goal of the contest 1:13 into the third period.
Calderone regained the lead for the Wolverines after Hughes delivered a touch pass to the front of the net from behind the goal line and Calderone capitalized at 11:07 into the final frame. The goal marked the fourth of the game for Calderone, and a fourth point for Hughes. It was the first time a Michigan player tallied four points in one game since Zach Werenski (1G, 3A) and Kyle Connor (1G, 3A) did so on March 19, 2016, against Minnesota. It also was the first four-goal game since Connor did so against Penn State on March 18, 2016 -- both came in the B1G Tournament.
The four man-up goals for the Maize and Blue are the most since going 4-for-6 against Dartmouth on Nov. 27, 2015.
Michigan and Wisconsin will square off for the second game of the best-of-three series tomorrow night (March 2) at Yost Ice Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
.@CoachPearsonUM speaks to media following tonight's win. #GoBlue https://t.co/dXucgsqxRj
— Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) March 3, 2018
Cooper Marody, Quinn Hughes and Tony Calderone speak at the post-game presser. #GoBlue https://t.co/ojTBcRXCJK
— Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) March 3, 2018
