Michigan
0-0-1
Clarkson
0-0-1
Wolverines Tie No. 11 Clarkson in Season Opener at Yost
10/11/2019 11:24:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Garrett Van Wyhe scored Michigan's first goal of the season.
» Strauss Mann stopped 30 of 31 shots he faced.
» Jimmy Lambert and Jack Summers tallied assists.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Yost Ice Arena)
Score: Michigan 1, #11 Clarkson 1 (OT)
Records: U-M (0-0-1), Clarkson (0-0-1)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Oct. 12Â -- vs. Clarkson (Yost Ice Arena), 7:30 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan ice hockey team kicked off its 96th campaign with a 1-1 overtime tie against No. 11-ranked Clarkson on Friday night (Oct. 11) at Yost Ice Arena.Â
Play was fast-paced with both teams testing the goaltenders early. The Golden Knights had momentum five minutes into the contest, but an interference penalty slowed the visitors. The Wolverines took six shots on the ensuing power play, but could not get any of them past the Clarkson goaltender. After a holding penalty at the 12:25 mark, followed 1:26 later by a cross-check, the Wolverine penalty-kill unit was faced with its first 5-on-3 test of the year. Sophomore goaltender Strauss Mann made several saves before the first minor was killed off, but he surrendered a goal a minute later. Clarkson traffic in front of the net caused a deflection that beat Mann with 11 seconds remaining on Luce's penalty and gave the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead at the 15:40 mark of the first period.
In the second period the Michigan special teams unit scored its first power-play goal of the young season. Sophomore forward Jimmy Lambert skated through traffic in the right circle and sent a low shot off the pad of the Clarkson goaltender. The rebound skittered back to the mid-slot where fellow forward and classmate Garrett Van Wyhe waited to step into a one-time blast that quickly sailed past the Golden Knights' netminder to tie the game at 1 with 9:31 remaining in the second. Lambert and sophomore defenseman Jack Summers collected assists on Van Wyhe's fifth career goal. The Wolverines outshot the visitors, 12-11, in the middle period, but the game remained tied after two periods with shots sitting at 25-21 in Clarkson's favor.
Halfway through the final period with the game knotted at 1, Clarkson took a pair of minor penalties over a 35-second span. Michigan's had several opportunities on the ensuing 5-on-3 advantage, including a pair of one-timers from senior captain Will Lockwood near the left dot, but could not capitalize and the Golden Knights returned to full strength with a little over nine minutes left in the thrid period. Both goaltenders turned away every shot they faced over the final minutes of regulation. After 60 minutes and with the game still tied at 1, shots were even at 31 as the team entered overtime.
Michigan outshot the Golden Knights, 4-0, in OT, but none of those shots hit the back of the net. The game ended in a tie with Michigan outshooting Clarkson, 35-31, and holding a 35-29 advantage at the faceoff dot. The Wolverines killed off three of its four penalties on the night. The tie marked U-M's first draw in a season opener since 2010-11 when the Wolverines tied Mercyhurst, 4-4.
Michigan will conclude its non-conference series against Clarkson on Saturday night (Oct. 12) at Yost Ice Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., and the game will be streamed live on BTN Plus.
