Michigan
Ohio State
Michigan to Host OSU in Final Regular-Season Homestand, Senior Night
2/20/2019 2:51:00 PM | Ice Hockey
THIS WEEK
Friday, Feb. 22 -- vs. #6 Ohio State (Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena), 6:30 p.m.
Live Stats | Listen | Watch | TV: FS1
Saturday, Feb. 23 -- vs. #6 Ohio State (Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena), 6 p.m.
Live Stats | Listen | Watch | TV: BTN | MAIZE OUT
• Complete Game Notes (PDF)
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The University of Michigan ice hockey team (12-12-6, 8-8-4-2 Big Ten) is set to host No. 6-ranked Ohio State (19-7-4, 12-5-3-2 Big Ten) in the last regular-season home series of the year.
Fans are encouraged to bring in canned food items to benefit Food Gathers Food Bank of Ann Arbor on Friday (Feb. 22). Any fan who brings at least two canned food items will receive a foam puck to throw onto the ice during the first intermission. Prizes will be awarded to fans that get the puck closest to the on ice targets.
Saturday's game (Feb. 23) will be a "Maize Out", with each fan receiving a maize T-shirt courtesy of Michigan Medicine. Following the conclusion of the game the Wolverines' senior class -- Nicholas Boka, Joseph Cecconi and Brendan Warren -- will be recognized on the ice.
The Ohio State Series
Michigan and Ohio State will meet for the 139th time in program history, with U-M holding an 82-44-13 record in the all-time series. The two teams first met in February 1964, as Michigan defeated the Buckeyes in Columbus, 21-0. The Wolverines are 40-18-7 record at home against Ohio State. The Wolverines split their weekend series against the Buckeyes earlier this year in Columbus.
Scouting the Buckeyes
The Buckeyes enter the weekend series ranked sixth in the country and are coming off of back-to-back losses to Minnesota. Ohio State is currently in first in the Big Ten and had won six straight before dropping both games to Minnesota last weekend.
Ohio State is led by senior forward Mason Jobst, who leads the team with 16 goals and 19 assists (35 points). Junior forward Tanner Laczynski has tacked on an additional 17 assists and 25 points on the season.
In net, sophomore Tommy Nappier has played in 16 games, sporting a 1.76 goals-against average, .939 save percentage, and a 11-2-2 record. Nappier's goals-against average and save percentage are third and second best in the country respectively. Redshirt senior Sean Romeo has played in 15 games with a 2.44 goals against average and a .908 save percentage.
Ohio State This Season
The Buckeyes come into the weekend series against the Wolverines sitting atop in the Big Ten standings with 41 points and a conference record of 12-5-3-2. Since playing Michigan on Jan. 12, Ohio State is 6-2-0 in their last eight games, with wins coming against Penn State (Jan. 18), Notre Dame (Feb. 1), and Wisconsin (Feb. 8).
Notre Dame Recap
The Wolverines faced-off against Notre Dame for the fourth and final matchup of the regular season. Notre Dame surged to an early lead in the first period before junior foward Will Lockwood scored a goal early in the second giving the Wolverines a chance to mount a comeback. However, Notre Dame buried another two goals in the second effectively sealing the game. The Irish eventually won, 5-2.
Thank You Seniors
Michigan will honor its three seniors (Nicholas Boka, Joseph Cecconi and Brendan Warren) after the conclusion of Saturday's game. The trio has compiled an overall record of 71-55-17, including a 39-21-8 mark at Yost Ice Arena heading into the weekend. The class has won one Big Ten Tournament championship, one Great Lakes Invitational championship, and three Duel in the D matchups. The group has also appeared twice in the NCAA Tournament and once in the Frozen Four.
#Hughes43Hobey
Sophomore defenseman Quinn Hughes is among the initial nominees for the Hobey Baker Award. The first round consists of fan voting, which will run through March 10. Classmate Josh Norris was among the nominees before suffering a season-ending injury. » Vote
Quinn-tesential Blue-liner
Hughes has tallied 29 points (four goals, 25 assists) this season which is the sixth-highest point total of any defenseman in the NCAA. He is second among all blue-liners in assists and ranks sixth amongst all skaters in the country (second in the Big Ten).
Locked In
Junior forward Will Lockwood leads Michigan with has 14 goals, while his 26 points (14 goals, 12 assists) are the second most on the team behind Hughes and tied for eighth in the Big Ten. Lockwood has tallied a goal in nine out of his last 11 games.
Advantageous Disadvantage
Freshman forward Garrett Van Wyhe scored Michigan's second goal last Tuesday (Feb. 12) against the Fighting Irish. It was Van Wyhe's fourth goal of the season and his second shorthanded goal of the campaign which ties him for first in scoring on the penalty kill in the Big Ten.
Offensive Defensemen
The defensive duo of sophomore Quinn Hughes and senior Joseph Cecconi have a combined 46 points, the fourth-highest point total of any defensive pairing in the country behind Quinnipiac's Chase Priskie and Brandon Fortunato (63), Ferris State's Cooper Zech and Nate Kallen (49), and Mercyhurst's Joseph Duszak and Josh McDougall (53).
Winning the Draw
The Wolverines have won 51 percent of their draws, going 984-946 in the circle. Junior Nick Pastujov and redshirt sophomore Luke Morgan lead the team with 56.2 percent and 54.6 percent rates, respectively.
Creating Chances
Michigan has taken 1,108 shots on goal, which is the second most in the country behind Penn State (1,205). U-M ranks second behind the Nittany Lions (40.17) with 36.93 shots on goal per game. The Maize and Blue has outshot its opponents by an average of 9.37 shots per game and has taken 281 more shots than they have allowed this year, the fourth-best margin in the country.
Up Ahead
Friday, Mar. 1 -- at Wisconsin (Madison, Wis.), 8Â p.m. CST (TV: BTN)
Saturday, Mar. 2 -- at Wisconsin (Madison, Wis.) , 8Â p.m. CST (TV: BTN)
