Michigan
4-2, 2-2-0-1-0B1G
Notre Dame
2-2, 2-2-0-0-0B1G
Late Goal Not Enough as Michigan Drops Series Finale to Notre Dame
11/28/2020 10:14:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Goaltender Strauss Mann made 29 saves on 31 shots.
» Jacob Truscott scored his first collegiate goal with 44 seconds remaining.
» Kent Johnson collected his team-leading seventh assist of the season.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena)
Score: Notre Dame 2, #4 Michigan 1
Records: U-M (4-2-0, 2-2-0 B1G), ND (2-2-0, 2-2-0 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Wednesday, Dec. 2 -- at Penn State (State College, Pa.), 6 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Despite a Jacob Truscott goal with 44 seconds remaining in regulation, the University of Michigan ice hockey team fell, 2-1, to Notre Dame on Saturday night (Nov. 28) in a game that featured tight checking and sturdy goaltending. Junior netminder Strauss Mann stopped 29 of the 31 shots he faced while shouldering his second loss of the season.
Strauss was strong through the early going as Notre Dame racked up shots on goal. At the period's media timeout, shots were 7-1 in favor of the Irish. The Wolverines had their best chance of the period turned away with 5:21 left when Michael Pastujov collected a faceoff win and snapped a quick wrist shot on goal.
After ND was whistled for a holding penalty with 2:37 remaining, the Michigan power-play unit hit the ice in search of the game's first goal. The Fighting Irish penalty-kill unit allowed a few shots, but made it to the first intermission with the game scoreless. Despite its flurry of shots to close out the period, U-M trailed in that category, 7-4.
Notre Dame was called for tripping 4:20 into the middle period, but U-M took a hooking penalty 58 seconds later to even it up. Matty Beniers had a pair of fantastic chances while it was four-on-four before Notre Dame took it the other way. However, Mann was there to make the tough stop on a two-on-one opportunity and get the sides back to even strength.
Michigan committed a slashing penalty in the middle of the second period and sent a skater to the box. For the second time in as many chances, U-M killed off the ensuing ND power play. The remainder of the period featured back-and-forth chances against strong goaltending, paired with a few defensive bounces. Pastujov, continuing his strong play of late, smacked a rebound stemming from a low Thomas Bordeleau shot, but it trickled wide by a few inches.
With 1.7 seconds left in the stanza, Johnny Beecher won a faceoff in the Notre Dame end. Freshman defenseman Truscott one-touch passed the puck over to Keaton Pehrson who stepped into a slap shot as time expired. Despite beating the goaltender and celebrating with teammates, Pehrson's goal was waved off following a quick video review. After two periods, the game remained scoreless with Notre Dame maintaining a thin 18-17 lead in shots on goal.
The third period featured fast-paced hockey with good chances for both teams. The game remained scoreless until 17:46 into the final frame when Spencer Stastney's shot was deflected into the net for a Notre Dame goal. With the net empty and time waning, U-M surrendered a second goal with 1:31 left.
After 59:16 of play, Truscott got Michigan on the board with a long shot through traffic from the blue line with 44 seconds remaining in the game. Luke Morgan and Kent Johnson picked up assists on the late marker. The Maize and Blue put up one last fight, threatening in the closing seconds to no avail. Shots ended up at 31-24 in Notre Dame's favor as the Fighting Irish completed the weekend sweep of the Wolverines, their fourth straight win at Yost Ice Arena.
The Wolverines are scheduled to return to action on Wednesday and Thursday (Dec. 2-3) as U-M team travels to State College, Pa., to face off against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Pegula Ice Arena. Puck drop for both nights is set for 6 p.m., and the games will be streamed live on Big Ten Network Plus.
