Michigan
Michigan State
Michigan Falls to Late MSU Rally in Series Finale
1/9/2021 7:50:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Strauss Mann stopped 24 of 27 shots faced in his first loss vs. MSU since Nov. 2019
» Johnny Beecher scored a first period goal and has tallied in consecutive contests.
» Strauss Mann stopped 24 of the 27 shots he faced.
Site: East Lansing, Mich. (Munn Ice Arena)
Score: Michigan State 3, #9 Michigan 2
Records: U-M (6-6-0, 4-6-0-1 B1G), MSU (5-5-2, 4-5-1-2 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Jan. 15 -- vs. Ohio State (Yost Ice Arena), 7 p.m.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Johnny Beecher and Brendan Brisson scored goals and goaltender Strauss Mann made 24 saves, but the No. 9-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team fell, 3-2, to Michigan State in a tightly-played game Saturday night (Jan. 9) inside Munn Ice Arena.
With U-M looking to build on a five-game win streak against the Spartans, the blue-clad Wolverines earned a late lead before surrendering two goals to in the game's closing minutes.
Despite being shut out in the past three meetings between the in-state rivals, Michigan State got on the board first when Charlie Combs scored from the slot just 54 seconds into the game, snapping a 234:54 scoreless stretch.
Beecher tied the game with 11:53 left in the opening period with his second goal in as many games. Sophomore Nick Granowicz had dug the puck out of the corner before dishing a short pass to classmate Eric Ciccolini, who threaded a quick pass to the slot where Beecher was settling in for a wrist shot to pull even at 1.
Late in the first period, defenseman Keaton Pehrson was sent off for a five-minute major penalty for contact to the head. While there was call made on the play, a video review concluded with a game misconduct, and U-M played the remainder of the game with just five defensemen.
After Michigan killed off the remaining 3:49 of Pehrson's major penalty, the bulk of the second period featured long stretches of back-and-forth play. Both teams created offensive chances, but the goaltenders stood strong. Perhaps the best chances for the Wolverines came on the power play, but could not convert on either of the two man-advantage opportunities in the period and entered the dressing room after 40 minutes still locked in at 1.
With less than five minutes left in regulation and the Wolverines pressuring in the MSU end, freshman Brisson skated to the blue paint as a Cam York wraparound shot skittered off the goaltender's pad and found his blade. Brisson was in the perfect position near the edge of the crease and immediately banged home the loose puck to put Michigan up, 2-1, with 4:38 remaining. Thomas Bordeleau also collected an assist on the goal.
After the Maize and Blue failed to clear the puck out of its own end, the Spartans capitalized with a slap-shot goal to tie the game at two, just 2:37 after Brisson had pulled U-M in front. Several rushes later, MSU found a skater below the dot who banged a puck into the net off of Mann's equipment to give Michigan State a late 3-2 lead.
The Wolverines briefly utilized an extra attacker as they pushed for another tying goal, but the clock ran down and a last-ditch shot attempt was turned away. U-M outshot MSU, 40-24, and led in faceoffs, 30-28, but fell short in the game's final minutes.
Michigan will return to play next week with a two-game set against Ohio State on Friday and Saturday (Jan. 15-16). Puck drop for both contests at Yost Ice Arens is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday's game will be streamed live on Big Ten Network Plus, while Saturday's contest will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.
