Michigan
11-4-0
Niagara
2-7-2
Michigan Offense Heats Up in Series-Opening Win Over Niagara
11/26/2021 11:06:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Michael Pastujov, Brendan Brisson and Mackie Samoskevich all scored and added an assist.
» Defensemen Luke Hughes and Nick Blankenburg chipped in one goal and one assist each.
» With an assist, Owen Power's point streak was extended to seven games.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Yost Ice Arena)
Score: #4 Michigan 6, Niagara 1
Records: U-M (11-4-0), NU (2-7-2)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Nov. 27 -- vs. Niagara (Yost Ice Arena), 7 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The fourth-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team started slowly on Friday night (Nov. 26), potting one goal in each of the first two periods, before exploding for four goals in the third period to defeat Niagara by a score of 6-1 in front of a sold-out crowd at Yost Ice Arena.
Erik Portillo started his 15th game of the season in net for the Wolverines, turning aside 11 of the 12 Niagara shots he faced to earn his 11th win of the year.
Freshman defenseman Ethan Edwards was sent off for tripping at 4:46 to give the visitors the first power play of the evening, but U-M quietly dismissed the opposing man advantage.
Several minutes later, the Wolverines were cycling the puck out of the corner when Edwards ripped a shot into traffic from an unforgiving angle near the left dot. The puck was redirected off of a Niagara skate in front of the crease and slipped past their goaltender to give Michigan a 1-0 lead 9:34 into the contest. Thomas Bordeleau and Steve Holtz recorded assists on the game's opening goal.
U-M had an unsuccessful power-play attempt late in the period before Beecher took a penalty with 31.5 seconds left, granting Niagara a power play for the second time in the opening frame. Less than 10 seconds later, the Purple Eagles converted with a deflection to tie the game at 1.
After one period, Michigan was tied with Niagara at one goal apiece, but led in shots on goal (9-7) and had notched four blocked shots before climbing the stairs for the first intermission.
With the Wolverines on an extended two-man advantage after a pair of Niagara penalties early in the second period, Michael Pastujov posted up in front of the crease in search of a rebound. Noticing the netfront option, Nick Blankenburg took a shot from the point that bounced off the goalie's pad and out front for Pastujov to bury at 5:23 of the middle frame. Blankenburg picked up the primary assist, while Mackie Samoskevich collected the secondary on U-M's second goal, restoring a one-goal lead for the home side.
U-M ended the period on the power play after NU was whistled for too many men on the ice with 53 seconds remaining. After failing to convert in the first segment of the advantage, the Wolverines took a 2-1 lead and 1:07 of power-play time into the dressing room with 20 minutes left to play. Michigan also led the contest in shots on goal (32-9) and faceoffs (22-15).
Samoskevich started the third period with a bang, tallying a power-play goal just 45 seconds into the frame off a series of tic-tac-toe passes that capped off an impressive offensive-zone sequence. The freshman found a comfortable spot in the slot and waited for the puck to cycle out front for a one-timer, while Bordeleau possessed the puck at the half-wall and Pastujov settled near the side of the net. As soon as Bordeleau moved the puck below the goal line to Pastujov, the senior quickly distributed a pass out front that Samoskevich buried to put Michigan ahead 3-1.
Pastujov scooped the primary assist on the freshman's power-play strike, while Bordeleau picked up his second helper of the game with the secondary.
Amidst a swarming offensive possession for the Wolverines, a Purple Eagle defender tried to get the puck out of harm's way by pushing it between his legs and into the corner. Instead, it went directly to Hughes, standing on the goal line. The defenseman wasted no time before putting a shot on net from an extreme angle down low, threading the needle with a perfect short-side shot to beat the sliding goaltender and put Michigan up, 4-1. Matty Beniers and Brendan Brisson were credited with assists on Hughes' snipe.
Near the halfway point of the final stanza, Brisson received an entry pass from Hughes before making a move while bearing down on the blue paint and shuffling the puck through the goalie's five-hole with a slick backhand move. After Brisson's goal, Michigan's lead was extended to 5-1 with 9:56 left to play. Hughes and his defensive partner, Jacob Truscott, earned assists on the goal.
With 1:47 left to play, Owen Power won a battle along the wall while backchecking to corral a loose puck in the neutral zone. Power gathered the puck and began turning up the ice before feeding Blankenburg, who was already in stride and powering down the ice toward the Niagara end. The senior captain did the rest, flying by defenders before beating the goaltender with a short-side laser. By picking up an assist, Power extended his point streak to seven games.
As the final buzzer sounded, a jubilant crowd cheered on the victorious Wolverines at center ice in their cream alternate uniforms. U-M outshot the Purple Eagles 45-12 en route the win, advancing to 11-4 on the season. Thus far, this year's Wolverines are 6-1 against non-conference foes.
On Saturday evening (Nov. 27), the Wolverines will finish off their non-conference series with the Purple Eagles at Yost Ice Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m., and the game will be streamed live on B1G+.
