Michigan
17-6-1, 8-5-0
Penn State
12-11-0, 3-10-0
Early Scoring Propels Michigan to Victory Over Penn State
1/14/2022 10:48:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Matty Beniers was the first star after scoring and adding an assist for another two-point game.
» Defenseman Luke Hughes opened the scoring and led the Wolverines with seven shots on goal.
» Michigan has killed off 20 consecutive penalties, dating back to Dec. 11 vs. Ohio State.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Yost Ice Arena)
Score: #4 Michigan 3, Penn State 2
Records: U-M (17-6-1, 8-3-0-0-2 B1G), PSU (12-11-0, 2-9-0-1-1 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Jan. 15 -- vs. Penn State (Yost Ice Arena), 7 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Three first-period goals were enough to deliver the Wolverines a 3-2 Big Ten Conference win on Friday night (Jan. 14), as the fourth-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team relied upon a big opening frame to outlast Penn State at Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena.
Sophomore netminder Erik Portillo was outstanding between the pipes for U-M, turning aside 28 of the 30 shots that he faced from the visiting Nittany Lions to move to 17-6-1 on the year.
Luke Hughes opened the scoring with a blocker-side snap shot on an abbreviated breakaway at 5:47 after Mackie Samoskevich found him with a clever pass between Penn State's two defensemen to set up the golden opportunity. Hughes broke in on PSU's Oskar Autio and used a quick release to notch his eighth goal of the season. Thomas Bordeleau picked up the secondary assist by finding Samoskevich's glove in the neutral zone with a breakout pass through the air.
Less than two minutes later, Kent Johnson was sent off for interference, but the red-hot U-M penalty kill was successful in dismissing the PSU power play in its first test of the contest.
Michigan's penalty problems worsened when Nolan Moyle was assessed a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for hitting from behind with 7:32 left to play in the first period. Captain Nick Blankenburg set the example for the key five-minute kill by fearlessly diving in front of a bomb from the point to block a shot and stymie a dangerous PSU chance. Driven by that effort, the Wolverine PK unit came up strong once again and returned to even strength.
With 1:42 remaining in the first period, Dylan Duke drew a penalty below the goal line after receiving a hit up high during a lengthy in-zone possession for the Wolverines. The officials reviewed the play for a possible major penalty, and confirmed the call after video review to put U-M on an extended, all-you-can-score five-minute power play.
Seven seconds later, the Michigan lead was doubled by Matty Beniers. The centerman won the initial faceoff back to Owen Power at the point before settling into the slot. Power sent a pass down low to Michael Pastujov on the goal line, and he briefly stickhandled while evaluating his options. Noticing an option in the slot, the fifth-year senior popped a bounce pass out to Beniers, who finished the sequence off with a one-timer to the far side of the twine.
Less than a minute after Beniers' goal, Johnson maneuvered his way toward the blue paint with the puck on his stick following the Maize and Blue setting up in the PSU end. Johnson made an initial attempt to tuck the puck inside the right post, but was rebuffed by Autio's pad. Without missing a beat, the sophomore smoothly corralled the rebound and showed off his wrists by tucking the puck back inside the post and across the goal line to move Michigan ahead 3-0. Brendan Brisson and Beniers collected assists on the team's second power-play goal in 48 seconds.
At the end of the opening frame, Michigan was ahead 3-0 with a 9-5 lead in shots on goal.
The Wolverines finished out the remainder of the team's extended power play after returning for the second period, but failed to tack additional goals onto the two they scored late in the first. After the expiration of Michigan's advantage, the team took and killed off another penalty of its own.
Michigan continued to dominate play and dazzle the crowd, but Penn State often threatened in transition, testing Portillo with frequent shots from a variety of angles in what has become a staple of the program's high-volume attack.
After two periods, the Wolverines maintained a 3-0 lead but had failed to add onto their margin during the period of the long change. With 20 minutes to go, U-M also led in shots, 23-16.
The first five minutes of the third period were dominated by Penn State, as the Nittany Lions put together a series of strong shifts to notch back-to-back goals at 1:51 and 4:47 of the final frame and reduce the Michigan lead down to one.
Bordeleau took an interference penalty with 10:14 left while battling in front of the net in the offensive zone, but Portillo and the Michigan PK unit were up to the task once again, killing off the team's 20th straight penalty dating back to Dec. 11 against Ohio State.
Searching for a cushion, Samoskevich found Power for a beautiful chance with five minutes left to play, but Power's shot sailed north of the crossbar by a foot or two. Then, with 4:30 left in regulation, Michigan's power play was reactivated following a Penn State penalty for tripping.
With the potent U-M power play set up throughout the PSU zone, Johnson received a pass and worked his way from the top of the circle toward the goal line. As he made the move, a Nittany Lion stick took out his feet and drew a second consecutive minor penalty for tripping to give the Wolverines a two-man advantage. The home side threatened, but failed to convert.
PSU returned to full strength with 1:54 left in regulation, still in search of a game-tying goal. At the next stoppage in play, with 1:37 left, the teams exchanged timeouts as each coaching staff drew up plays while instructing their sides for the ensuing sprint to the buzzer.
After the Penn State goaltender was pulled for an extra attacker, U-M searched for an empty-net goal to ice the team's third consecutive win. Beniers had a decent look, but gathered himself too far below the dot and chose to flip a pass out to the slot rather than attempt the poor-angle shot on the empty cage. Moments later, Garrett Van Wyhe leaned into the puck along the boards in the Michigan zone to wait out the game's closing seconds and put the finishing touches on a win.
As the buzzer rang, the Wolverines celebrated a hard-fought 3-2 win with Portillo, fresh off his 17th win of the season. With the regulation win providing three conference points, U-M ascended back into the top spot of the Big Ten Conference standings with 26 points.
Saturday evening (Jan. 15), the teams will return for their fourth and final regular-season meeting of the year with the Wolverines searching for a season sweep over the conference's youngest program. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast live on CW50 in addition to being streamed live on B1G+.
