Michigan
20-9-2, 12-8-1
Ohio State
17-11-3, 10-9-2
Michigan Earns Point in Tie at No. 10 Ohio State
2/16/2023 11:13:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Adam Fantilli extended his point streak to 10 games with a first-period goal for his 48th point.
» Luca Fantilli extended his point streak to three games with his second goal of the season.
» Erik Portillo made 37 saves on 40 OSU shots to help Michigan salvage a point.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A two-goal lead in the second period wasn't enough to overcome a significant disparity in shots on goal as the fourth-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team tied No. 10 Ohio State in a 3-3 game on Thursday (Feb. 16) at the Schottenstein Center. OSU won the shootout, 1-0, to earn the extra point after each side secured one by reaching overtime.
Junior netminder Erik Portillo turned aside 37 shots out of 40 that he faced to earn the single point for U-M.
Michigan's power-play unit hit the ice 3:27 into the contest after Mackie Samoskevich was obstructed while attempting to chase a dumped-in puck, but the team failed to capitalize on the initial chance.
A post-whistle engagement in front of the Michigan bench resulted in a number of penalties on the ice before the Buckeyes challenged the play for a potential major penalty. Following an official review, Seamus Casey was assessed a five-minute major for face masking to give OSU an extended power play at 10:09.Â
Just as the long Buckeye advantage came to an end, Ethan Edwards was whistled for high-sticking to give the home side another two minutes with the extra skater. For Edwards, the penalty extended his streak to 10 games in a row with at least one penalty.Â
After seven consecutive minutes of shorthanded play and a pair of successful penalty kills, U-M returned to full strength with the score still knotted at zeroes and 2:48 left in the first period.
The Wolverines struck first with 1:46 remaining in the opening frame when Adam Fantilli picked up the puck at the right half wall during an extended offensive-zone possession, carved in toward the slot, and fired a quick shot after an initial pump fake to beat the goaltender and put Michigan up, 1-0. Steven Holtz and Rutger McGroarty assisted on Fantilli's 19th tally of the season. With the goal, Fantilli's season-long point streak was extended to 10 games.
Ohio State responded with a goal of their own 28 seconds later, off of a one-timer in transition that was blasted into the back of the net from the right point with 1:18 left.
After the first period, the teams were tied at 1-1 but OSU had built a decisive 10-3 advantage in shots on goal to go with their seven minutes of power-play time compared to two for U-M. The Wolverines did control the faceoff dot in the first 20 minutes, however, winning 15 of 24 draws.
OSU was penalized for interference 28 seconds into the second frame to give U-M another power play.
One second after the team's second power play had expired, Michigan reclaimed its one-goal lead when Luca Fantilli ripped a shot from the left point that ricocheted off a Buckeye defender and past Mark Estapa's excellent netfront screen to hit the back of the net and put U-M up 2-1. Estapa earned the primary assist for getting the puck out to the point while captain Nolan Moyle received the secondary helper.
The penalty parade continued when Jackson Hallum was called for roughing after the whistle at 4:28.
Moments after exiting the box following another successful penalty kill, Hallum collected a pass and burst down the ice on the right flank as he glided through the neutral zone and into the Ohio State end. As he reached the top of the right circle with a defender draped on his side, the left-handed freshman used his frame to protect the puck as he angled in toward the blue paint. Hallum brought the puck to his forehand and waited for the goaltender to drop down before coolly chipping the puck over his outstretched glove to put the Wolverines up by two goals at 3-1 with 13:19 left in the second frame. A pair of seniors, Eric Ciccolini and Nick Granowicz notched assists on Hallum's marker.
The Buckeyes cut the deficit and made it 3-2 off a transition goal less than two minutes later when an OSU forward pulled the puck in tight and fired a low shot past Portillo's glove while falling to the ice with 11:28 left in the period.
Late in the frame, Ohio State went a skater down with 21 seconds left when Samoskevich's speed forced the Buckeyes to take a penalty while chasing a puck that was eventually called icing. The play was the second time in as many periods that Samoskevich had earned a power play for U-M.
With one period left in the top-10 Thursday showdown, Michigan held a 3-2 lead despite trailing by a significant margin in shots on goal (25-8). The Wolverines continued to lead in the faceoff dot (27-21) and carried 1:39 of power-play time over into the final frame of the evening.
Back on the ice for the third period with a clean sheet and a 5x4 advantage, Michigan burst out of the gates in search of a fourth goal. After testing the OSU goaltender, the teams returned to even strength without a goal to show for the advantage.
At 4:56, the Buckeyes tied it at three when a backdoor one-timer beat Portillo.
Another Ohio State power play began with 11:21 left in regulation after T.J. Hughes was called for hooking in the corner deep in the Michigan zone. Yet again, the U-M penalty killers were able to dismiss the opportunity and keep the game tied at three goals apiece.
Late in the game with 1:28 remaining in regulation, Ohio State was penalized for playing with a broken stick to give U-M a power play. Despite failing to score before the buzzers sounded, the Wolverines carried 32 seconds of power-play time into the overtime period.
After 60 minutes, the teams were deadlocked at 3-3 and prepared for an extra five-minute session.
Starting with four skaters, the Wolverines pressured the Ohio State crease but failed to slip a fourth goal across the line before play returned to 4x4 play. The first whistle after the infraction expired came with 2:23 left in the extra session, when play moved to 3x3.
Racing for a loose puck in the neutral zone, Adam Fantilli was shoved into the boards by a Buckeye with 37 seconds left in the overtime period. After an official review, the play was deemed to be a minor penalty for boarding to give U-M a power play to close out OT. Shortly thereafter, another penalty on the Wolverines forced the game to finish at four-on-four.
With 65 minutes of play in the books, the teams remained tied, 3-3. OSU finished the night with a 40-17 lead in shots on goal while U-M ended with a 36-31 edge in faceoffs.
In the shootout's first round, Ohio State's shooter scored and Samoskevich was turned aside. In the second round, Portillo made a glove save while Fantilli's five-hole attempt was barely kept out of the net. In the final round, Portillo stretched out to make a phenomenal toe save and give Frank Nazar III a chance to tie it, but the freshman's clever effort was turned aside to send the Buckeyes pouring onto the ice in celebration of the second point for the conference standings.
On Saturday (Feb. 18), the rivalry will head north to the shores of Lake Erie for an outdoor game at Cleveland's FirstEnergy Stadium at the "Faceoff On The Lake." Puck drop is set for 4 p.m., and the contest will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.
