Michigan
15-12-3, 8-10-2
Penn State
13-14-3, 5-12-3
Michigan Unable to Find Scoring Touch in Loss at Penn State
2/17/2024 10:28:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» T.J. Hughes opened the scoring less than five minutes in off a pass from Dylan Duke.
» Frank Nazar III tied the game at two with a goal in the third period.
» Jake Barczewski made 38 saves on 41 shots.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The weekend ended on a sour note for the University of Michigan ice hockey team as the No. 14-ranked Wolverines fell to Penn State 4-2 on Saturday night (Feb. 17) inside Pegula Ice Arena.
Michigan opened the scoring for the 24th time in 30 games when T.J. Hughes cashed in on a breakaway to claim a 1-0 lead at 4:29. His linemate Dylan Duke earned the primary assist for a stretch pass that found Hughes dashing through the neutral zone. Marshall Warren was credited with the secondary assist.
Captain Jacob Truscott was penalized for cross-checking at 6:25. Shortly thereafter, Penn State tied the game with a power-play goal at 6:43 when a shot from the point was turned into a rebound opportunity to be finished off by an attacking Nittany Lion.
PSU's power-play marker was the first surrendered by Michigan's penalty-kill unit since Jan. 27 against Wisconsin.
After 20 minutes, the teams returned to their respective locker rooms with the game tied at one goal apiece. Buoyed by a 3-0 advantage in power-play opportunities, PSU had built up a 16-8 gap in shots on goal. The Nittany Lions also bested Michigan in the faceoff dot in the early going, winning 12 of 19 draws.
Forward Frank Nazar III very nearly put Michigan ahead from the netfront area going into the second period's media timeout, but a strong pair of saves denied the Wolverines and kept the deadlock intact.
As the period wore on, Michigan continued to chip into PSU's edge in shots on goal as they stacked chances in search of a second, go-ahead goal.
Penn State pulled ahead 2-1 with 2:23 left off a shot from the left point through traffic after the team had gone a lengthy portion of the period without a shot on goal.
After two periods of play, Penn State held a one-goal lead along with a 24-18 edge in shots on goal and a 25-19 lead in the faceoff dot.
Breaking into the zone in transition along the right flank, Gavin Brindley saucered a pass into the slot for Nazar. As quickly as he accepted the pass, he snapped a quick shot on goal that found twine to tie the game, 2-2, at 3:50 of the third period.
PSU made it 3-2 by crashing the net and propelling a rebound into the net at 7:31.
With 8:21 left in regulation, U-M challenged for an uncalled hit to the head of Philippe Lapointe. After video review, the officials called a five-minute major penalty on a Nittany Lion defenseman for contact to the head.
Before play resumed, Penn State challenged another play in hopes of evening things up. After a second video review, Mark Estapa was sent off for a play that was also deemed to be contact to the head. The sides continuing to play 5-on-5 with each team down one skater after trading major penalties.
The Nittany Lions tacked on an empty-net goal from deep in their own zone with 1:52 left to make it 4-2.
Goaltender Jake Barczewski turned aside 38 of 41 shots that he faced.
Next Friday and Saturday (Feb. 23-24), Michigan will host Notre Dame for its final two home games of the regular season at Yost Ice Arena.
