Michigan
21-14-3
Michigan State University
24-9-3
Michigan's Bid for B1G Tourney Three-Peat Falls Short in OT vs. MSU
3/23/2024 11:59:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Centerman Frank Nazar III scored twice.
» Dylan Duke and Marshall Warren each scored once and added an assist for two-point games.
» Rutger McGroarty, Gavin Brindley, and Seamus Casey all made the All-Tournament Team.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The 10th-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team's quest to win a third straight Big Ten Tournament title fell short in overtime on Saturday evening (March 23), as fifth-ranked Michigan State pulled out a 5-4 victory in the 2024 Big Ten Championship Game at Munn Ice Arena.
In recognition of their postseason production, forwards Rutger McGroarty and Gavin Brindley were named to the Big Ten's 2024 All-Tournament Team along with defenseman Seamus Casey.
Michigan (21-14-3)opened the scoring less than one minute into the game when Frank Nazar III finished off a play in transition while dashing down the center lane. Josh Eernisse carried the puck into the MSU zone before using making a pass around his defender and into the wheelhouse of Nazar. Graduate defender Marshall Warren collected the secondary assist for moving the puck to Eernisse.
Michigan continued to apply pressure. leading to Brindley quickly potting a second goal off a pass from McGroarty before seeing the referee wave it off. A Spartan had tumbled into his netminder and the official determined it was a result of a Wolverine's influence.
Following their first power play, the Spartans (24-9-3) produced their first shot of the night. Then, MSU made the second one count when they banged a loose puck across the goal line to make it 1-1 with 9:07 left in the first period.
After one period, the teams were tied at one goal apiece. Michigan held a 14-6 lead in shots on goal, while Michigan State started the night with a 13-9 edge in faceoffs.
The second period continued to feature the fast-paced play that had characterized the opening frame. Each team took turns dashing down the ice as a unit to threaten the opposing cage, but the score remained 1-1 when the period's media timeout came around at 10:30.
For the second straight period, MSU scored following the media timeout. This time, they banged in a rebound from the top of the crease to make it 2-1 at 10:48.
As Michigan pressured the Spartan zone in search of a game-tying goal, the home team took a penalty for hooking at 12:18 to reactivate the nation's top-ranked power-play unit. Thirty-two seconds later, the unit cashed in when Dylan Duke went to the front of the net and whacked a rebound through the blue paint to tie it up. McGroarty and Casey notched the assists on Duke's 50th goal as a Wolverine.
With 4:22 left in the middle period, Michigan surged back into the lead thanks to a highlight-reel goal from Warren, who gave Michigan a 3-2 lead. Philippe Lapointe and Nick Moldenhauer assisted on Warren's marker.
Michigan State thought it knotted the game up at three after a shot from the corner got caught up in Barczewski's pads at 18:43, but the officials ruled it was no goal on the ice as the whistle had blown before the pad was pushed into the net. After an official review, the referees determined that it was a good goal with 1:17 left.
Just before time expired, an MSU point shot snuck through traffic with less than one second remaining on the clock to give the Spartans a 4-3 lead going into the second intermission.
With 20 minutes left to play, MSU had regained a one-goal lead despite trailing 24-15 in shots on goal. U-M put together a strong effort in the faceoff dot to pull ahead in that category, 22-20.
Early in the third, Nazar tallied his second by going to the hard area near the blue paint and earning a game-tying goal at 2:54. Duke had unleashed a shot from the left point that deflected off of Nazar and into the back of the net to tie the contest at four. Edwards notched the secondary helper for his first point of the night from the back end. The primary assist was Duke's second of the game and his 95th collegiate point.
At the end of regulation, the teams were tied 4-4. Michigan ended the third period with a 31-29 edge in shots on goal along with a 35-30 advantage in the faceoff dot.
The sides played an electrifying first 8:28 of the extra session before head coach Brandon Naurato called Michigan's timeout in advance of a defensive-zone faceoff.
After winning its third draw of OT, Michigan State scored a championship-winning goal from the point at 13:47. With the 5-4 victory, MSU claimed its first-ever Big Ten Tournament title.
The Wolverines will learn the details of their at-large NCAA tournament placement on Sunday (March 24) at 6:30 p.m. during the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Selection Show on ESPNU.
