Michigan
20-13-3
Notre Dame
15-19-2
Michigan Sweeps Notre Dame to Advance to B1G Semifinal
3/9/2024 11:02:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» T.J. Hughes scored twice for Michigan in addition to winning a team-high 10 faceoffs.
» Rutger McGroarty extended his point streak to six games with three assists.
» Gavin Brindley scored the game-winning goal and added an assist for a two-point night.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The fourth-seeded University of Michigan ice hockey team battled back to knock off fifth-seeded Notre Dame with a 4-3 win on Saturday night (March 9)to end UND's season at Yost Ice Arena.
With the win, Michigan (20-13-3) advances to next weekend's single-elimination semifinal round, with its opponent to be determined after the conclusion of Sunday's Ohio State-Wisconsin quarterfinal contest. A Wisconsin win would send Michigan to East Lansing to face top-seeded Michigan State, while a Buckeyes victory would see U-M head to Minnesota. The Wolverines also bumped their win streak over Notre Dame (15-19-2) to five games.
The Wolverines held a 2-1 lead after the first period, but the game was deadlocked at 3-3 headed into the final frame.
Gavin Brindley scored the game-winning goal at 3:54 when he finished off a rush chance by burying a feed from Tyler Duke for his team-leading 23rd goal of the season. Rutger McGroarty picked up his third assist of the game with the secondary helper.
Notre Dame opened the scoring for the second straight night with a shot from the point after an offensive-zone faceoff win to make it 1-0 at 8:05 on its fourth shot of the game.
The Wolverines started their second power play with 8:02 left in the first period when the visitors were penalized for kneeing. On the ensuing faceoff, McGroarty won the draw back to Seamus Casey at the point. moved toward the middle of the ice before sending a shot that was deflected T.J. Hughes, over the goaltender's glove and into the back of the net to tie it at 1-1 at 12:09.
With time winding down in the opening frame, the Wolverines added a go-ahead goal when Hughes doubled up with his second tally of the period, banging in a loose puck in the crease with nine seconds left to seize a 2-1 lead.
UND challenged the play for offsides, but the goal stood as called on the ice after a lengthy review, and the Irish were assessed a minor penalty for delay of game after the failed challenge.
The Wolverines carried a 2-1 lead up the stairs into the dressing room after 20 minutes along with an 18-7 advantage in shots on goal. The visitors owned a narrow 10-9 edge in the faceoff dot, but had also picked up four penalties in the first frame compared to zero for U-M.
The remainder of the power play that had started late in the first period came and went without another goal.
Josh Eernisse was given a minor for boarding at 6:27 leading the visitors to their second power play of the period. Thirty-four seconds later, they capitalized with a power-play goal off a backdoor pass to tie it up at two goals apiece.
The third man into the zone buried a go-ahead goal for the Irish off a rush opportunity at 9:27 after Jake Barczewski was unable to get enough of the puck to make a glove save. With just over half the game still to be played, UND took a 3-2 lead.
On his next shift, Dylan Duke pulled the team even with his 21st goal of the campaign at 11:54 by crashing the net and finishing off a rebound to make it 3-3. Eernisse and Frank Nazar III collected the assists on Duke's marker.
UND nearly scored with 1:30 left in the middle period, but a strong toe save from Barczewski denied the opportunity and kept the game tied through 40 minutes.
Michigan pulled ahead at 3:54 of the third when Brindley scored the eventual game-winning goal.
Notre Dame pulled its netminder in favor of the extra attacker late in the game. McGroarty took a pair of shots at the empty net as the game clock wound down below one minute left in regulation, but each attempt missed the net by a matter of inches. Icing was called following the second attempt, and U-M called timeout with 35.5 seconds remaining.
Barczewski made two key saves in the waning seconds to earn his 17th victory of the season, the most wins he has recorded in a single season. He finished the game with 25 saves.
