Michigan
14-8-1, 8-5-0
Michigan State
18-3-2, 9-2-2
Michigan Knocks Off No. 1 Michigan State in OT Thriller
1/17/2025 10:25:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Michigan faced off against a top-ranked MSU squad for the first time since 2001's "Cold War."
» Garrett Schifsky netted the game-winning goal in 3x3 overtime, his eighth goal of the year.
» T.J. Hughes scored and added an assist, the only Wolverine to finish with multiple points.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Fans inside Yost Ice Arena were treated to another stellar entry in a storied collegiate rivalry, as the tenth-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team battled back from two separate deficits to knock off the top-ranked Michigan State Spartans by a 3-2 score in overtime on Friday night (Jan. 17). The contest was this season's lone meeting in Ann Arbor; the crowd got their money's worth and then some, as the game went into extra time.
Veteran goaltender Logan Stein earned the start in net for Michigan, his fourth collegiate start against MSU following a trio of appearances during his time at Ferris State. Despite allowing an early goal, Stein settled in and backstopped the Wolverines to a key victory by making 35 saves on 37 shots from the nation's highest-volume offensive attack.
The visitors took an early lead when a shot thrown on net from the corner slipped through the wickets of Stein at 2:04 to make it 1-0 in MSU's favor.
The trouble intensified at 5:42 when veteran defenseman Ethan Edwards was injured on a play in which he was also penalized, handing the Spartans the first power play of the night. Fortunately for the Wolverines, the penalty was killed off, and Edwards was able to return to the ice following the power play.
The next infraction was called on MSU at 12:14 to give U-M a turn on the power play, but it came and went without a tally as the home team failed to conjure up an equalizer. Sophomore forward Evan Werner nearly banged in a shot from close quarters in one of two netfront scrambles for the Wolverines, the best scoring chances of the period.
At the buzzer for the first intermission, Michigan trailed 1-0 after falling behind early in shots on goal (15-7). The Spartans also built up a 10-5 advantage in the faceoff dot through 20 minutes.
Freshman defenseman Hunter Hady's physical presence earned a power play for Michigan at 11:09. The young blueliner laid a big hit in the MSU end, prompting another Spartan to retaliate with a two-handed chop that was whistled for a slashing penalty.
Right off the ensuing faceoff, the puck was worked around the zone until it reached Werner in the left circle. The sophomore forward quickly blasted a one-timer, and the shot was redirected from the netfront area by Will Horcoff into the top right corner of the net to tie it up with 8:34 left in the second period. Edwards notched the secondary assist by putting the puck on a tee for Werner. Each of Horcoff's first two goals with U-M have come on the power play, and the super freshman now has five points in five games.
After 40 minutes of rivalry action, the teams headed to their locker rooms with the game tied at one goal apiece. MSU held a commanding 27-17 lead in shots on goal while U-M fared better in the faceoff dot during the second period, but continued to lag behind the Spartans (27-20) in that department.
Michigan State took a 2-1 lead at 8:35 when a player broke through the defense in transition and found himself alone in front after receiving a pass from a supporting skater that he was able to bury after a slick bit of stickhandling.
Michigan tied the game at 14:25 when T.J. Hughes cashed in on a broken play by depositing a nifty backhand shot from the slot into the top left corner of the net. Tyler Duke received the secondary assist after putting a shot on goal that was deflected onto the ice by Jackson Hallum, who recorded the primary helper after the puck trickled off of him and onto the stick of Hughes.
The teams failed to determine a victor before the final buzzer, so the sides prepared for overtime in a 2-2 game. MSU finished regulation with a 37-30 lead in shots on goal and a 34-32 edge in the faceoff dot after the Wolverines surged in the final frame to trim the deficit in draws.
Each side sent out three skaters for the extra session. After rotating through a couple of trios, the Wolverines had Garrett Schifsky out on the ice with Hughes and the captain, Jacob Truscott. With Hughes carrying the puck up the ice on the right flank, Schifsky drove down the center lane with his stick ready for a shot. As soon as Hughes reached the half wall, he laid a pass over into the slot for Schifsky to succinctly swat into the back of the net with a quick one-timer in stride to clinch the win. Hughes and Truscott assisted on Schifsky's strike. The Wolverines poured off the bench to celebrate the game-winner that came just one minute into the extra session while Schifsky celebrated by channeling Carl Hagelin and Zach Werenski's violin-themed celebration.
With a win over the top-ranked team in tow, Michigan took two of three possible points in the Big Ten standings. That's now two consecutive contests in which U-M took No. 1 MSU to overtime, following the "Cold War" going into the books as a 3-3 draw on October 6, 2001.
Tomorrow night (Jan. 18), the in-state rivals will head north to finish off the home-and-home series in East Lansing before reconvening next month for another two-game set. This weekend's finale will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network, with puck drop scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
