Michigan
11-7-1, 5-4-0
Ohio State
14-4-1, 7-2-0
Penalties Costly for Michigan in Late Loss to No. 13 OSU at Wrigley Field
1/3/2025 10:12:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Freshman forward William Horcoff scored one goal and added an assist in his collegiate debut.
» Michael Hage and T.J. Hughes each scored en route to matching two-point performances.
» Michigan's power-play unit finished 2-for-2 while Ohio State ended the night at 2-for-6.
CHICAGO, Ill. -- The ninth-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team took an early lead and held it until the final minute of the game, but ultimately fell 4-3 to No. 13 Ohio State in a hard-fought contest between longtime rivals on Saturday (Jan. 3) as part of the Frozen Confines event at Wrigley Field.
Penalties cost the Wolverines (11-7-1, 5-4 Big Ten) as OSU (13-5-1, 7-2 Big Ten) converted on two of six chances, including the game-winner with 38.4 seconds left. Michigan itself went 2-for-2 during its power-play opportunities.
U-M did have one addition to the roster as they kicked off the second half of the season, as new forward Will Horcoff made his collegiate debut outdoors after joining the program for the second semester following one and a half seasons with the United States National Team Development Program in Plymouth, Mich. It was a memorable start to his collegiate career as he scored a goal and added an assist in his debut.
The bulk of the first period came and went without a goal, but the pace of play was quick from the opening puck drop. Each team appeared more than comfortable in the elements as they racked up hits and the physicality steadily rose throughout the period.
Michigan's leading scorer, Michael Hage, capitalized on the forecheck with 1:46 remaining after he picked off a casual pass from an unsuspecting Buckeye blueliner in the Ohio State zone. Hage quickly gathered the puck in the slot on his forehand before ripping a shot that found twine to open the scoring and set off the fireworks inside Wrigley. The unassisted tally was the freshman's 11th marker of the campaign.
After one period inside the Friendly Confines, Michigan carried a 1-0 lead back to the clubhouse. Each team had sent 11 shots on goal while Ohio State held a 13-10 edge in the faceoff dot through 20 minutes.
Michigan embarked upon the first power play of the night at 3:39 when the Buckeyes were whistled for cross-checking. Just over one minute into the advantage, the Wolverines were working to cycle the puck around the corner when Horcoff made his debut all the more memorable by earning an assist with a slick pass to the slot for T.J. Hughes to bury and put the Wolverines up by two goals. Evan Werner earned the secondary assist on Hughes' power-play goal, while Horcoff notched his first career point with the beautiful assist from behind the net.
Near the halfway point of the contest, Werner nearly potted a goal of his own when a backdoor feed jumped over his blade as he attempted a one-timer. At the whistle, Ohio State challenged a prior interaction for a major penalty. Following an official review, no penalty was assessed and OSU was forced to surrender its timeout.
The Buckeyes received their first power play of the night with 8:52 left in the second period when U-M captain Jacob Truscott was sent off for cross-checking. On that same play, a Wolverine hobbled off the ice after being thrust from behind into the end wall on a retrieval.
Halfway through OSU's advantage, Hunter Hady was penalized for elbowing to give the Buckeyes a lengthy 5-on-3 advantage. Michigan killed off the first infraction and nearly scored shorthanded before forcing the second to expire as well.
Back at even strength, Ohio State scored to cut the deficit in half with 4:34 remaining. Head coach Brandon Naurato called the referee over to the bench and challenged for a missed major penalty, but no call was made following the review and play resumed.
Just nine seconds later, Mark Estapa was called for cross-checking to put the Buckeyes back on the power play. Michigan's penalty killers were up to the task and dismissed the chance.
Ohio State leveled the score by notching a goal with 1:23 left in the second period off a slap shot from the point.
With one period left to play in the Frozen Confines, Michigan and Ohio State were tied 2-2. The Buckeyes held a narrow 22-20 advantage in shots on goal as well as a 23-19 edge in faceoffs.
OSU went back on the power play early in the period when Horcoff was nabbed for slashing while working in the offensive zone. Once again, Michigan's penalty kill unit turned aside the chance as the Buckeyes dropped to 0-for-4 with the extra skater.
Michigan received its second power play of the night at 7:55 after they had capitalized on their first opportunity earlier in the contest.
On the ensuing advantage, Horcoff crashed the net to earn his first collegiate goal, putting the Wolverines up 3-2 at the 9:15 mark of the third period with his second point of the night. Hage and Hughes collected assists on Horcoff's first goal, with all of the action coming within close proximity of the blue paint. The tally made U-M 2-for-2 on the power play.
Estapa was given a penalty for a faceoff violation after playing the puck with his glove at 11:48, and the Buckeyes finally buried a power-play goal on their fifth chance of the night to tie the game at three with 7:55 left in regulation.
The Wolverines took a late penalty with 1:08 left after a turnover had given Ohio State a chance at a breakaway and Josh Eernisse was forced to disrupt the chance. Twenty seconds later, a Buckeye shot was redirected from the net-front area to earn their first lead of the night at 4-3.
Freshman netminder Cameron Korpi, who made 30 saves on 34 shots, was pulled in favor of an extra skater with 38 seconds left. The Wolverines searched for a late equalizer, but the damage had been done and Ohio State put the finishing touches on its 4-3 win. Each side finished the night with 34 shots on goal, but penalties made all the difference.
With the trip to Wrigley in the rearview mirror, the teams will each pack their gear and head east to Ann Arbor to finish off the series on Sunday evening (Jan. 5) at Yost Ice Arena. Puck drop is set for 5 p.m., and the game will be streamed live on B1G+.
