Michigan
26-9-1, 17-8-0
Michigan State
12-22-1, 6-19-0
Michigan Remains Undefeated Against MSU with B1G Quarterfinal Win
3/4/2022 10:11:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Luke Hughes set a new program record for points by a freshman defenseman with 33, passing Jack Johnson (2005-06).
» Nick Blankenburg assisted on two of the four goals, and now has a career-high 24 points.
» Mackie Samoskevich put a game-high six shots on goal and notched Michigan's fourth tally.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- With a historic rivalry renewed for postseason play, the fifth-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team soundly defeated the Michigan State Spartans by a 4-1 score on Friday night (March 4) at Yost Ice Arena to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.
The win marked U-M's fifth of the season against the Spartans, and 10th in the past 11 meetings.
Erik Portillo was reliable throughout the night for U-M, making 23 saves on 24 shots to earn his first postseason win and help the Wolverines move one step closer to a Big Ten championship.
An early penalty for too many men on the ice gave the Spartans a chance on the power play, and the visitors took full advantage by capitalizing just 4:36 into the contest and taking a 1-0 lead.
A few minutes after the MSU icebreaker, Michigan was sent to its first power play. The U-M unit worked the puck around the zone before drawing another penalty to create a 5x3 power-play chance for 1:18.
On the team's first shift with the two-man advantage, U-M won the draw and settled into its structure. Matty Beniers found a soft spot below the right dot before receiving a pass and playing pitch-and-catch with Thomas Bordeleau, open and manning the point. After sending a final pass to the high slot, Beniers prepared to blast a one-timer off the anticipated return feed from his classmate. Bordeleau was in sync and fed a pass to Beniers' wheelhouse for Michigan's first goal at 8:04 on the power-play. Nick Blankenburg collected the secondary assist.
Each team netted an opening-period power-play goal to create a one-all tie after 20 minutes. The Wolverines put more shot attempts on net, but a 12-1 advantage in blocked shots for Michigan State led to a 9-7 lead for the Spartans in shots on goal.
Michigan came out for the second period with gusto, and the team's hot start was solidified when Luke Hughes authored another chapter in the program's history book by netting his 17th goal of the season. Hughes maintained possession on the left half wall by winning a puck battle before moving up the wall toward the blue line and eventually cutting in toward the high slot in the center of the ice. As he approached the middle of the offensive zone with an opposing defender in pursuit, Hughes suddenly hit the brakes, button hooked to create space, and rifled a perfect shot from the point that was sniped into the top of the net. Jacob Truscott and Dylan Duke assisted on Hughes' exceptional effort that came at 3:53 and made it 2-1.
With the tally, Hughes extended his previously-set record for goals by a freshman defenseman while passing Jack Johnson to set a new record with his 33rd point of the season, the most of any freshman blueliner in Michigan history.
Following a timeout late in the period, the Wolverines cycled the puck while pressuring the MSU end. Owen Power drove down toward the goal line before turning and sending a pass back to Blankenburg at the point. The captain fired a shot on net to produce a rebound in the crease that Kent Johnson cleverly bumped away from a diving netminder and into the slot for Luke Morgan to propel into the back of the net with a part of his stick blade for a 3-1 Michigan lead.
After two periods, Michigan had overtaken MSU for a two-goal lead and a 22-16 lead in shots on goal. The middle frame was penalty-free after three minor infractions had been called in the first period of the rivalry's 332nd rendition.
For the second straight period, a spirited start was rewarded when Mackie Samoskevich created a turnover while forechecking. The forward blocked a pass while skating out toward an MSU defenseman at the point and kept his feet moving while gathering the puck to lead an odd-man rush down the ice. Michigan State's lone defender made a nice play to lay out in the slot and eliminate Mackie's option to pass, so the freshman dialed up a crisp shot that he buried between the pads of the MSU goaltender for an unassisted goal to put U-M ahead 4-1 at 3:29 of the third.
Despite a series of extracurricular interactions to close out the game, the Wolverines put the finishing touches on a 4-1 win to take a one-game lead in the best-of-three quarterfinal series.
Tomorrow night (March 5), college hockey's most-played rivalry returns for the second game of the Big Ten's best-of-three first round series. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Yost Ice Arena and the in-state battle will be broadcast on Bally Sports Detroit.
With a win, Michigan would advance and host a semifinal game at Yost next Saturday (March 12). If Michigan State ties the series with a win tomorrow night, the teams will meet for a third game on Sunday evening, also at 7:00 p.m.
