[youtube_sc url=”https://youtu.be/CMMz2CPgc5A”]
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — One season removed from an opening-round loss in the Big Ten tournament, No. 12 Michigan decided it was moving forward this time.
Behind a two-goal night from top-line forward Dexter Dancs and 13 third period saves by goaltender Hayden Lavigne, Michigan made its reservation for the Big Ten tournament semifinal round with a 7-4 win over Wisconsin, sweeping the Badgers out of the conference tournament.
“I thought our team battled better,” said Michigan coach Mel Pearson. “We managed the puck better. Obviously, the shots on goal weren’t as high. We still have to learn, when you get a lead, how to manage the game better than we did.”
The Wolverines, which finished 13-19-3 last in 2016-17, entered the night a mirror image 19-13-3. Conversely, the Badgers finished as tournament runner-up last year, dropping a heartbreaking, 2-1 double overtime decision to Penn State.
“I’m really happy for [our seniors],” Pearson said. “They’ve had some struggles here. They’ve had some good moments here, also. Really happy for them. You need your seniors to be your leaders, your seniors and juniors this time of year, and I think they’ve stepped up.”
Early on, it seemed like a replay of Friday was playing out as Trent Frederic scored for the Badgers just 23 seconds in on a wrist shot over the blocker of Lavigne on assists from Ryan Wagner and Peter Tischke, but Michigan was having no part of allowing three first period goals again.
“Our team has to play a certain style, a certain way to be effective,” said Wisconsin coach Tony Granato. “When you do that against Notre Dame, the North Dakotas, the Minnesotas – we looked like a top team. There were times when we’d sit back and try to defend being on our heels and teams take advantage of us.”
Dancs leveled the score just five seconds shy of four minutes later on an assist by the first star of game one, Tony Calderone. Dancs was left unchecked trailing the rush and slotted the puck over Wisconsin netminder Jack Berry.
Michigan pressed the issue with a Jack Becker goal at 13:41 with assists from Nick Pastujov and James Sanchez and a Brendan Warren tally just 53 seconds into the second period. Becker took a feed out of the right corner from Pastujov and whipped a shot from the inside hashes of the right circle past Berry’s blocker. Warren had tried screening Berry on a slap shot attempt by defenseman Quinn Hughes, but the Philadelphia Flyers draft pick was quick enough to find the rebound, turn around, and push his eighth goal of the year over the line.
Wisconsin captain Cameron Hughes cut the lead to one at 6:08 on assists from Linus Weissbach and Tarek Baker, after Weissbach’s shot from the slot went off of the left pad of Lavigne and Hughes parked the rebound over the goal line and just past the reach of Lavigne’s skate.
Michigan’s Dakota Raabe put lead back to two goals just 26 seconds later on a highlight-reel, tic-tac-toe passing display with assists going to Niko Porikos and Joseph Cecconi.
“Our secondary scoring, we’ve got more guys contributing, which we need. I think that’s part of the success of the second half here,” said Pearson. “That’s why we’ve won 12 games in the second half of the year. We’re getting more contributions from more players.”
Pearson certainly noticed the contribution of players who did not play in game one, mentioning Porikos and defenseman Nicholas Boka by name after the win.
Frederic scored his 17th of the year at 9:16 on assists by Weissbach and JD Greenway to trim the hosts’ lead to 4-3, but Dancs at 19:53 on an assist by Calderone stuffed the Badgers back into a multiple-goal deficit at the second intermission.
“It was a huge goal,” Granato said. “It’s the same thing that’s happened to us a lot this year. It seems like you play a great period, come out of it with some momentum and win the period … you end up losing it and it’s tough. Michigan’s a great team.”
Griffin Luce put the Wolverines in front 6-3 at 2:24 of the third, but the game wasn’t without late drama as Wisconsin junior forward Matthew Freytag took his own point shot rebound, crashed the net, and stuffed his ninth goal of the year at 15:18 of the third. Berry came to the bench for the extra attacker 23 seconds later, but Michigan stood firm and eventually found the empty net goal on Jake Slaker’s 14th of the season at 19:42.
Wisconsin ends the year at 14-19-3 overall and 8-13-2-1 in conference action.
“We’ll reevaluate how we play, the style we play, and players that we have in certain positions and move on from there,” said Granato. “I loved our guys. Our senior class is a great group of kids. I feel bad for them, because coming into this year, I know they had high hopes.”
Pearson’s Michigan Tech squad captured a WCHA tournament championship at home last season and had praise for the atmosphere at Yost this weekend.
“I love playoff hockey on campus. I thought the fans were entertained for two games,” said Pearson. “As a coach, maybe you don’t like the games, as far as the scoring goes, but for the fans, I think it was exciting and good for them. Just very pleased to be moving on and looking forward to Ohio State.”
Continuing to build on a solid second half, the Wolverines goals are in plain view.
“We’ve got a goal of winning the Big Ten championship,” Pearson said. We’re trying to get as far as we can. We know, if we just continue to win, we’ll be in good shape.”