The up-down season for Michigan hockey took a turn for the worse in that games where the Wolverines have lost a game they have 9 wins and 3 ties with no losses and if that was the outcome for Saturday it Michigan’s next game would be in Ann Arbor. However Wisconsin, Michigan, overtime seems to be all in one for this season as all games have ended up in extra time and the Badgers scored in overtime for a 4-3 OT for Wisconsin.
The Wolverines looked on track with freshman defenseman Jack Summers collecting his first collegiate goal at the 4.07 of the first period with assists from freshman forward Jimmy Lambert and sophomore forward Michael Pastujov. Wisconsin answered at 11;10 of the first period with a one-timer from Wyatt Kelynuk to tie the game and the Badgers pulled ahead of Michigan with Friday’s demon Matthew Freytag who scored over the shoulder of Hayden Lavigne for the Badger lead.
The second period with Michigan coming off an unsuccessful man advantage Michael Pastujov was able to find freshman forward Jimmy Lambert who scored his 4th goal of the year. With the game, 2-2 Nick Pastujov received a backdoor pass from Will Lockwood to put the Wolverines up 3-2 going into the third period. With time coming to a close in the game and Lavigne stopping critical shots the Badgers pulled the goalie for the extra attacker with 2 minutes and sure enough Jack Gorniak bounced off a shot off Lavigne and feel behind the Michigan goalie where Ty Emberson put the puck into the next with 1: 07 to tie the game.
Overtime proved to be Michigan’s downfall and two times worked for the Badgers in this overtime. Jack Gorniak deked Hayden Lavigne to score what was to be the winning goal for Wisconsin however Michigan received a very lucky break in that the Badgers were called for 6 men on the ice and no goal. With another chance for both teams Wisconsin. Linus Weissbach decided that he had enough of overtime and beat Lavigne for the game-winner.
This game was the final placement for both teams as Wisconsin could not have home ice with Penn State winning and will now visit the Lions next weekend but for Michigan instead of hosting a game, they will now go on the road to visit the Minnesota Gophers in a best of 3 formats in Minneapolis next weekend. Michigan outshot the Badgers 31-29 and won the faceoff battle 30-24, however, the goalie position hurt Michigan as it has done all year.
With Michigan scoring at will the defense started to take shape the goalie position of Hayden Lavigne and Strauss Mann has never been settled this year and it has cost the Wolverines and hopefully they can get this set for next weekend.