The No. 2 Michigan hockey team currently sits as the third-ranked power-play team in the country with 34 goals supporting it in its offensive rule over the Big Ten. But even with the existing success from its special team, the Wolverines were looking for more from their man-advantage units.
And that’s when Michigan coach Brandon Naurato decided to change things up — resulting in 2-for-2 on the power play and a win against No. 5 Penn State.
“It’s the same guys and just plugging them into different spots and different units,” Naurato said. “Both units scored, it was good, just something new.”
Friday night, the Wolverines’ special teams saw ample ice time in what became a penalty-ridden affair. Even with the extra scoring opportunities, Michigan went 1-for-5 with the player advantage, pushing the game into overtime and an eventual shootout that resulted in a tie.
As the Wolverines headed into Saturday’s matchup, they knew they needed to fire on all cylinders to avoid a similar result from the night before. The Big Ten regular season title is still up for grabs, putting an extra emphasis on each point for Michigan including limited overtime play.
This meant that every time the Nittany Lions were sent to the penalty box, Michigan had to be ready to exploit Penn State’s penalties. Needing an extra boost and just a change of pace, Naurato scrambled the two power-play units that were running for the majority of the season. In result, he found the production the Wolverines not only needed, but craved.
In the second period, Michigan saw its first opening to trial run the new units when Penn State took a slashing call. Senior forward T.J. Hughes and junior forward Jayden Perron held their usual spots in the top unit, but this time with new faces accompanying them. Usually playing on the second power-play team, junior forward Nick Moldenhauer, freshman forward Malcolm Spence and junior defenseman Ben Robertson hit the ice with the first unit instead — putting the experiment in the spotlight.
Those personnel changes took very little time for a goal to come to fruition. Moldenhauer sent the puck from the right circle to Spence stationed on the right side of the net. With a quick pass to Perron waiting in front of the crease, that chemistry proved itself worthy.
“ …Just the predictability of playing with different guys,” senior forward Josh Eernisse said. “That shows the versatility and the depth that we have on the team that guys are able to kind of move around and play different areas.”
While the line combinations saw some change this series as well, the results of the varied power-play unit showed the immediate answer the Wolverines wanted Saturday. While their special team was by no means struggling, the modified units sparked something different in Michigan’s gameplan.
The Wolverines proved this once again when their second unit saw their own window of opportunity to not only analyze the new grouping, but to repeat the success of their teammates.
Sophomore forwards Will Horcoff and Michael Hage moved to the second power-play team alongside freshman forward Adam Valentini. Sophomore defenseman Dakoda Rhéaume-Mullen and freshman forward Aidan Park welcomed the trio to the group. When Penn State once again found themselves fighting off another penalty in the third period, the five skaters had two minutes to take stock of the new configurations.
With a pass from Rhéaume-Mullen at the point, Horcoff put the puck away from the right dot and notched another power-play goal for Michigan in the 6-3 win.
“There weren’t like problems or anything,” Naurato said.” “But it was just something new and hopefully reinvigorated them.”
This season, the Wolverines’ power play has proved themselves as one of the top special team units in the country each weekend. And though Naurato knew the units didn’t need a change, it certainly didn’t hurt to try.
