The No. 2 seed Michigan hockey team had every expectation of playing in the Big Ten Tournament final. However, if onlookers were informed that the Wolverines would face a team they swept twice, a few chuckles would be heard.
Unfazed by the hot No. 5 seed Ohio State (14-21-2), Michigan (29-7-1) trounced the Buckeyes, 7-3, in a commanding fashion to secure the Big Ten Tournament championship — the first time it has done so on home ice.
For the Wolverines, the game’s first period triggered waves of deja vu. Down a man on the penalty kill, they found themselves unable to fend off Ohio State, conceding a goal just five seconds before returning to even strength. Four months ago — to the day — the Buckeyes opened the scoring at Yost the same way, capitalizing on the power play to take a lead over Michigan.
However, that didn’t deter the Wolverines. If the first period was to repeat itself, then a Michigan goal was only imminent to ruin Ohio State’s 1-0 lead.
As the clock inched closer to the final minutes in the first, the Buckeyes made a failed attempt to enter the Wolverines’ zone. Junior forward Garrett Schifsky’s defensive effort earned him sole possession of the puck before making his way up center ice. Seeing an opening, Schifsky ripped one top corner, making it impossible for Ohio State’s goaltender to make the stop, leveling the score at 1-1.
But the possibility of a complete replica of the game on Nov. 21 is nearly impossible. The Buckeyes’ recent success makes them a much tougher opponent than the team that walked into Yost Ice Arena four months ago. So, Michigan refused to give them even the slightest edge to result in another tournament upset at the hands of Ohio State.
Once the second period started, the Wolverines came out rolling on the momentum gained from Schifsky’s goal. And they were looking to build on that foundation as fast as possible.
Barely two minutes had passed before another goal was on the board, but unlike four months ago, it was Michigan who snatched the lead. When sophomore forward Michael Hage’s shot from the hash marks was blocked, it seemed the opportunity was wasted. But sophomore forward Will Horcoff was right there with Hage, and his ability to catch the rebound gave the Wolverines a 2-1 lead.
That high didn’t last long, though. The Buckeyes quickly responded with back-to-back goals, shifting the tides in their favor in a matter of minutes. Now with Michigan on the back of its heels and just seconds before the second intermission, it was freshman forward Malcolm Spence’s turn to light the lamp on the power play, getting rewarded off a play riddled in patience and precision to set the score at 3-3.
The weight of the third period laid heavily on the two teams. The battle for the next goal awarded more than just the lead, but a gust of momentum to grit through the last twenty minutes. And no one wanted to give that up, especially senior forward and captain T.J. Hughes.
Once again getting rewarded for catching the rebound, Hughes found himself waiting at the back door for junior forward Jayden Perron’s deflected shot to glide right to his stick. Now leading, 4-3, with 10 minutes to play and a trophy in sight, the Wolverines simply needed to follow script and defend their net. But Michigan wanted more.
It was clear that while Ohio State was a competitive opponent, the Wolverines set an early precedent at Yost this season: beating the Buckeyes at home. And following Hughes’ leading goal, Michigan extended its lead further due to the efforts of Perron, senior defenseman Luca Fantilli and junior forward Nick Moldenhauer
As the scoreboard glowed with a 7-3 score and zeroes on the clock, Michigan checked a championship off its list. Raising the trophy high, the Wolverines basked in their triumphant victory over Ohio State, sharing its win on home ice for the first time. Unbroken by the Buckeyes, Michigan followed the script established four months prior.
