Sophomore forward Will Horcoff entered his first season opener at Yost Ice Arena with a single goal in mind: to win. Stepping onto the bright ice, Horcoff embraced the moment with excitement and anticipation for the season ahead. And it wasn’t before long that he added to the significance of this night, notching a hat trick in the No. 12 Michigan hockey team’s 11-1 victory against Mercyhurst.
This past summer, Horcoff was selected 24th overall in the NHL Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. While still young with plenty left to conquer, he decided to return to the Wolverines, hopeful that he can play a part in bringing hardware back to Ann Arbor.
“Getting drafted is just the first step in a long process,” Horcoff said. “I still have so many years of development here at the University of Michigan. So I’m just focusing on what I can do each day to maximize my time so I can maximize my potential.”
Michigan came out hot, putting plenty of pressure on the Lakers’ defense. The Wolverines’ hunger was evident in each of their plays. Digging deep, taking plenty of shots and claiming the attacking third as their own zone appeared to come naturally to the squad. But no one left a dent in the score sheet as large as Horcoff after his explosive one-timer set off his offensive dominance over Mercyhurst.
Michigan let the second period slightly slip away from their standard for the game. Two of their 11 goals were produced at this time, bringing to question if the Lakers figured out a tactic on how to shut down the Wolverines’ scoring advancements. Unfortunately for Mercyhurst, Michigan capitalized on the offensive transition, setting up Horcoff for a clear shot on net — nonetheless on his preferred left side — to slap a one-timer past Lakers goaltender Michael Chambre 26 seconds into the third period.
It wasn’t long before Horcoff sealed off the hat trick, putting up a power-play goal midway through the period. This is the showing much expected from a player of Horcoff’s caliber. Last season, Horcoff joined Michigan halfway through the season to support the Wolverines in their quest to receive a bid for the NCAA Tournament. Despite falling short, Horcoff is only more determined to prove his role as a goalscorer and produce on the offensive end.
“(Horcoff is) working on his goal scoring,” Michigan coach Brandon Naurato said. “He can just never get away from being that power forward, finishing checks and being a beast at the front of the net because he can score and they will go in.”
Horcoff’s opening night at Yost has generated a strong image as to what he is looking to do for the Wolverines this season. He remembers the bitter taste of what missing out on a championship is and feels that there is so much more for him to accomplish at the collegiate level before venturing to Pittsburgh.
“I just want to win,” Horcoff said. “And I think my play will show that my ultimate goal is to win a Big Ten Championship and a national championship at the end of the year. That’s what I’m focused on the whole season.”
With all eyes on him, Horcoff remains focused on his objectives as a forward: score goals and win games. And through one game, it’s appears abundantly clear that he is more than ready to prove his role on the team as that go-to guy when in need of some magic.
