STATE COLLEGE — Last weekend, No. 2 Michigan felt the shock after falling to then-No. 10 Wisconsin. A reunification effort was necessary before the Wolverines ventured to No. 5 Penn State, calling forth all assets. And instead of dropping another dramatic loss, freshman goaltender Jack Ivankovic showcased a defining performance to place Michigan back in the win column.
The Wolverines’ win was only possible without the entire team’s commitment to the game, as a 7-1 victory demonstrated success on both ends of the ice. However, Ivankovic’s confidence in the crease infiltrated the mentalities of his teammates, acting as a pivotal indicator for the squad as they looked to reinstate their image.
“It definitely is big,” Ivankovic said when comparing this performance to last weekend’s. “You never want to have those games at home. But, the whole team practices hard. We knew what we were coming here to do and we got it done.”
Against the Badgers, Ivankovic posted a .750 save percentage. On the contrary, he made 26 saves against the Nittany Lions, conceding only one goal to put up a .963 save percentage. And this change became noticeable across the entire team’s play. Michigan rallied off the energy generated at its end to send a wave of shots toward Penn State’s goal.
Ivankovic has been an important addition to the Wolverines’ adjusted appearance. Time and time again, players and coaches alike send their praises to his mere presence, and his performance has been the cherry on top. Witnessing his first upset struck a cord in Michigan, making an effort to avoid embarrassment for the anchor of its defense.
“(Ivankovic has) been a brick wall for us all year,” senior forward Josh Eernisse said. “I know he probably wanted a couple of those back last Saturday, but we had a couple breakdowns that just left him out to dry. So he’s a really good goalie, and he stepped up big time for us tonight. That’s part of the reason that we had the outcome that we did.”
Consistent goaltending was something the Wolverines lacked in the past. It appeared to be the last five percent needed to take home heavy hardware. Landing a recruit like Ivankovic ignited hope within the Michigan hockey program for the advanced skillset he could contribute — and it seems to be working out.
It’s no secret that the Wolverines have figured out things offensively. Averaging 5.2 goals per game has earned them the right to be called a scoring machine. However, Michigan has also displayed its strongest early defensive showing in nearly 100 years. And it’s easy to give credit to Ivankovic.
On 309 shots faced, he has only conceded 27 goals — including 10 from last weekend alone. Ivankovic’s ability to create ease among his teammates leads to an overall better performance on the ice, quite possibly curating a group worthy of a No. 2 ranking. Like their fellow competitors, the Nittany Lions struggled to slide the puck across the goal line and defeat the Wolverines. Ivankovic built himself up, cracking only once to show that he was human too.
“(Ivankovic) made a flurry of two or three big saves,” Michigan coach Brandon Naurato said. “It’s just that’s what he does. He was dialed, similar to our team. He wanted a little bit more after last weekend, and good for him. He’s a really good goalie.”
Ivankovic has only donned the Michigan sweater 13 times, leaving plenty of room for change, both good or bad. But in his short tenure with the Wolverines, much conversation has surrounded the correlation between his success and the success of Michigan. Everyone has their off nights, but Ivankovic’s ability to react accordingly after a tough loss proves promising for a hopeful group of Wolverines.
