MINNEAPOLIS — The No. 1 Michigan hockey team watched the clock run down in the final seconds of regulation play as it prepared to tackle the five minutes of overtime that awaited it against Minnesota. Another Big Ten win and the Wolverines’ first sweep since 2018 at the Golden Gophers’ home arena hung in the air waiting for Michigan to take.
While the Wolverines walked away Friday night with a decisive win and a five-goal performance, on Saturday, 60 minutes was simply not enough. And as the clock restarted with just five minutes, the Wolverines looked to their bench, wondering who might tuck the puck and game away.
A simple mistake from a Minnesota turnover is just what Michigan needed to pull its brooms out of the closet and that it could find the offensive spark needed to one in 60 minutes or overtime.
“Every night is going to present challenges, a different type of game,” senior forward Josh Eernisse said. “We just persevered through both of them. Last night, obviously a bigger win, but just to find a way on the road, it’s always huge.”
After a strong first period, the Gophers searched deep to find a response as the Wolverines looked to repeat Friday’s performance. Minnesota’s shot count rose with its momentum as it worked through Michigan’s defense. With two power-play opportunities gifted upon them, the Golden Gophers cracked the Wolverines’ penalty kill, converting both chances into goals. Michigan was fighting from behind for the first time in the series and tensions only grew higher heading into the final period.
The Wolverines’ third period mirrored the style of play that earned them their lead in the first and showed that they could not only hold their own, but take control once again . By again limiting the Gophers’ shots, they dominated the attack zone comfortably. Michigan found the space it was looking for and tied the game off an unassisted goal from senior forward T.J. Hughes who scored when the Wolverines needed it the most.
And that ice space Michigan needed in the third opened up even more as the clock ran down and 3-on-3 play commenced.
“It’s exciting to see guys have success like that and also the team have success,” Eernisse said. “It’s going to be different players and different types of plays at different times throughout games.”
By the Wolverines swarming their own offensive zone and utilizing the extra room on the ice, sophomore forward Michael Hage fired off a shot as Minnesota goaltender Luca Di Pasquo deflected it. Without having to retreat to Michigan’s defensive zone, senior defenseman Tyler Duke emulated Hage with a similar shot from the right dot, but again, Di Pasquo knocked it away. As the Wolverines continued to knock on the Gophers’ door, suspense filled the arena as both teams were hungry to leave the night victorious.
Michigan goaltender Stephen Peck grabbed a save with a little under four minutes remaining in overtime. The freshman earned his one save during overtime off the only shot Minnesota produced. As time continued to wind down, the Wolverines pushed to find the opening it needed and craved. The Gophers looked to try again as they awaited a shift change and a quick pass in the neutral zone to set up their next play — but that pass never reached its intended target as sophomore forward Jayden Perron skated away with it.
One dropped pass later and a surge to the net, Perron guaranteed a Wolverines’ celebration.
“We talked about it every weekend,” Michigan coach Brandon Naurato said. “You never know what type of game you’re gonna play, so to be able to play in different types of games is really good.”
The Wolverines needed just a spare two minutes to continue their reign over the Big Ten and notch a series sweep. Though it wasn’t a repeat performance of their commanding play the night prior, Michigan’s victorious mindset prevailed it to the win it wanted.
