LAS VEGAS — Throughout the season, there’s little question as to how valuable the No. 1 seed Michigan hockey team’s power play proved itself to be. But in moments of needing an offensive spark, game-defining moments and defensive shutdowns, something else shined on the ice for the Wolverines — their penalty kill.
It’s something Michigan’s skaters have taken pride in all year, calling it the “power kill” when those units came off the bench. Between killing off major penalties and threatening shorthanded goals consistently, the Wolverines’ penalty kill became part of their identity. And though Michigan’s special teams couldn’t save it in its 4-3 overtime loss to No. 2 seed Denver, the Wolverines’ penalty kill units ended their season with a perfect performance.
“Power play wasn’t good enough,” Pioneers coach David Carle said. “We’ll look at things trying to be better for Saturday, but certainly a factor in the game being how it was.”
One of many opportunities for Denver’s power-play units came early in the night near the halfway mark of the first period. With senior defenseman Tyler Duke taking a holding penalty, a key member of Michigan’s top kill unit was left watching from the box. But even without the foundational veteran play Duke brings to the special team, the Wolverines delivered grand clears one after the other, setting the tone for the rest of the night.
Michigan managed to avoid the referees’ whistles for the rest of the opening period. But just twenty seconds into the second period, the Wolverines found themselves in the box once again — and this time while trying to protect a 2-1 lead.
This penalty came with a little more trouble for Michigan than the prior. The Pioneers kept consistent pressure in the zone while manning the blue line. The Wolverines repeatedly attempted to clear, but each time found a Denver skater in their way, keeping the top unit on the ice for the majority of the two-minute minor. Even with low energy, freshman goaltender Jack Ivankovic sent the puck to the other side of the ice, giving the penalty-kill unit and the rest of Michigan’s bench time for a breath.
“It was a lack of momentum and opportunities we created for ourselves on the power play,” Carle said.
While the Pioneers were finding moments to score in 5-on-5 play, the Wolverines penalty kill was determined in making sure a goal didn’t come at the hands of their special teams. After a goal from Denver pushed the game to 2-2 heading into the third period, Michigan’s penalty kill was put in the spotlight once again.
Two penalties in the third period put the Wolverines back on the kill as they attempted to hold off the Pioneers. And yet again, Michigan launched the puck routinely down the ice as Denver’s power play found itself unsuccessful in its man-advantage opportunities.
But the Wolverines penalty-kill unit was put to one final test in the first overtime period, as both teams knew the next one to score was booking their ticket to the national championship game. The special team only had to kill the penalty for a minute before a matching penalty on the Pioneers put the game into 4-on-4 play, leaving Denver fruitless.
Even with a shutdown performance from its penalty kill teams, it wasn’t enough for Michigan to overcome the rest of the Pioneers offensive production. And in the Wolverines’ final performance of the year with a heartbreak ending, even a perfect penalty kill couldn’t keep them their season alive.
