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BOSTON, Mass. — The No. 11 Michigan hockey team netted all five of its goals in the third period to turn a faltering start into a dominant finish. While the flashy performance closed out the win against No. 5 Boston University, the backbone of Friday’s victory for the Wolverines was credited to their defense.
And though Michigan struggled to find the back of the net early on, it had little issue guarding its own.
The stability radiating from the Wolverines’ defensive zone originated with graduate goaltender Logan Stein. With 22 saves, Stein’s concrete performance set the tone for the night. He provided security between the pipes while Michigan’s offense worked around him to find its own success.
Stein’s biggest play of the night drove him past the faceoff circles to clear the puck early in the first period. With a Terrier rushing him in an attempted one-on-one opportunity, he launched the puck to the other side of the ice. From the beginning, Stein showed he wouldn’t be an easy wall to break through.
“I thought (Stein) made the big plays when we needed him to, especially when we’re on the penalty kill,” Wolverines coach Brandon Naurato said. “(He ‘s) just veteran and mature. He’s been very calm in the net for us.”
Michigan sent out its penalty kill unit four times throughout the game, and only one slipped by Stein. Though the Wolverines’ defensive lines held tight throughout the game, a tripping penalty in the second period became a setback for the steady showing. In a man-down disadvantage for Michigan, BU defenseman Cole Hutson launched the assist from the Wolverines’ offensive zone into the waiting stick of the forward Cole Eiserman for a quick goal in the slot.
Instead of being flustered or shaken, the one-goal deficit made Michigan’s defense determined to not let another in — and that’s what it did.
Even with Stein remaining steadfast in the goal, senior defenseman Ethan Edwards and freshman defenseman Dakoda Rhéaume-Mullen made sure the goaltender had limited work to do.
The duo started the game and spent very little time off the ice through the night. With the Terriers’ continuous offense pressuring the defensive zone, the pairing put their bodies on the line, literally. Rhéaume-Mullen blocked multiple shots in the slot with his whole body on the ice as Edwards laid and took consistent hits in the boards.
Edwards showed his veteran experience in the pressure situation against such a highly-ranked team like BU. In the opposite direction, Rhéaume-Mullen is the youngest player for the Wolverines, and his drive continues to show on the ice. On Friday, the combination of new and old was too much for the Terriers to counter.
Even after shutting down the Terriers’ offensive attack for most of the game, Edwards wasn’t done. On the power play, Edwards saw the open slot and scored the mid-range shot for his first goal on the season. After spending the majority of the game blocking, he finally went to sink a shot of his own.
“(Edwards) has had a lot of success here at Michigan,” Naurato said. “That was a big goal for him on the power play. But just even what he does away from the pocket helps give us a chance.”
Michigan won the game in the third period with its offensive showing, but its foundation started in the defensive zone from Stein to Rhéaume-Mullen and Edwards. That stability kept the Wolverines competitive long enough to push for the third period resurgence.
While Michigan succeeded in manufacturing goals later in the game, its defense set up the path to success. Each of those five goals were built on the foundation of the Wolverines defense, and it only took three periods for the offense to catch up.
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