Michigan hockey drops season opener to Minnesota State, 5-2

A team can create all the chances it wants, and it can take all the shots it desires — it just doesn’t matter if they don’t convert them into goals.

The No. 7 Michigan hockey team probably knew that already, but on Friday, they relearned it.

The Wolverines (0-1) outplayed Minnesota State (1-0) early, creating more than a few opportunities for early goals, but couldn’t make it count on the scoreboard. That sloppy start came back to bite Michigan, as the Mavericks capitalized on more of their scoring chances en route to a 5-2 season-opening win.

The Wolverines’ first period was marred by missed opportunities. In just the opening minute, graduate defenseman Jacob Truscott found himself with a scoring chance of dreams — on the rush, 1-on-1 with the opposing goalie — but he couldn’t find the net. It wasn’t the only early mistake for Truscott, who also failed to convert an open shot off a deflection later in the period.

Sloppy play seeped through the entire Michigan team early on. It showed itself in the form of careless turnovers, a failed 1-on-1 opportunity from junior forward Kienan Draper and later, back-to-back misses from junior forward Josh Eernisse. By the end of the first, the Wolverines had outshot the Mavericks by nine, but they had nothing to show for it.

Soon enough, though, they did get a result. Just seconds into the second period, sophomore forward William Whitelaw netted a one-timer from the point on a power play to give Michigan a 1-0 lead.

Minnesota State quickly answered, though. When Truscott tripped with the puck in the defensive zone, the Mavericks quickly took advantage of the turnover, with forward Brian Carrabes sending the puck from the right side into the left corner of the goal to retie the game. Minutes later, the Wolverines missed out on another scoring opportunity and Minnesota State added a second goal on the counter attack.

Michigan’s inability to put the puck in the net was no longer just costing it goals, it was giving the Mavericks chances of their own to score. And while the Wolverines struggled to capitalize, Minnesota State found ways to make its opportunities count.

To start the third period, the Mavericks took advantage of yet another turnover in Michigan’s defensive zone to extend their lead to two goals. Outshooting Minnesota State by a significant nine shots, the Wolverines now trailed 3-1 in the stat that matters. Minutes later, the Mavericks netted another.

Down by three goals, Michigan had a newfound offensive sense of urgency, but the results were the same as old. Sailing long-range shots over the net, losing possession in increasingly sloppy fashion and even colliding with each other at one point, other than a late goal by sophomore forward Garrett Schifsky, the Wolverines’ third period was more of the same.

Minnesota State’s fifth goal, with just a few minutes remaining, was the nail in the coffin for Michigan. In the end, the Wolverines won the shots battle by 11, but they couldn’t convert nearly enough of those chances throughout to keep up with the opportune Mavericks.

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