The Wolverines are moving on.
No. 1 Michigan Hockey took care of business in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, defeating Bentley 5-1 in the Albany Regional Semifinals.
The Falcons came out strong, trying not to show fear against these top-seeded Wolverines, but it was only a matter of time before the dam broke.
Michigan started the scoring halfway through the first period when junior forward Jayden Perron did well to keep a puck in the offensive zone with his stretched-out glove. He then hit
senior forward T.J. Hughes in the slot, and he did the rest by ripping a glove-side-low wrist-shot for the opening tally.
Bentley continued to play a strong brand, generating several chances and limiting Michigan’s. But a crucial blunder gave the Wolverines a much-needed insurance goal. As the clock wound down, junior defenseman Ben Robertson moved into the zone and fired a seemingly harmless wrister. However, the Falcons could not make the save, and suddenly, it was 2-0 going into the first intermission.
Unlike the first, Michigan completely tilted the ice in the second period, as it finally looked like the team that had impressed throughout the campaign. Nearly nine minutes in, the Wolverines struck again on the power play. After several mad scrambles, junior forward Nick Moldenhauer fired a one-timer from the left circle to make it 3-0.
Two minutes after Moldenhauer’s goal, the Wolverines padded their advantage. Hughes found the puck below the goal line and slapped a backhander into the crease. Fortuitously, it bounced off freshman forward Kason Muscutt and into the back of the net.
The third period was mostly academic, particularly after junior forward Garrett Schifsky made it 5-0, as Michigan seemed to want to avoid any more injuries and head to the Elite Eight unscathed.
Bentley would beat freshman goaltender Jack Ivankovic with less than 30 seconds left in regulation, though it was a mere blemish on an otherwise commanding effort from head coach Brandon Naurato’s squad.
Next up for the Wolverines is either Penn State or Minnesota-Duluth, with a trip to the Frozen Four in Las Vegas on the line. Hopefully, Hage is healthy enough to go for that pivotal showdown. That game will be played at a to be determined time on Sunday.
STATS:
Goals: Hughes (1), Robertson (1), Moldenhauer (1), Muscutt (1), Schifsky (1)
Assists: Perron (2), Hughes (2), Schifsky (1), Duke (1), Hady (1)
Saves: Ivankovic (24)
