It wasn’t until last weekend when Michigan’s men’s ice hockey team dropped its first game of the year during a series split with the defending national champion Western Michigan Broncos. This weekend, the schedule didn’t get much lighter, as the Wolverines headed out on the road to take on Notre Dame for games on Friday and Saturday in South Bend.
Looking to get the sour taste out of its mouth from last weekend, it was Michigan striking first in Friday night’s game. Shortly into the game, Notre Dame’s
Caeden Carslile drew a game misconduct for a hit from behind. Michigan was able to take advantage of its power play chance, as Will Horcoff scored to make it 1-0. Notre Dame would hold Michigan down for the remainder of the first, but the second period brought an offensive surge for the Wolverines.
Just over a minute into the second period, Michigan got on the board again, this time with Horcoff scoring his second goal of the game to make it 2-0. Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen would add a power play goal of his own just a few minutes later to give Michigan a commanding 3-0 lead. Aidan Park tacked on a goal of his own to make it 4-0. Notre Dame would battle back with two goals to end the period to go into the break down 4-2, but the Irish would need more than a little luck to complete the comeback.
Six minutes into the third, T.J. Hughes scored another power play goal to put the Wolverines up 5-2. Notre Dame’s Danny Nelson added a goal in the game’s closing minutes to make it 5-3, and Michigan started the weekend with a convincing win.
Looking for the sweep, Michigan went back to work on Saturday night, but didn’t get off to as hot of a start. This time, it was Danny Nelson kicking off the action with a goal for Notre Dame about 13 minutes into the game. The teams would play it close through the rest of the first period, and through the second. The Irish entered the third with just a 1-0 lead, but Michigan was soon about to get to work.
Three minutes into the period, Michigan would get on the scoreboard courtesy of a goal from Nick Moldenhauer, knotting the game at 1-1. Despite 17 shots on goal in the period, Michigan wouldn’t be able to get through Notre Dame goaltender Nicholas Kempf again and the game headed to overtime in a 1-1 tie. In the extra stanza, it was Will Horcoff coming through yet again with his third goal of the weekend to get Michigan the win and a sweep for the weekend.
With the two wins this weekend, Michigan moved to 9-1 on the season and 2-0 start in Big Ten play. Next weekend, Michigan will get the chance to pad both of those records when it welcomes Wisconsin to Yost for two games on Friday and Saturday night.
