Michigan Hockey’s postseason run has been stellar to this point, as the Wolverines blitzed past Notre Dame, Penn State and Ohio State, respectively in the Big Ten Tournament to win the conference title for the first time since 2023. After which, the top-seeded Wolverines began their NCAA Tournament run on Friday night by making light work of Bentley, winning by a 5-1 final score and picking up their 30th win of the season in the process even without Michael Hage.
Now, the Wolverines are just one win
away from advancing to the Frozen Four for the first time since losing to Boston College in the semifinals back in 2024. The only thing that stands in their way is a date with the Bulldogs of Minnesota Duluth on Sunday night in Albany, New York.
The Bulldogs have had a solid season in their own right, entering the matchup with a 24-14-1 record, but aren’t nearly as hot as the Wolverines, having lost in the NCHC Championship to Denver. Furthermore, they posted just a 4-8 record against NCAA Tournament teams entering this weekend. Although, they did just defeat a tough Penn State squad to advance to the quarterfinal
On paper, this looks to be a clear advantage for a No. 1-seeded Michigan squad that’s hot at just the right time, but a win is never guaranteed. Here are three things Michigan will have to do in its matchup on Sunday night to punch its ticket to the Frozen Four.
Don’t Lose the Special Teams Battle
Michigan has been the best team in the country all season at putting the puck in the back of the net, scoring 4.57 goals per game. Understandably, the power play has been able to convert on its opportunities at the highest rate in the country thanks to the Wolverines’ offensive firepower.
Minnesota Duluth hasn’t been as prolific offensively, but has made the most of its opportunities on the power play, scoring at the second-highest rate in the country to keep the Bulldogs in their games. That could be the great equalizer in this game, as the Wolverines have gone to the box 5.3 times per game this season as opposed to the Bulldogs, going just 3.54 times per game. If Michigan is going to stick to its season trend and be on the penalty kill more in this game, it’s going to need to prevent Minnesota Duluth’s strong power play unit from taking advantage.
Furthermore, Minnesota Duluth is killing penalties at an 89.4 percent rate this season, a very strong mark that will be tough to crack, but maybe not for the high-flying Michigan attack. Regardless, Michigan will have its best chance to win the game by either keeping the game at even strength or winning the special teams battle outright.
Limit Minnesota Duluth’s Top Line
Minnesota Duluth’s offense isn’t bad, but it’s not anywhere near the class of Michigan’s. The Bulldogs do boast a pair of great offensive forwards that can make the game interesting and give Michigan problems if they’re allowed to take control. That would be the Plante brothers, Max and Zam.
The brothers lead the Bulldogs in points this season with Max, a future Detroit Red Wing, leading the way with 51, with Zam close behind at 47. They played a big role in the win over Penn State in the quarterfinal, as Max recorded one goal and one assist while Zam had an assist of his own. The good news for Michigan is that slowing down those two can do plenty thanks to the Bulldogs’ lack of depth.
Slowing down arguably the most prolific top line in the sport is surely going to be a tall task, but even if it devotes much of its defensive energy toward the Plantes, Michigan has the extra firepower on the back end to get the job done.
No Let-Downs for Jack Ivankovic
This one might seem kind of obvious, but if Michigan hopes to advance, it needs to get yet another strong performance from Jack Ivankovic. The freshman has been spectacular this season and is a big reason for the Wolverines’ success, posting an impressive .924 save percentage.
Still, he is a freshman and you never know how someone young will respond to being on the big stage, and each successive game will be the biggest of his career to this point. He did a great job against Bentley in the opening round of the tournament, blocking 24-of-25 shots on goal, but this will be a whole new ballgame for him against the Bulldogs.
Michigan has done a good job of keeping Ivankovic clean all year, but he’ll need to hold strong as the last line of defense, especially if the aforementioned Plante brothers and the Minnesota Duluth power play are getting their opportunities. If he plays close to his season numbers and Michigan’s offense provides even a bit of support, all should be fine for the Wolverines and they’ll be on their way to the Frozen Four.
