It was a pair of 4-2 results in Ann Arbor, as No. 2 Michigan Hockey hosted Minnesota in its regular season finale series.
The Wolverines (26-7-1, 17-6-1 Big Ten) came in with a slim, one-point advantage over No. 1 Michigan State atop the conference standings, battling for that vaunted top seed and lone bye in the tournament.
However, a Thursday night letdown inflicted that cause, even with the rebound effort on Friday’s Senior Night.
Game 1
An early power play tally by freshman forward Adam Valentini gave
Michigan a 1-0 advantage before the Golden Gophers (11-20-2, 7-14-1 Big Ten) rattled off the next three goals to give themselves a commanding lead early in the third period.
Senior forward T.J. Hughes would get one near the midway point of the frame, but that was all the Wolverines could generate, and Minnesota’s empty-netter with almost 90 seconds left put it out of reach.
Game 2
The second contest was a different story, as Hughes, playing in his final regular-season game at Yost Ice Arena, got the party started when he redirected senior defenseman Tyler Duke’s point shot for the first score.
Michigan had its forecheck going, defensive structure in place, and freshman goaltender Jack Ivankovic was sharp. But early in the second, the Gophers responded. Suddenly, this series, which felt like a tune-up before the postseason was in jeopardy of going down a disastrous path.
Freshman forward Malcolm Spence retook the lead later in the second when he broke out of the defensive zone, sophomore forward Michael Hage split the defense with his mini-stretch pass and Spence did the rest, winning his breakaway battle with a glove-side-low snipe.
Yet, the Wolverines could not stay out of their own way, as a breakout turnover went the other way. Minnesota, with numbers, buried a rebound past Ivankovic to make it 2-2.
The power play (0-of-5) was a real problem on Friday and nearly cost Michigan the game. That mark should not be a major concern moving forward, as this is still an elite unit and, despite the Gophers’ subpar season, they are still Minnesota Hockey and extremely well-coached.
On the bright side, the Wolverines got the eventual game-winner from freshman defenseman Asher Barnett with six-and-a-half minutes to play. Michigan had done well below the goal line, and an overly-pinched Gophers’ defense allowed Barnett to find space backside, creep down the left circle and rip a wrist shot.
For all the troubles Michigan had on the power play, its penalty kill was spectacular, negating all five of Minnesota’s power plays. The most important of which came just nine seconds after Barnett’s goal as senior forward Kienan Draper inexplicably cross-checked a Gopher in the face and earned a game misconduct.
During that five-minute kill, Ivankovic was terrific, despite losing his paddle for what felt like an eternity. His defensemen did not allow many grade-A chances, and freshman forward Cole McKinney’s empty net goal, in a similar fashion to Thursday night, sealed the victory.
Now, the Wolverines have an exhibition game against Simon Fraser, a British Columbia university whose program competes at the NCAA Division II level, which should be an interesting test before postseason play.
Elsewhere, as if Michigan fans needed any more incentive to root against the Spartans, the combined schedule of Ohio State and Minnesota will need to hold them under four points over the next four games.
That feels unlikely, and should chalk reign, the Wolverines will have a date with Notre Dame in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals.
