The Michigan Wolverines men’s ice hockey team is back in the Frozen Four. Despite missing the tournament last season, head coach Brandon Naurato has been here three separate times.
The Wolverines most recently faced Denver in the Frozen Four in 2022. You may remember that game, as Michigan lost 3-2 in overtime. It was a heartbreaker, especially given the fact Michigan had a whopping 12 first-round draft picks on the roster.
Now that we’ve put the painful past in the rearview, here’s why this year’s
Frozen Four rematch will be different this time around.
Michigan is the No. 1 overall seed
Seeding isn’t everything when you get on the ice and it’s hard for talent to always meet the moment in single-elimination hockey. That said, this team knows what it can accomplish. The Wolverines may not have won the regular season Big Ten title, but they looked the part in the Big Ten Tournament. In the postseason, they’ve come out strong early and haven’t let up. This team is playing like it knows it’s the best. That confidence will help going up against a talented Denver team.
T.J. Hughes is on a mission
T.J. Hughes has been at Michigan for some time. The four-year veteran is a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award and Big Ten Player of the Year. He’s had 56 points this season, registering 21 goals and 35 assists. He’s out of eligibility after this season and has been to the Frozen Four two times already. His talent and leadership and passion for the University of Michigan could be what it takes to get this team a win in the Frozen Four and on to their ultimate goal of winning a national championship.
Michigan’s depth is different than it was in 2022
Michigan had a VERY talented roster in 2022, which made that loss to Denver a major disappointment. This year’s team may lack first-round draft picks, but it makes up for that with depth. Every line has the potential to net a goal for the Wolverines. If one player isn’t having a great night, another one can step up.
They Wolverines have 178 goals this season, averaging 4.56 per game. They’ve got Hughes and Michael Hage, who can get some offense going for this team. Then you’ve got Will Horcoff and Jayden Perron, who have been able to consistently make plays and get the puck in the net. Michigan had talent across the board in 2022, but this season it seems like every single line works together in a way we just didn’t see in the past.
Postseason Garrett Schifsky
Garrett Schifsky was on the all-tournament squad for a reason. He’s been excellent in the postseason. It’s not just the NCAA Tournament, where he picked up a fantastic short-handed goal. He’s been riding a hot streak since the Big Ten Tournament and it feels like that’s going to continue into the Frozen Four. He has four goals and four assists in postseason play. Having a guy like Schifsky who can take it on his own when necessary and also get the assist will continue to help this squad play together.
Goaltender Jack Ivankovic is different
On the surface, Jack Ivankovic’s stat line looks pretty similar to Michigan’s 2022 goalie, Erik Portillo — Portillo averaged 2.14 goals against, while Ivankovic is at 2.13. When it comes to save percentage, Portillo was at .926 and Ivankovic is at .923.
Ivankovic missed about a month of playing time because of an injury, but he can be the difference for the Wolverines this season. While he’s young, he’s playing like a veteran and while he’s struggled against a few of Michigan’s tougher opponents, he’s going to be a major factor in helping Michigan move on.
Puck drop for Michigan vs Denver in the Frozen Four is scheduled for Thursday, April 9 at 8:30 p.m. ET. The game can be viewed on ESPN2.
