Postgame Notes: Michigan 4, Michigan State 1
3/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
March 21, 2015
Recap | Quotes | Photo Gallery 
• With tonight's win the Wolverines finished the regular-season series with a 4-2 record against Michigan State, including a 2-1 record in three games at Joe Louis Arena. Michigan earned a 2-1 win over Michigan State in the GLI Championship Game on Dec. 29 and fell, 2-1, in the 'Duel in the D' game at JLA on Jan. 30. The six meetings are the most that the two teams have met in one season since 2009-10 (6). The Wolverines own a 30-19-5 record in 54 games against Michigan State at Joe Louis Arena.
• Michigan and Michigan State have met 17 times in postseason play, with Michigan winning seven of the last nine postseason meetings. Before tonight, U-M last met MSU in a postseason game at Joe Louis Arena on March 16, 2007, when Michigan earned a 5-2 win over the Spartans in a CCHA Semifinal.
• Michael Downing's goal gives Michigan defensemen 24 goals in 36 games this season. In 2013-14, Michigan defensemen scored eight goals in 35 games. Downing has 22 points (6G, 16A) this season, nearly doubling his point total from a season ago. Zach Werenski leads all Big Ten defensemen with nine goals on the season and is No. 2 among Big Ten blue liners in overall scoring (9G, 16A) with Downing right behind. Kevin Lohan (2G, 8A) and Cutler Martin (6G, 9A) have also made significant contributions.
• After recording four goals in his first 26 games, JT Compher (G) now has eight goals in his last seven games, with 24 points (12G, 12A) overall this season. Compher's goal gives him a new single-season career high.
• Cristoval 'Boo' Nieves (G, A) recorded his sixth multiple-point game tonight and snapped a 10-game goal-scoring drought. Nieves leads all active Wolverines in career goals (7) and points (20) against Michigan State.
• Alex Kile (G, A) snapped a 14-game goal scoring drought and notched his seventh multiple-point game of the season. Kile has 25 points (12G, 13A) this season after notching six points in his freshman campaign.
• Tyler Motte (2A) notched his sixth multiple-point game of the season and is tied for third on the team with 31 points (9G, 22A) on the season.
• With 26 saves in net against Michigan State, Steve Racine improved to 7-1-0 postseason all-time and has allowed two goals or less in six of his eight postseason starts.
• The Wolverines had a season-high 24 shots in the first period. Their previous high was 21 in the first period of a 10-6 victory over Ohio State on Feb. 16, 2015, and 21 in the second period of an 8-1 win over Penn State on Nov. 22, 2014. Michigan recorded a season-high 49 shots on goal. Its previous high was 46 in a 6-3 win against AIC on Nov. 15, 2014.
• Luke Dwyer made his second appearance in goal this season after relieving Steve Racine with nine seconds remaining in the third period. The only other game Dwyer has played in was on Nov. 29, 2015; a 6-0 victory over RPI.
