Michigan
7-6-2 (3-4-2-1)
Michigan State
7-9-1 (1-7-1-1)
Calderone's Hat Trick Paces Wolverines in Shutout of MSU
12/7/2017 10:54:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Tony Calderone registered his first career hat trick.
» Hayden Lavigne's 21 stops led Michigan to its first shutout win of the season.
» Cooper Marody recorded three assists -- his ninth multi-point point game of the year.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena)
Score: Michigan 4, Michigan State 0
Records: U-M (7-6-2, 3-4-2-1 B1G), MSU (7-9-1, 1-7-1-1 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Dec. 8 -- at Michigan State (East Lansing, Mich.), 7:05 p.m.
•Kornacki: Hats Fly as Calderone Scores Three Goals Against Spartans
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan ice hockey team defeated the Michigan State Spartans, 4-0, on Thursday night (Dec. 7) at Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena. Senior captain Tony Calderone recorded his first career hat trick in the victory.
The Spartans earned the game's first scoring chance just 1:15 into the first when Michigan State's Logan Lambdin got in behind the Wolverines defense, but Michigan sophomore goaltender Hayden Lavigne made a strong right-pad save. Just a couple minutes later, Wolverine freshman Quinn Hughes was called for a tripping penalty, and on the ensuing power play, the Spartans had three chances from close range, but each was turned aside by Lavigne to keep the contest scoreless.
The Wolverines had a power-play opportunity of their own in the first period, when freshman Josh Norris was tripped at the 7:44 mark. Michigan nearly scored with the man advantage off of a scramble in front of Michigan State goaltender John Lethemon, but senior Sam Piazza's rebound attempt went just high.
The second period started slowly, but picked up when Michigan was called for back-to-back penalties in a 13-second span at 5:24 and 5:37. Michigan State had multiple scoring opportunities as they managed to set up their power-play offense within 20 feet of the Michigan net.
Tremendous penalty killing efforts from U-M helped kill off the first minute, and then 1:11 into the 5-on-3 penalty kill, Michigan State forward Patrick Khodorenko was called for slashing in front of the net, easing the pressure on the Michigan goal. The Wolverines killed off the remaining 36 seconds from the first penalty, and then ended up on a power play of their own.
Just as the Michigan power play was beginning, junior defenseman Joseph Cecconi skated into the offensive zone to stop the puck from sliding out and launched a slap shot at the traffic in front of the net. Norris elevated his stick to tip the hard shot out of the air, redirecting it into the top right corner of the net, and giving the Wolverines a 1-0 advantage. The goal was Norris' fourth of the season.
Just a few minutes later, after killing off another Spartans power play, the Wolverines struck again -- this time off a loose-puck turnover by Michigan State. Senior forward Dexter Dancs made a tremendous diving effort to tip the puck over to Calderone, who was alone with Lethemon. Calderone made a quick forehand-backhand deke which fooled Lethemon and left him with half of the goal to shoot at. Calderone buried the backhander, doubling Michigan's lead to 2-0.
Lavigne stayed strong for the Wolverines in the third period, denying a breakaway chance for Spartans forward Brennan Sanford less than eight minutes into the frame and then robbing Khodorenko with a reactionary stop with his right pad off a shot from just five feet away 30 seconds later.
Michigan's top line, nicknamed the "DMC" line, put the game out of reach, with senior forward Cooper Marody setting up Calderone for a tap-in goal at the 10:14 mark. The tally was Calderone's second of the night. Marody registered his team-leading 18th assist of the season, also good for second among all Big Ten skaters.
Calderone completed the hat trick at the 16:32 mark of the third period. The goal was Calderone's 13th of the season, good for the outright lead in the Big Ten, and tying him for the nation's lead in goal scoring. The hat trick was the first by a Michigan player against Michigan State since Andrew Sinelli scored three goals as part of a 7-1 Wolverines rout on March 7, 2014, at Yost Ice Arena.
Calderone's 13 goals are the most by a Michigan player in the first 15 games of a season since Louie Caporusso pulled off the feat during the 2008-09 campaign.
Lavigne made 21 saves for the Wolverines and earned the team's first shutout of the season. He improved his season record to 3-3-2. The shutout was Michigan's first against Michigan State since Jan. 8, 2011, a game that was also a 4-0 Wolverines win in Ann Arbor.
The series with the Spartans, which dates back to 1925 and is the most-played rivalry in college hockey, now stands at 157-132-21 overall in favor of Michigan. The Wolverines own a 74-44-4 all-time record against the Spartans at home.
The Maize and Blue close out the home-and-home series against Michigan State tomorrow night (Dec. 8) at the Spartans' home rink, Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing, with puck drop scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
WATCH: @CoachPearsonUM comments on tonight's 4-0 win.#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/XAJ3Oa74gf
— Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) December 8, 2017
WATCH: @T_Calderone, @lavigne_41 and @joshnorris10 talk to media following tonight's win.#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/W3op65QoH6
— Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) December 8, 2017
