Kornacki: Hats Fly as Calderone Scores Three Goals against Spartans

By Steve Kornacki

• Watch: Highlights vs. Michigan State | Postgame Report

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan ice hockey forward Tony Calderone buried the shot this time, and the maize Santa hats with the blue Block M's came flying over the Plexiglas, courtesy of "The Children of Yost" student section.

It was a hat trick for the Wolverine captain, the first of the senior's collegiate career, and it had Yost Ice Arena buzzing and Michigan on its way to a 4-0 win Thursday night (Dec. 7) over Michigan State.

Calderone circled the ice while the hats, more than three dozen, were swept together and taken off the ice in a couple of piles, a game referee earning an assist in the effort. Linemate Dexter Dancs put an arm around Calderone as they headed toward the bench.

It was a moment to savor for the "DMC Line" (Dancs, Cooper Marody and Calderone), the top line for Michigan that also features the top goal-scorer in Calderone, who now has 13 in 15 games.

"It was awesome," said Calderone. "To be able to get that third one really felt awesome. My linemates made it easy today. Dexter made a great play on two of them, and Cooper made a great pass on my second one. So, they made it real easy, and they're the reason it happened."

Calderone had three previous two-goal games this season, and also had a two-goal game against the Spartans in last season's Great Lakes Invitational that included a game-winner in overtime.

But there was no stopping Calderone from the hat trick this time.

"I'm really happy for him and proud of him and the senior class and the way they performed tonight," Wolverines coach Mel Pearson said.

Calderone exhibited patience on his first goal.

He was alone to the right of goalie John Lethemon and was leaning right, but quickly went to his left to deposit a backhander behind the goaltender to the stick side.

"The goal I really liked is where he gets it all alone," said Pearson, "and it's hard when you don't have any speed or momentum. You're just standing there, and the goalie's standing there with you. But he made a couple moves and made it look easy. That backhander was a huge goal."

"Cooper tried to make a play to Dex and it was a broken play," Calderone said. "Dexter was able to poke-check it, and get me more than enough time to sit there and dust the puck off. So, I honestly just kind of blacked out and didn't really know what happened. I went to my backhand and it went in."

He used great timing with Marody on the second goal.

"It was bouncing a little bit," said Calderone, "but when a guy can get a puck to you like that, you've got to get it on net. And if you do it quick, the goalie doesn't slide over. So, it was rolling a little bit, but you can't expect Coop to put that flat. I mean, that was a tough play and he made it. So, it was pretty impressive by him."

Calderone, who nearly scored his third goal shortly before he actually did, used persistence to again beat Lethemon for the third time to his stick side for the hat trick.

So, he used patience, timing and persistence to score three goals.

Michigan's "DMC" line -- Dexter Dancs (No. 90; 2 assists), Cooper Marody (No. 20; 3 assists) and Tony Calderone (No. 17; 3 goals) -- had a big night against rival Michigan State on Thursday night.

"He scores in a bunch of different ways," said Pearson.

Calderone grew up just south of Detroit in Trenton, and his mother, father, sister and her boyfriend were in attendance for the big game.

He has scored 42 goals for Michigan and improved every season. The goal total grew from three as a freshman to 11 and then 15. He's two away from his junior total with three months remaining to play.

Where has he made the greatest strides this season?

"Just his skating," said Pearson. "I didn't realize how good of a skater he was, and he's got deceptive speed, and has really worked hard at that. That's obviously helping him have the year he's having. And he's playing much, much better defensively.

"The third thing is just his leadership. He's a great leader. He's not the rah-rah guy, but he's just one of those guys everyone likes and gravitates to. He does the right thing away from the rink and in the class, and obviously at the rink. He commands a lot of respect. He makes everybody feel very welcome. He's easy to be around.

"He works hard at his craft. He's one of those guys who stays out after practice and works at it. We need some younger players to take notice of that, and there's a reason he has success. It maybe doesn't just come naturally. He's got some natural skill, but he works at it. He had a good year last year, but he's having a great year so far this year."

Calderone, Dancs and first-line defenseman Sam Piazza, an assistant captain, were seniors who went out in style on the ice in the rivalry game at Yost.

"I told our seniors after the game that this is their last regular-season game in Yost against Michigan State," said Pearson. "So, what a way to end your career against Michigan State in Yost Ice Arena.

"A great performance by Tony. …"

That hats came flying and everyone was all smiles. Calderone was asked if it was special coming against Michigan State, which hosts the Wolverines on Friday night (Dec. 8) in East Lansing.

"That makes it special," said Calderone. "It's the color we love to hate. It's something to do that against them, and it feels real good."

Scoring Against Your Dad's Team

Michigan freshman center Josh Norris broke the game's scoreless tie midway through the second period by redirecting Joseph Cecconi's slap shot into the net. It was a big goal that gave the Wolverines momentum that never shifted as Hayden Lavigne stopped 21 shots for his first shutout of the season.

It also was significant because Norris' father, Dwayne, played hockey for MSU, where his mother, Traci, also attended.

"Yeah, definitely a little bit emotional (tonight)," said Norris. "I probably shouldn't say this online, but my dad texted me today and said, 'Go Blue.' So, I think that got me a little bit fired up, and I'm glad we got the win.

"I think you saw my celebration. I couldn't even stay on my feet."

"I'm happy for Josh. There's a lot of pressure on him being a first-round draft pick (by the San Jose Sharks in June)," Pearson said, "With the World Junior trials coming up, a lot of pressure on him. And, with both his parents going to Michigan State and coming to Michigan. I thought he had his best game of the year. … It's just fitting that a player like Josh with parents going to State to score the winning goal against them. That's awesome."