Michigan
0-1-0
Vermont
1-0-0
Michigan Falls Short in Season Opener Against Vermont
10/7/2018 12:16:00 AM | Ice Hockey
» Will Lockwood scored the first Michigan goal of the 2018-19 season.
» Nick Pastujov netted his first of the season off Jake Slaker's rebound in the first period.
» Michigan will host an exhibition against Waterloo for the fourth matchup between the programs on Sunday (Oct. 7) at 4 p.m.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena)
Score: Vermont 5, #4 Michigan 2
Records: U-M (0-1-0), Vermont (1-0-0)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Oct. 7 -- vs. Waterloo (Ann Arbor, Mich.), 4 p.m. (exhibition)
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 4-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team fell short in its season opener against Vermont by a score of 5-2 on Saturday night (Oct. 6) at Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena.
Vermont jumped out to an early lead when Alex Esposito scored on the power play 1:31 into the contest after an early hooking penalty by the Wolverines. The Catamounts continued their first-period pressure and doubled their lead just two-and-a-half minutes later at the 3:59 mark when Esposito scored his second of the evening to give Vermont a 2-0 lead.
The Wolverines were awarded their first power-play opportunity thanks to a Vermont tripping penalty at the 8:13 mark. The Maize and Blue capitalized a minute into the man-advantage, when sophomore Josh Norris sent a pass to junior Will Lockwood, who was able two split a pair of defensemen. Lockwood buried a shot into the top-left corner of the net at the 9:20 mark to cut Michigan's deficit to one and provide its first goal of the season.
The Wolverines increased the pressure and changed the momentum of the game, drawing a second Catamount penalty just nine seconds after lighting the lamp. Once again, Michigan took advantage of the power play to knot the score at 2. Sophomore Nick Pastujov scored his first goal of the season at the 10:18 mark off a rebound that found his stick after a Jake Slaker shot that Vermont goalie Stefanos Lekkas was unable to corral.
Late in the first period, Vermont regained the lead at the 15:36 mark when a deflected off a Michigan shin pad was stuffed into the net by Matt O'Donnell to make the score 3-2.
The Wolverines entered the locker room leading in shots, 16-13, and faceoff wins, 14-10.
The Maize and Blue pushed the pace in the second half of the second period but could not seem to find the back of the net. Their Wolverines' best opportunity of the period came on a pass from Norris to Lockwood, who cut in front of the net past a defenseman, but was poached by Lekkas and ringed it off left post.
Michigan was called for a pair of penalties two penalties in the second stanza, but Wolverine netminder Hayden Lavigne kept the puck out of the net with six saves. The Maize and Blue ended the second period with 11 shots on net for a total of 27, compared to Vermont's 19.
The Wolverines came out with a high-energy approach, drawing a Vermont penalty just 1:08 into the third period. The power play led to a great scoring opportunity for Pastujov who received a cross-ice pass, but was denied on the doorstep by Lekkas.
Michigan continued to increase the pressure on Vermont and played the majority of the final period in the Catamount defensive end, recording 23 shots. Though Michigan kept control of the puck, the Maize and Blue could not get the puck past Lekkas, who stopped 48 shots on the night.
Vermont, however, was able to take advantage of the few offensive opportunities it had. The visitors slid the puck by Lavigne with 2:21 left in the regulation to increase their lead to 4-2. The Catamounts sealed the victory with an empty-net goal with 28 seconds remaining. The Catamounts recorded 23 shots in the game, while Michigan took 50.
Michigan will return to the ice Sunday (Oct. 7) at 4 p.m. when it hosts Waterloo in an exhibition contest at Yost Ice Arena. The matchup will be the fourth meeting between the schools, and the third exhibition. The teams last met in 2013, with Waterloo coming away with a 2-1 win. The only regular-season meeting between the Wolverines and Warriors was in 1996, an 8-2 Michigan victory. Overall, the Wolverines are 3-1-0 in the all-time series with Waterloo, with a 2-1-0 record in exhibition play.
After the game, Michigan will host its annual "Skate with the Wolverines," during which fans are welcome to skate with the team and get autographs from their favorite players. Skate rentals are available, or fans can bring their own skates and leave them behind the skate counter.
