Michigan
6-7-6
Michigan State
6-10-2
Wolverines Battle Back to Tie Spartans in Consolation Game of 54th GLI
12/31/2018 3:35:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Nick Pastujov's goal ties him with Josh Norris for a team-high 10 markers on the season.
» Michigan outshot MSU, 47-26, and has outshot its opponent in the last six games and 14 of 19 this season.
» Michigan played to its fifth straight overtime game and seventh in the last nine games.
Site: Detroit, Mich. (Little Caesars Arena)
Event: Great Lakes Invitational (Third-Place Game)
Score: Michigan 2, Michigan State 2 (OT)
Records: U-M (6-7-6), MSU (6-10-2)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Jan. 5 -- at Notre Dame (South Bend, Ind.), 3:30Â p.m.
DETROIT, Mich. -- The University of Michigan ice hockey team skated to a 2-2 tie with Michigan State in the consolation game of the 54th annual Great Lakes Invitational Monday afternoon (Dec. 31) at Little Caesars Arena.
The intensity picked up early in the contest between the two rivals when multiple penalties were assessed after a post-whistle scrum in front of the Michigan net. The Wolverines came out on the short end of the penalties, and MSU capitalized on the man advantage when Sam Saliba carried the puck down into the right corner and found Wojciech Stachowiak skating in from just inside the left faceoff circle for an open net. The goal gave the Spartans a 1-0 lead at the 14:45 mark of the opening period.
The Maize and Blue was able to even the game when sophomore forward Jack Becker skated behind the Spartan netminder and tried to sneak one past him inside the low post. The MSU goaltender was able to recover and make the initial save, but the rebound bounced out in front of the crease where redshirt sophomore forward Luke Morgan was able to bury it home for his third goal of the season.
Back-to-back penalties on the Wolverines resulted in Michigan State gaining a five-on-three advantage late in the opening period. The Spartans capitalized when Cody Milan received a pass just in front of the net and sailed a backhand pass across the crease that Patrick Khodorenko tapped into the open net, gaining a 2-1 lead with 30 seconds remaining in the opening stanza.
Michigan was forced to play a man down for a total of six minutes throughout the second period after being called for three different penalties. The Wolverines' penalty kill came up big as they killed off all three penalties and kept the Spartans within striking distance as the score remained 2-1 with four minutes left in the second period.
"I thought our penalty kill did a great job at a crucial time for us," said head coach Mel Pearson. "It starts with our goalie and penalty killers so that to me in essence was the game. They had a chance to bury us in the second period, and our guys rose to the occasion and gave us a chance to win."
U-M got its chance on the power play when Michigan State was called for a five-minute major with 3:39 left in the period. The Spartans were called for another penalty shortly after, resulting in a five-on-three advantage that the Maize and Blue would carry over into the third period.
As time of the first penalty expired, Michigan still had a man advantage for 1:22. With time winding down on the power play, senior defenseman Joseph Cecconi ripped a shot from the point that ricocheted off the Spartan goaltender and in front of the crease to Becker, who gathered the rebound and set up junior forward Nick Pastujov for the game-tying goal just a minute and 15 seconds into the final period. This goal marked Pastujov's 10th of the season, tying him with sophomore forward Josh Norris for most on the team.
The in-state rivals continued back-and-forth play for the remainder of the third period, eventually sending the game into a five-minute overtime of five-on-five play. The overtime game marks the Wolverines' fifth straight OT game and their seventh in the last nine games played. After the five minutes of overtime play, the teams were still deadlocked, resulting in the tie.
Michigan's sixth tie matches a single-season record for most ties in a season with the 1989-90 and 1998-99 teams.
Michigan outshot the Spartans, 47-26, which is the 14th time in 19 games that U-M has outshot its opponent, including outshooting its opponents in the five straight overtime games and in seven of its last nine games.
"We had plenty of chances right by the net, so if we bear down on those chances it will give us more of an opportunity to win," said Pastujov. "Moving forward we need to score more and take advantage of our opportunities."
The Wolverines will travel to South Bend, Indiana, for their next game as they face off against the Irish of Notre Dame in an outdoor game at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday (Jan. 5). Puck drop is scheduled for 3:30Â p.m., and the game will be televised on NBC Sports Network.
