Michigan
6-6-4, 2-3-4-2B1G
Minnesota
4-6-4, 2-2-3-0B1G
Wolverines Tie Gophers, Pick Up Extra B1G Point on Norris' Double-OT Goal
12/7/2018 11:22:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Josh Norris scored in double overtime with 12 seconds remaining to secure the extra B1G point.
» Quinn Hughes' assist extended his point streak to 10 games.
» Strauss Mann made 24 saves in his eighth start of the season.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena)
Score: #15 Michigan 2, Minnesota 2 (2OT, W)
Records: U-M (6-6-4, 2-3-4-2 B1G), Minn (4-6-4, 2-2-3-0 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Dec. 8 -- vs. Minnesota (Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena), 8 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 15-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team tied the Minnesota Gophers, 2-2, on Friday night (Dec. 7) on Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena in the opening game of a Big Ten weekend series. The Wolverines picked up the extra point in the conference standings when sophomore forward Josh Norris scored with 12 seconds remaining in the second overtime.
"We've been in the situation before, which is good for the next time we get it," said Michigan head coach Mel Pearson. "We've learned to manage the puck in 3-on-3, which is also good for us."
Michigan got on the board early into the first period. Norris skated into the offensive zone and dropped off the puck behind him to linemate junior forward Will Lockwood, who ripped a shot from outside the right circle that beat the Gophers goaltender to give the Wolverines a 1-0 lead 6:55 into the opening period. Lockwood's goal marked his fifth of the season, while sophomore defenseman Quinn Hughes was also credited with an assist, which extended his point streak to 10 games.
"We get a lot of shots and for the most part outshoot every team we've played," said Lockwood. "We need to bear down at the net and take advantages of those opportunities. We also need to find ourselves around the net more to get those rebound opportunities."
Minutes later, Michigan was called for interference, which put the Wolverine penalty kill to work. The PK was successful, and  maintained Michigan's one-goal lead midway through the first period. The Wolverines and Gophers kept each other without a goal for the remainder of the period as the Maize and Blue took their lead into the first intermission.
Minnesota evened the game at 1 when it fired on a shot on Michigan goalie Strauss Mann that caused a rebound and scramble around the net that was eventually poked in by Sammy Walker at 11:46 of the second period. The Gophers later skated into the Wolverine zone three-on-two and fired a shot on net that was redirected into the corner. Minnesota was able to collect the rebound and sail a cross-ice pass to Rem Pitlick, who gave the Gophers a 2-1 lead at the 13:27 mark of the second period.
The Wolverines would respond late in the period when sophomore forward Michael Pastujov stopped Minnesota from clearing the puck out of its defensive zone and found redshirt-sophomore forward Luke Morgan in the slot for his second goal of the season to tie the game at 2 with 2:54 remaining until the second intermission.
U-M got its first chance on the power play when Minnesota was called for hooking seconds into the final period, but the Wolverines were unable to break the tie despite multiple chances.
Late in the third period, junior forward Jake Slaker tried to beat the Gophers netminder glove-side, but the shot just missed going in and instead rang off of the post, keeping the game tied at 2 with minutes remaining.
After 60 minutes, the Wolverines and Gophers remained deadlocked and the game went into overtime, Michigan's fourth straight home game to go into overtime, and fifth in their last six games overall.
Freshman Mann made a sweeping save midway through the first overtime to keep the Wolverines alive. Penalties by both teams late in the extra period would have U-M and Minnesota playing four-on-four for the last minute and a half of overtime.
The extra five minutes of five-on-five hockey did not produce a winner, so the game finished tied at 2. The teams then played three-on-three to decide which team would pick up the extra conference point.
Because the penalty time carried over into the second overtime, the teams played four-on-four until Norris fired a shot at the Gopher goalie, who came up with the save and froze the puck. The teams then played the final 1:54 of overtime in the double-overtime three-on-three format.
Slaker had a good look on net late in the second overtime, but his shot ricocheted off the goaltenders mask to keep the game tied at 2 . With time winding down, the game appeared to be headed for a shootout until Hughes used the boards to get a pass around a Gopher defenseman to Norris streaking down the right side for a breakaway.
Norris skated in from the right circle and beat the Minnesota goaltender five-hole for the double overtime winner, to give the Wolverines the extra B1G point.
"Quinn (Hughes) made a good play and banked it off the wall," said Norris. "I've been practicing that move on our goalies so, I'm glad it worked out."
The Wolverines will return to Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena on Saturday (Dec. 8) to take on the Gophers in game two of their weekend series. Puck drop scheduled for 8 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.
