Michigan
7-8-6
Merrimack
6-15-1
Michigan Falls to Merrimack in Non-Conference Tilt at Yost
1/8/2019 10:48:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Jake Slaker scored his eighth goal of the season.
» Adam Winborg recorded his third goal of the season.
» Michigan will head back to conference play this weekend (Jan. 11-12) when it travels to Ohio State.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena)
Score: Merrimack 4, Michigan 2
Records: U-M (7-8-6), Merrimack (6-15-1)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Jan. 11 -- at #4 Ohio State (Columbus, Ohio), 7 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan ice hockey team fell to Merrimack College, 4-2, Tuesday night (Jan. 8) in non-conference play at Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena.
Merrimack broke open the scoring in the first period when it gathered a puck that was dumped in and around the boards by the Wolverines. The Warriors skated the puck up the boards and after two passes through the neutral zone, Patrick Kramer was on a breakaway and gained speed past the Michigan defense. Skating down the slot, Kramer deked to his left and to put the puck into the net to give Merrimack a 1-0 lead at the 2:39 mark of the opening period.
The Wolverines looked to even the game when they went on the power play midway through the first period. A minute into the man-advantage, U-M was called for a penalty, which brought to an end the power play. After killing off the Warriors' man-advantage for 1:20, the two teams would skate evenly the remainder of the period to send Michigan into the locker room down, 1-0, after 20 minutes of play.
The Maize and Blue evened the score at 1 when junior defenseman Luke Martin sailed a pass ahead to classmate Jake Slaker from the neutral zone into the attacking zone. Slaker was able to gather the puck and fire a quick wrist shot from top of the left faceoff circle that beat Drew Vogler top shelf over his glove side for his eighth goal of the season.
The Warriors started the final period on a man-advantage and capitalized 17 seconds into it when they dumped a puck into the Wolverine zone that caromed around the boards, causing a battle against the glass just outside of the left faceoff circle. The puck bounced out of the scrum and into the slot where Derek Petti was all alone. Petti deked and went backhand to beat freshman goaltender Strauss Mann five-hole to give Merrimack a 2-1 lead early in the final period.
Merrimack extended its lead minutes later as the Warriors won a faceoff in the left circle, giving Chase Gresock an open lane to skate into the faceoff circle and fire a shot that would beat Mann in the top corner over his glove. The goal gave the Warriors a 3-1 lead with 14:50 left in the third period.
The Maize and Blue responded when Martin sailed a point-to-point pass to freshman defenseman Jack Summers, who would get a shot on net from along the boards on the left side. As Summers' shot was heading on net, junior forward Adam Winborg got his stick on the puck and redirected it into the net over the crouched Merrimack. The goal was Winborg's third of the season and brought U-M within one goal, 3-2, with 12:20 left in the final period.
Michigan had an opportunity late in the game to even the score as the Wolverines went on the power play once again. After multiple shots on net, the power play did not result in a goal and U-M continued to trail with 3:37 left in regulation.
As time wound down, the Wolverines attempted to pull Mann for the extra attacker, but just as he reached the bench, Merrimack gathered the puck in their defensive zone and tossed a shot down ice that would slide into the net, sealing its victory.
Michigan outshot Merrimack, 38-28, to mark its eighth consecutive game  the Wolverines have outshot their opponent, dating back to Nov. 30 at Michigan State. After the Warriors scored at the 5:10 mark, Merrimack did not record a shot until two minutes remained in the final period.
"We have to mentally turn it around and get ready for a good Ohio State team, who has had all week to prepare for us," said head coach Mel Pearson.
The Wolverines will return to Big Ten action this weekend when they travel to Columbus, Ohio, to take on No. 4-ranked Ohio State in a weekend series. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday (Jan. 11) at Value City Arena.
