Michigan
12-12-3, 7-8-2-1
Wisconsin
10-16-1, 5-13-1-1
Granowicz Nets Hat Trick as Michigan Scores Eight on Wisconsin
2/7/2020 10:51:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Michigan doubled up Wisconsin, 8-4, on Friday night (Feb. 7) at Yost Ice Arena.
» Nick Granowicz recorded Michigan's first hat trick since March 2, 2018.
» Michigan's eight goals are the most the Wolverines have scored in a game since Jan. 17, 2016.
» Eleven different Wolverines collected points.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Yost Ice Arena)
Score: Michigan 8, Wisconsin 4
Records: U-M (12-12-3, 7-8-2 B1G), Wisconsin (10-16-1, 5-13-1 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 8 -- vs. Wisconsin (Yost Ice Arena), 7:30 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Freshman Nick Granowicz scored his first career hat trick and 11 Wolverines collected points as the University of Michigan ice hockey team skated past Wisconsin, 8-4, on Friday (Feb. 7) at Yost Ice Arena.
The hat trick by Granowicz was Michigan's first since March 2, 2018, when Tony Calderone had one against Wisconsin. Granowicz doubled his goal output, matching the three goals he had on the season entering the game.
Senior Jake Slaker recorded his first career four-point game and the first for the Wolverines since Nov. 16, 2018, when Will Lockwood had four at Penn State.
In the first period, Michigan (12-12-3, 7-8-2 B1G) jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal from Slaker, who put the puck behind Wisconsin netminder Daniel Lebedeff just six seconds into the man-advantage. Cam York and Nick Blankenburg were awarded assists on the goal that came at the 12:11 mark of the opening period.
While it was the only goal tallied in the first period, the Wolverines and the Badgers scored a combined seven goals in an action-filled second stanza.
The Badgers struck first early on in the second period to knot the game at one apiece. While the Wolverines had numbers defensively, a sneaky Wisconsin skater finagled his way to the front of the net and was able to get enough off the ensuing pass to chip it over the shoulder of Strauss Mann.Â
Granowicz got the Maize and Blue going in the goal scoring fiasco on a nifty wrap-around goal to put the Wolverines up, 2-1, with 15:40 remaining in the game. Jimmy Lambert and Slaker picked up assists.
Keeping its foot on the pedal, Michigan built off the momentum created from Granowicz's goal and netted another one 36 seconds later to extend its lead to 3-1. Jacob Hayhurst scored his fourth of the season while Lockwood and York received the assists.
Granowicz added his second of the night, while Lambert jumped in on the second period scoring fun. However, the Badgers stayed in the game as they tallied three goals to sit just two back of the Wolverines, 5-3, at the second intermission.
Although Wisconsin (10-16-1, 5-13-1 B1G) was first to jump on the board in the third period, the goals did not cease for Michigan as it found the back of the net three more times.
Granowicz capped off his night with his third goal with Slaker's fourth point as the crowd stood to throw their hats on Red Berenson Rink as Michigan took a 6-4 edge at the 12:40 mark of the third period.
Four minutes later, Nick Pastujov gave Michigan its seventh goal of the night while Jack Becker scored the eighth before at 17:51 and the game concluded in a Wolverine victory. Freshman Eric Ciccolini assisted on the final two goals.
Both teams finished the game with 41 shots each, and Michigan finished 2-for-3 on the power play. Mann stopped 37 of the 41 shots he faced and also recorded his 700th save of the season.
Michigan will return to action Saturday (Feb. 8) to cap off its weekend series against Wisconsin at Yost Ice Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., and the game will be streamed live on BTN Plus.
