Michigan
10-6-1, 2-5-0
Wisconsin
7-8-0, 1-6-0
Michigan Tallies First Two Goals Before Falling at Wisconsin
12/2/2022 11:15:00 PM | Ice Hockey
MADISON, Wisc. -- The University of Michigan ice hockey team jumped out to a two-goal lead in the first period before surrendering six of the next seven goals to the home team as the fifth-ranked Wolverines fell 6-3 to Wisconsin on Friday evening (Dec. 2) at the Kohl Center.
Junior Erik Portillo got the start in net and shouldered the loss after making 22 saves on 27 shots that he faced between the pipes. One of those goals allowed came on the power play.
Each side spent the first 10 minutes searching for an ice-breaking tally in hopes of seizing early momentum. Michigan (10-6-1, 2-5 Big Ten) claimed the honor at 10:58 of the first period to continue the success that the Wolverines have had in first periods this season. Rutger McGroarty opened the scoring with a well-placed one-timer from the slot off of a perfect setup feed from T.J. Hughes below the goal line. Gavin Brindley received the second assist on McGroarty's sixth of the year.
Next, it was standout blueliner Luke Hughes who slammed home a one-time blast from the right wing in transition off a beautiful feed from McGroarty to put Michigan up 2-0 with 5:59 to go. McGroarty earned his second point of the period with the primary assist while T.J. Hughes picked up the secondary helper, also his second point of the game.
Wisconsin (7-8-0, 1-6 Big Ten) answered back with 4:37 to play in the stanza when a forward skated in and uncorked a quick shot that beat Portillo to make the score 2-1.
Twenty seconds later, Johnny Druskinis was given a five-minute major for contact to the head to hand Wisconsin an all-you-can-score power play to close out the period.
Just 34 seconds later, the Badgers tied the game at 2 when they cashed in from the slot. The Wolverines prevented any further offense from UW before the period concluded.
UW took its first lead of the game at 3-2 nearly four minutes into the middle period off of a long shot from the point that worked its way through traffic.
The third power play for Michigan came with 9:06 to go in the second period. Portillo came up with a critical glove save when Wisconsin dashed down the ice for a shorthanded breakaway, but the referee's whistle stopped play once again for a minor penalty on Dylan Duke to even things up at four skaters aside.
Back at even-strength, Wisconsin extended its lead to 4-2 with 5:37 left in the second period off another long-range shot.
Penalty woes continued for the Maize and Blue as it was assessed a bench minor for too many men on the ice 1:44 into the final frame to give Wisconsin its sixth power play.
Twenty-one seconds after matching minors were called, Adam Fantilli scored his 11th goal of the season to make it 4-3 at 5:04 of the third period. Luke Hughes got the primary assist while Seamus Casey notched the secondary helper.
The Badgers regained a two-goal lead when the team's leading scorer, Cruz Lucius, redirected a shot from the slot to make it 5-3 with 8:42 left to play.
Possessing the puck in Wisconsin's zone, Michigan drew a penalty to reactivate the team's talented power-play unit with 6:54 remaining. For the fourth time in as many tries, the U-M power play failed to capitalize before the game returned to even-strength.
Late in the game, with Michigan's net empty and the Wolverines in search of a fourth goal, Mark Estapa won a faceoff cleanly and sent it back between the pair of rearguards. The puck trickled all the way down the open ice and into the empty net to give UW a 6-3 lead.
That is where the score settled as Wisconsin knocked off Michigan to earn its first conference win in seven tries. UW ended the evening with a 28-26 advantage in shots on goal, but Michigan did end the contest with a 34-23 edge in faceoffs. U-M's power play ended the night 0-for-4 while the Badgers finished up at 1-for-6.
Saturday evening (Dec. 3), the teams will meet once again to close out the two-game set. Puck drop is set for 4 p.m. CST, and the game will be streamed on B1G+ and Bally Sports+.
