Michigan
12-7-1
U.S. NTDP U-18 Team (ex)
0-0-0
Michigan Outlasts USNTDP U18 Team in Exhibition Win
1/6/2023 10:36:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Mackie Samoskevich scored twice and added two assists for a four-point game.
» Seamus Casey scored two goals and notched an assist for a three-point game at forward.
» Michigan outshot the NTDP 42-37 with Samoskevich posting a game-high eight shots on goal.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Mackie Samoskevich and Seamus Casey each scored twice to lead the seventh-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team to a thrilling 7-6 exhibition win over the United States National Team Development Program's U-18 Team on Friday night (Jan. 6) at Yost Ice Arena.
Playing just nine skaters at forward, including Casey who excelled out of position as the team's top-line center, Michigan found a way to knock off a talented and pesky group of Americans who had entered the contest with an 11-4 record against NCAA competition. The U-18 team's resume includes wins over Boston University, Notre Dame, and Michigan State.
Erik Portillo started in net for the Wolverines and played the first half of the game before giving way to classmate Noah West, who closed out the evening.
The USNDTP squad took an early lead by finishing off a loose puck in a netfront scramble at 2:13.
Each side produced quality chances as the game opened up. Michigan was penalized for tripping at 4:15, but the team's penalty-kill unit came through to dismiss the USNTDP's opportunity.
Hard work along the boards created an offensive-zone possession for U-M. Jackson Hallum curled in toward the slot from the right wing before taking a long shot from the point that was redirected from the netfront area into the back of the net by Casey. Samoskevich earned the secondary assist on the tally at 15:07.
After one period, the USNTDP held a 2-1 lead off a 17-14 advantage in shots on goal.
At 6:36 of the second period, the game's second penalty was called on Michigan to give the U.S. a power play. Five seconds later, off the faceoff, a power-play goal gave the U18s a two-goal lead.
The Wolverines struck back just 15 seconds later when Samoskevich scored after a stellar shift by the makeshift top line. Casey worked the puck below the goal line in the offensive zone to keep possession alive before popping a pass out to the slot, where Samoskevich was waiting to chip it home and make it a 3-2 game with 13:04 left in the second period. Hallum received the secondary helper, his second assist of the game.
Following the halfway point, goaltender Noah West entered the blue paint to take the place of Portillo, who exited as planned after making 18 saves on the 21 shots that he faced.
Michigan embarked on its first power play of the game with 2:47 left in the second period but failed to convert with the man-advantage before returning to ful strength.
After 40 minutes, the USNTDP held a 3-2 lead and a 26-24 edge in shots on goal.
Just over six minutes into the final frame, Casey took matters into his own hands by peeling a puck off the half-wall where Samoskevich was tied up. The blue liner, moonlighting as a forward, unveiled an impressive toe drag to wheel around the last defender at the bottom of the right circle and walked in on the USNTDP net unadulterated. With the puck on his backhand, Casey sent a firm shot to complete his highlight-reel play and tie the game at 3 with 13:58 left in regulation.
Michigan leapt out to its first lead of the evening when Nolan Moyle deflected a point shot from the slot to score yet another goal from an offensive-zone possession. Ethan Edwards took the shot to earn the primary assist while USNTDP alum Jacob Truscott collected the secondary.
The Maize and Blue scoring parade continued shortly thereafter when Kienan Draper got in on the action with a goal to put Michigan up 5-3 with 6:57 left to play. Eric Ciccolini picked up the lone assist on Draper's marker.
The USNTDP scored with 4:54 remaining to make it a 5-4 game.
U-M regained its two-goal lead 42 seconds later when Samoskevich scored to make it 6-4. Edwards and Truscott earned assists on Samoskevich's second tally of the contest.
With an extra attacker on the ice, the U.S. scored with 2:43 left to cut the deficit back to one.
Ciccolini appeared to close out the game when he scored an unassisted empty-net goal with 1:25 left that made it 7-5 in favor of the Wolverines, but the USNTDP did not give up.
The U18s buried once again with the extra attacker to make it 7-6 with 52 seconds remaining.
In the closing seconds, the USNTDP had a 3-on-0 chance at the Michigan net, but West -- who finished with 10 saves -- was there to make a pair of crucial saves to preserve the victory for U-M.
Next week, the Wolverines resume regular-season and conference play with a two-game series versus Ohio State on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 13-14. Puck drop for the first contest is set for 6:30 p.m. while the Saturday matchup will begin at 4:30 p.m.
