Michigan
Ohio State
Michigan Ties No. 13 OSU, Drops Shootout to Earn Four B1G Points on Weekend
10/21/2023 10:26:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» T.J. Hughes had a goal and an assist, while Dylan Duke notched two assists.
» Michigan's power-play unit notched a pair of goals on three total opportunities.
» Rutger McGroarty's career-long point streak was snapped after 13 games, while Seamus Casey extended his to 11.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Impressive goaltending performances at each end of the ice marked play on Saturday evening (Oct. 21) inside Yost Ice Arena as the seventh-ranked University of Michigan men's ice hockey team tied No. 13 Ohio State 2-2 before falling in the shootout to take four of six points in the first conference series of the year.
Goaltender Jake Barczewski made his 100th career start, his fifth as a Wolverine, and recorded a litany of excellent stops while shouldering the loss. The fifth-year netminder racked up 35 saves on 37 shots that he faced in 65 minutes of work.
Michigan dominated overtime, winning seven of eight faceoffs and putting six shots on goal to OSU's one. Neither side could find the all-important third tally and the game ended in a 2-2 draw after 65 minutes of play.
U-M fell 2-1 in the five rounds of the shootout with Seamus Casey netting the Wolverines' marker.
Mark Estapa drove the blue paint in pursuit of a loose puck after the initial shot had dropped between the goaltender's pads. A crowd of Buckeyes showed their disapproval, and Estapa was sent off for two minutes for the play to give OSU its first power play of the night at 11:07.
Early on in the penalty kill, Barczewski laid out to make a pair of tremendous saves while sprawling out to prevent an Ohio State flurry from forcing the puck across the line. Despite losing his stick, and with the aid of Jacob Truscott's shot-blocking ability, Barczewski was able to help U-M clear the zone.
Still playing with an extra skater, OSU scored first with a second-chance effort from the top of the paint at 13:02 to capitalize on the power play right before it expired. The visitors' tally marked the first time this season that the Wolverines failed to open the scoring.
After 20 minutes, Ohio State held a 1-0 lead and a 15-12 edge in shots on goal, while U-M had dominated in the faceoff dot, winning 16 of 22 draws (72.7 percent). The difference had been OSU's conversion on the power play, while Michigan had started the night 0-for-1 with the extra skater.
Ohio State appeared to double its lead at 10:17 when a forward broke through the center of the ice for an abbreviated breakaway chance that he tucked past Barczewski's glove. Michigan immediately challenged the play, and the linesmen quickly determined that the play had been offside.
Tempers flared after the buzzer sounded to end the second period; Josh Eernisse and Garrett Schifsky picked up minor penalties for the Wolverines while just one Buckeye earned a matching infraction. OSU started the third period on an advantage for two minutes.
The Wolverines began the final frame by killing off the Ohio State power play. Several minutes later, at 3:59, U-M received its second power play when Moldenhauer was dragged down.
Gavin Brindley buried a power-play goal off a one-timer from the bottom of the left circle to tie the game at 5:07. A tic-tac-toe-plus-one passing play saw the Wolverines bounce the puck around the zone from blade to blade with precision. T.J. Hughes and Dylan Duke assisted on Brindley's team-leading fourth marker of the year.
With the arena abuzz, OSU took another penalty to reactivate the U-M power-play unit at 5:44. For the second time in as many tries, Michigan capitalized by potting a power-play goal to take a 2-1 lead at 7:14.
The play started from the back end after the Wolverines set up in the offensive zone. Casey put a calculated shot on goal that the goalie failed to corral. Duke was there on the left side of the paint to pop the puck over to Hughes on the right side of the crease, and the sophomore centerman flipped the puck into the back of the net to seize the lead and move the home team's power-play unit to 2-for-3.
Ohio State tied the game with 4:59 left when a shot from the left half-wall was redirected from the top of the crease and tucked inside the far post to make it 2-2.
After 60 minutes of play, the game was still tied at two goals apiece and the game went into sudden-death overtime. Michigan had carved out a narrow 38-36 edge in shots on goal as well as a vast 45-20 (69.2 percent) gulf in the faceoff dot. Heading into the extra frame, U-M's power play had gone 2-for-3 while the Buckeyes went 1-for-2.
Next week, Michigan returns to its non-conference slate by hosting Lindenwood for a pair of games Friday and Saturday (Oct. 27-28). Both games will start at 7 p.m., and the contests will be streamed live on B1G+.
