Michigan
7-0-0
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Western Michigan
4-1-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Mich. | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Michigan | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
10/23/2026 11:05:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» NCAA scoring leader Jayden Perron extended his point (13 games) and goal (nine games) streaks.
» Will Horcoff scored with 0.1 seconds left in regulation to keep the Wolverines undefeated.
» Drew Schock notched two assists; he has points in every game this season.
» The Wolverines have started 7-0 in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Capping off a night that featured strong parallels to exceptional past performances across University of Michigan ice hockey history, Will Horcoff channeled his best Carl Hagelin impression to score with 0.1 seconds remaining and defeat fifth-ranked Western Michigan 3-2 on Friday (Oct. 23) inside Yost Ice Arena.
Sophomore defenseman Drew Schock finished with a pair of assists to be the lone Wolverine with multiple points on the same evening that his father was honored as part of the 1996 national championship team.
Michigan (7-0-0) fans were treated to fast-paced action against top-five, non-conference competition for the second week in a row as the Wolverines were fresh off a two-game road sweep of the defending champions in Denver.
Each team had one power-play opportunity in the first period, but neither cashed in despite lengthy stretches of possession. The game was scoreless after 20 minutes, but Michigan owned a 12-8 advantage in shots on goal as well as a 13-8 lead at the faceoff dot.
Western Michigan (4-1-0) started its second run on the power play at 5:28 of the second period, but two minutes of high-event hockey failed to yield a goal as Michigan's penalty kill improved to 2-for-2. Just under 10 seconds after the game returned to 5-on-5 action, WMU netted the first goal of the night by driving hard to the net and knocking a rebound across the goal line at 8:36.
U-M returned to a man advantage at 13:41 in search of an equalizer. Once again, the attacking unit threatened to score with consistent pressure but failed to push one over the line.
A defiant rush into traffic by freshman Nic Sima resulted in a penalty call on the visitors at 17:37, but a Wolverine was sent to the box nearly a minute later to kill the chance and even things up.
Through two periods of play, WMU had built a 1-0 lead while evening up the shot counter at 18 apiece. U-M continued to lead in faceoffs (21-17) while searching for its first marker.
Although he did not find the score sheet, freshman center Jack Nesbitt set the tone for the Wolverines on the opening shift of the final frame by finishing his check at the end wall.
Forty-five seconds into the period, Jayden Perron made his presence known by scoring a highlight-reel backhand goal that he deposited in and out of the top shelf to make it a 1-1 game.
Schock notched the lone assist on Perron's 10th tally to continue his hot start to the season. The sophomore extended his active point streak to seven games on the same night his dad, Harold, was honored as part of Michigan's 1996 national championship team.
The tally marked Perron's 10th in just seven games, a new modern-era program record for the quickest to double digits. It also marked the ninth straight game with a goal in addition to recording at least one point for the 13th time in a row.
With the arena abuzz, Dakoda Rhéaume-Mullen doubled the excitement with a goal of his own 1:05 into the period. Assists went to Nick Moldenhauer and Malcolm Spence on Rhéaume-Mullen's goal that came just 20 seconds after Perron had first gotten the Wolverines on the scoreboard.
Western Michigan evened it up at 2-2 at the 8:45 mark with a shorthanded tally after a puck was misplayed in the neutral zone to set up a breakaway for the Broncos.
As time wore on and the remaining minutes turned to seconds, overtime looked inevitable. Horcoff had other ideas, as he entered the zone above the right circle and followed the puck with his eyes. When an initial attempt by Cole McKinney went off the back of an opposing skater, Horcoff plucked the puck onto his blade and unleashed a rocket of a shot that found twine with 0.1 seconds left to send Yost into a frenzy with U-M ahead 3-2.
Western Michigan challenged the goal for offside, but the call was upheld following video review. Schock earned the secondary assist, and the teams returned to the ice for a final faceoff with just 0.1 seconds remaining in regulation.
The Broncos finished the evening with a narrow 29-28 edge in shots on goal, but U-M put forth a collectively relentless effort to score three third-period goals and clinch the comeback win. It marked the first time that U-M won a game in the final minute of regulation since Garrett Schifsky did it on the road at Michigan State on Feb. 7, 2025.
The two teams will meet again in January for an outdoor game at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Mich.
Michigan will now open Big Ten play next weekend when it travels to Columbus to face Ohio State on Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 31-Nov. 1). Saturday's series opener is set for 6 p.m. and will stream on B1G+, while Sunday's finale will begin at 7:30 p.m. and air live on Big Ten Network.
