Back-to-back: Michigan hockey beats Minnesota again for Big Ten Title
Michigan hockey traveled to Minnesota for a second straight year with a Big Ten championship on the line. For the second consecutive year, the Wolverines stunned the Golden Gophers on their home ice, this one a 4-3 victory.
U-M gains the automatic NCAA Tournament berth and will likely earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Minnesota carried the play early and scored first on a goal from Brody Lamb at 13:08. They outshot the Wolverines 7-6 in the first period and took the 1-0 lead into the break.
Michigan, though, picked it up in the second. Rutger McGroarty scored twice on the same shift to give U-M a 2-1 lead, the Wolverines carrying the play for much of the period and taking advantage.
One thing the Wolverines couldn’t afford to do, though, was give the Golden Gophers opportunities … and that’s what they did to allow Minnesota to tie it. Logan Cooley took advantage of a turnover and beat Erik Portillo to tie it at 2, and that’s how it stood after two.
Michigan carried the play in the period, outshooting the host Gophers 14-9. The Wolverines would continue to take the action to the regular season champs in the third, but Minnesota scored first to take a 3-2 lead. Rhett Pitlick beat Portillo 1:57 on the Golden Gophers’ first shot of the period, and U-M would have to come from behind again.
And they did. Seamus Casey tied it on a shot from the point at 14:30, set up by Gavin Brindley. It was his third goal of the Big Ten Tournament, and it was a huge one.
Minutes later, Michigan got the lead back when Dylan Duke scored from his knees on a backhand rebound.
Duke picked up a T.J. Hughes shot and put it in while being pulled down. Michigan was dominating play at that point despite being owned on face-offs, 10-1 in the third period.
Minnesota picked it up late in the period and had some opportunities, put Portillo was up to the task. The Golden Gophers pulled goalie Justen Close at 1:30 and applied some pressure, but to no avail. The Wolverines held on for their second straight Big Ten title and third overall since the league was formed.
McGroarty was the No. 1 star for the Wolverines, while Brindley (with three assists) was star No. 2.
“It’s never easy … this is a tough place to play,” interim coach Brandon Naurato said. “These kid are a very resilient group — been through a lot. I’m really proud of them.”
They never wavered after giving up the early goal in the third, he told the Big Ten Network.
“It’s just been the mentality all year … next shift mentality. They just kept fighting. It was great.
“Ports [Portillo] is outstanding. He’s the backbone of our team back in the net there. We always have a chance to win when he’s playing.”
Freshman forward Adam Fantilli was the tournament’s most outstanding player.
