1 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Tuesday, December 3, 2013 - 5 '.Pd Late goal nearly dooms Wolverines Ni PAUL SHERMAN/Daily Senior defenseman Mac Bennett scored the game-winning goal with less than two minutes remaining after Michigan surrendered a three-goal lead in the third period. Bennett rescues M' after blown three-goal lead against Buckeyes By ALEJANDRO ZUNIGA Daily SportsEditor COLUMBUS - If there was a guide detailing exactly how to lose a hockey game on the road, Michigan followed the script to perfection Monday night at Value City Arena. The third-ranked Wolver- ines (2-0 Big Ten, 10-2-1 overall) committed an early infraction, presenting Ohio State with a prime opportunity to take the lead. They turned the puck over several times in the defensive zone, which forced sophomore netminder Steve Racine - who hadn't played in more than two weeks - into making deft pad saves. Through the first 14 min- utes of the game, Michigan had only one shot to the Buckeyes' nine. But with just under six min- utes remaining in the first peri- od, forward Boo Nieves fought for the puck behind the Ohio State (0-2,8-6) goal and won. The sophomore dropped a pass into the slot to junior forward Zach Hyman, who one-timed a shot into the net. The crowd grew silent, and the cheers from the Wolver- ines' bench echoed throughout the cavernous building. It was Hyman's first goal of the season, and the game turned with it, as Michigan eventually won, 5-4. "It was good for our team," said Michigan coach Red Beren- son. "Their goalie hadn't seen any action at all. You're lucky you might have caught him cold. After that, it was a different game." When the first period ended, Ohio State held a 12-4 advantage in shots, but Michigan led where it counted most - on the score- board -1-0. The Wolverines looked to put the game out of reach in the second period. Freshman cen- ter JT Compher scored twice on rebounds, showing off his foot- work on the first tally by pass- ing the puck across the crease to himself with his skate. Three minutes into the final frame, freshman defenseman Michael Downing's pinpoint shot from the blue line found twine for a three-goal lead. But that's when Michigan fell apart again, making its first peri- od look exemplary in compari- son. The Wolverines surrendered three goals in four minutes, and Ohio State pulled even. Racine entered the game boasting a .931 save percentage, but the defense in front of him was porous in the final minutes, leading to three goals. The Buck- eyes fired 18 shots in the third period - more than Michigan managed in the first two frames combined. "We were on our heels," Berenson said. "I'mnot sure ifwe deserved to win the game." The Wolverines did triumph thanks to senior defenseman Mac Bennett, whose gamble paid off when he pinched and scored on a simple tap-in. But the game- winning goal, the series sweep and the perfect start to Big Ten play did little to alleviate the team's frustration. "The performance in that third period, me personally, I'm very upset about it," Bennett said. "And I'm sure there's a lot of guys in the locker room that aren't very happy, either." Added Compher: "We talked about burying teams at the end. When we have the knife to their throat, putting them away. We didn't do that tonight." Michigan's tepid start and late collapse let Ohio State dig itself out of a shallow grave, and it very nearly cost the Wolverines. But they twice stopped momentum when it was skewed heavily in the Buckeyes' favor to escape. "The best team doesn't always win," Berenson said. "We got lucky they didn't score that win- ning goal. It's as simple as that." So for tonight at least, it was better to be lucky than good. A St og go Col third that s tent ci tender Racin his down fished Sud fans insuri fromu gan h new li settlei ines fi a newf Un the lei defens a perf seman the gi after unansN period Mic overal for th held o did on game with Ohio "That last period is embarrass- hy ing," said a dejected and sullen e s a Bennett. "We have to be better, ne, but this one and when we're up on teams like that, we have to put the dagger in )es to Michigan them." Added Michigan coach Red Berenson: "When you have a 4-1 By GREG GARNO lead, you've got to play better Daily Sports Writer than that." -- ---~- This was Michigan's first Mon- LUMBUS - It was after the day game since 1982, but it wasn't unanswered goal, the one the first weekend Michigan has eemed to awake a nonexis- struggled to put away teams. rowd that sophomore goal- There was a"7-4 victory over'the r Steve Rochester Institute of Technol- e put MICHIGAN 5 ogy, in which it allowed four head OHIO STATE 4 unanswered goals, and a 2-1 win and over Boston University in which a the puck out of the net. penalty shot was needed to break Idenly the band roared, the the tie. stood and the seemingly Michigan's mountable lead collapsed offense scored inderneath the No. 3 Michi- more than ockey team. Then, as the three goals for "That lay ne took the ice and Racine the fourth con- d back in, a flurry of Wolver- secutive game, 1s embai ung the puck forward with but the offense found sense of urgency. registered just W e haN marked and streaking down four shots in b -ft side of the ice, senior the first period. beti eman Mac Bennett buried Michigan ect pass from junior defen- took just one Mike Chiasson to score shot before it defense)," Bennett said. "We have to play better defensively, and we have to make sure that when we are up on teams, we can put them away." Behind freshman forward JT Compher's two goals in the sec- ond period, the Wolverine offense looked re-energized and poised to leave without being threatened. Compher now has five goals in the past five games after scor- ing his first on Nov. 15 against Nebraska-Omaha. The first goal, by Corphet, came off a rebound from fresh- man defenseman Nolan De Jong's shot near the blue line, nearly one minute after the Buckeyes tied the game early in the second peri- od. His second also came in the middle frame, after he took the puck from st period the faceoff and slipped it past rrassing, Ohio State net- minder Logan ve to be Davis. In what was ter. a period oth- erwise domi- nated by the Buckeyes sta- tistically, the Wolverines couldn't find a rhythm, nor crash the net when they did manage to bring the puck down. But when sophomore forward Boo Nieves crashed the boards, he fed the puck out to junior for- ward Zach Hyman waiting near the right circle to score off the one-timer 14 minutes into the contest. Ohio State tied the game early in the second frame, as the Big Ten's leading scorer, junior Ryan Dzingel, tallied his ninth of the season. Dzingel skated freely to the right circle where he flipped the puck past sophomore goal- tender Steve Racine as a trailing Sinelli brought him down. Racine, who saw action for the first time since he allowed three goals against Nebraska-Omaha on Nov. 16, stopped 39 shots to frustrate the ninth-ranked Buck- eye offense. In limited action, Racine has surrendered three or more goals three times this season. "I thought Racine held us in there," Berenson said. "He made some key saves late in the game, but he didn't get a lot of support tonight." Downing's shot near the point early in the third period looked to have sealed the game for Michi- gan. His goal also was the first from a defenseman this season before Bennett's late in the game. Ohio State's Max McCormick started the late charge with his shot from the slot to beat Racine glove side before David Gust and Tanner Fritz knocked in the sec- ond and third goals just minutes later. The Buckeyes tied it up nearly a minute later, but Bennett's late game heroics and the Wolverines' urgency saved the game from yet another overtime. o-ahead goal, just minutes the Buckeyes scored three wered goals in the third Ito tie the game. higan (2-0 Big Ten, 10-2-1 1) nearly went to overtime e second straight time, but n for a 5-4 win, just like it e game earlier. scored the first goal of the game, as the defense, still missing a trio of injured players - juniors Mike Szuma and Brennan Serville as well as freshman Kevin Lohan - struggled to push the puck forward with junior forward Andrew Sinelli filling in. "We've got to be better (on PAUL SHERMAN/Daily Junior forward Zach Hyman scored his first goal of the season Monday night. No coaching changes in the works, Hoke says By ZACH HELFAND Daily Sports Editor A little before 5 p.m. Satur- day, Al Borges emerged from the Junge Family Champions Center adjoining Michigan Stadium, tot- ing a suitcase on wheels. His NOTEBOOK offense just had likely its best performance of the year in a heartbreaking 42-41 loss to Ohio State. His game plan and play calling had been immaculate. Dressed in a suit, he walked through the parking lot and away from the stadium. Many won- dered if he would return there again, at least as Michigan's offen- sive coordinator. On Monday, Michigan coach Brady Hoke seemed to provide the answer. "I anticipate the staff (return- ing)," Hoke told reporters after an event at Detroit's Ford Field, according to multiple reports. Asked to clarify if that meant no coaching changes, Hoke said that is "correct." Under Borges this season, Michigan's offense sputtered often, especially on the ground. The running game was second to last in the Big Ten. It rushed for negative yardage in back-to-back games. A young offensive line sur- rendered sacks by the dozen that left redshirt junior quarterback Devin Gardner hobbled at the end of games. That led to specula- tion that Hoke or Athletic Direc- tor Dave Brandon could make a change. Last week, after rumors ques- tioning Hoke's job security caused star recruit Jabrill Peppers to re- open his recruitment, Brandon issued a statement of support for Hoke. He also mentioned defen- sive coordinator Greg Mattison by name. Borges, though, was absent. "The transformation and improvement of our defense under the leadership of coach Greg Mattison has been outstanding," Brandon wrote. "Our coaches have worked hard to blend and develop schemes that bridge the gap between what was previously done and what they ultimately hope to run on both sides of the ball." Hoke will evaluate his person- nel and staff at some point before Michigan's bowl game or in the offseason. Brandon has said he will do the same. But when asked whether the coaching staff decision was a "we'll-see situation," Hoke replied, "No." BIG TEN AWARDS: Turns out, the Big Ten voters had just as much trouble figuring out wheth- er sophomore Devin Funchess is a tight end or wide receiver as opposing defenses did. Funchess won the Kwalick- Clark Tight End of the Year award and was named an All-Big Ten selection by the media. The coach- es, though, put him on the second team, behind Iowa's C.J. Fiedoro- wicz. Funchess had 47 receptions for 727 yards and six touchdowns. Fiedorowicz had 26 receptions for 253 yards and six touchdowns. It is likely he suffered from the confu- sion over his position. Funchess was one of several Wolverines to earn postseason honors. Fifth-year senior tackle Taylor Lewan also won an indi- vidual award, the Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year. He was a consensus All-Big Ten selec- tion. Fifth-year senior Jeremy Gal- Ion was named to the second-team All-Big Ten by both the coaches and media, behind Wisconsin's Jared Abbrederis and Penn State's Allen Robinson. Redshirt junior quarterback Devin Gardner and fifth-year senior kicker Brendan Gibbons were honorable mention All-Big Ten by the media. On defense, redshirt sopho- more Blake Countess was an All- Big Ten selection by the media and a second-team All-Big Ten selec- tion by the coaches. Junior defensive end Frank Clark was named to the second- team All-Big Ten by the coaches. Clark, senior defensive tackle Jibreel Black and junior corner- back Raymon Taylor received an honorable mention by the media. NOTES: After the event at Ford Field, Hoke said Gardner will return next year. ... The Big Ten conference won't suspend Ohio State starting right guard Mar- cus Hall, the conference said in a statement. Hall, and an additional player from each team, was ejected from the game against Michigan on Saturday. As he left the field, he threw his helmet, kicked a bench Michigan coach Brady Hoke said he expects to keep his coaching staff intact. and held up middle fingers to the nate the incident did not escalate crowd. "The officials and coaching any further. More can, and should, staffs from both institutions did a be done by both coaching staffs in good job of containing the situa- the future to prevent similar inci- tion once it started," the statement dents from detracting from this said. "Asbad as it was, we're fortu- rivalry." a e