4B — February 2, 2015
SportsMonday
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Michigan drops rivalry matchup
to Spartans at Joe Louis Arena
By ERIN LENNON
Daily Sports Editor
DETROIT
—
It
started
with Andrew Copp flipping a
Michigan State defender into the
Spartans’ bench.
It ended with the junior
forward
and several
other
Michigan
players
throwing
fists
at
Spartans, having suffered their
first defeat since Dec. 13.
The
much-anticipated
matchup between the Spartans
and No. 13 Michigan at Joe Louis
Arena — a tradition dating back to
1991 — was typical of the rivalry,
with the game decided in the
third period.
And in typical rivalry fashion,
Michigan State (4-2-2 Big Ten,
10-11-2 overall) managed to all
but shut down the nation’s No. 1
offense, forcing the Wolverines
(7-2-0, 15-8-0) into a battle of
goaltenders in front of more than
20,000 fans.
“It’s
pretty
obvious
what
happens,” said Michigan coach
Red Berenson. “Everyone builds
this game up as an offense
against a defense, and you know
what happens. Defense wins.
“It’s pretty clear to us that the
puck isn’t going to go in every
night, and we’ve got to play
tougher if we’re going to win
close games.”
Though sophomore goaltender
Zach Nagelvoort stopped 25
shots in his second straight start,
it was Michigan State goaltender
Jake Hildebrand who stood on
his head, handing Michigan a 2-1
loss.
Hildebrand even stonewalled
Zach Hyman, denying the senior
forward on several backhanded
wraparound moves, snapping his
seven-game goal-scoring streak.
Following a scoreless second
period, Michigan State found
twine first in the third period.
From there, the Spartans
exposed
the
Wolverines’
transition
defense,
adding
several more scoring chances.
Meanwhile, with less than four
minutes remaining in regulation,
the
penalty
kill
stymied
a
Michigan power play that has
led the nation since Nov. 29 by
converting 42.9 percent of its
chances.
Plagued
by
neutral-zone
turnovers through the majority
of
the
second
period,
the
Wolverines couldn’t manage to
find rhythm despite an equally
shaky Spartans’ forecheck.
Then, with 5:34 left in the
period, Copp poked a puck
through the legs of Hildebrand
for what looked to be the
go-ahead goal, but after a review
the goal was discounted and the
game remained tied.
After
four
consecutive
penalties and two poor power-
play efforts from both sides,
the Wolverines headed into the
second intermission without a
lead for the first time since Jan. 9.
Michigan
surrendered
its
first goal in five periods when
Michigan State forward Villiam
Haag took a breakaway pass
from Joe Cox and flipped it over
Nagelvoort’s right shoulder just
minutes into regulation. From
there, the Wolverines spent most
of the frame in their own zone,
allowing nine shots.
“He’s a good goalie,” said
sophomore forward JT Compher.
“You’ve got to get guys in front
of him, get dirty chances, get
rebounds, and tonight we were
shooting from the outside and
once again trying to be too
pretty.”
Michigan earned the equalizer
on a late period power-play
goal, when Larkin — who hadn’t
played at Joe Louis Arena since
his youth hockey days — snagged
a puck from the air with his left
hand, dropped it and fired top-
shelf. In doing so, the Wolverines
extended their team goal-scoring
streak to 15 straight periods — a
five-game stretch dating back to
an overtime win over Minnesota
on Jan. 9.
The 15th overall pick in the 2014
NHL Draft, Larkin’s appearance
was his first at Joe Louis Arena
as a Detroit Red Wings prospect.
That added pressure, Berenson
said, may have hurt the center
man who struggled along with
his teammates after the first
frame.
“I thought at times he was
really good, and at times he tried
to be too good, trying to do too
much,” Berenson said. “He was
probably overly excited to play
this game.”
Still,
Larkin
and
Hyman
continued
to
distinguish
themselves as Michigan’s top
scorers. They have now tallied
points in eight straight games.
Several
skirmishes
ensued
after the final buzzer sounded,
but they were of little importance.
Michigan State had avenged its
2-1 loss to Michigan in the Great
Lakes Invitational.
“We played more like they’re
playing
now
at
the
GLI,”
Berenson said. “We played with
desperation, tonight they had the
desperation.”
LUNA ANNA ARCHEY/Daily
Dylan Larkin added a goal to his sterling freshman season, but Michigan had its seven-game winning streak snapped.
‘Pretty’ not enough
for Michigan in loss
By ZACH SHAW
Daily Sports Writer
Sometimes,
being
pretty
simply doesn’t cut it.
For the past month, the
Michigan hockey team had
played pretty hockey better than
any team in the country.
Whether it was one-time
goals by any of four superb lines,
wrap-around shots by Hobey
Baker award candidate Zach
Hyman or flawless shots from
beyond the face-off circle, the
Wolverines had been playing
highlight-reel hockey, and it
worked
incredibly
well.
In
its
seven-game
win
streak,
Michigan scored 5.43 goals per
game and looked nearly perfect
doing so.
But that all came to an
abrupt end Friday night when
Michigan State goaltender Jake
Hildebrand stopped 29 of 30
shots and guided the Spartans to
a 2-1 win.
“Michigan State is always
going to play hard against
us,” said sophomore forward
JT Compher. “We’re going to
get everyone else’s best game.
Tonight we got a little too pretty.
We’ve got to get back to playing
hard, playing gritty, getting
to the dirty areas and playing
Michigan hockey and not relying
on our offense as we have the
last couple of weeks.”
Noticeably absent from the
game were pretty goals, and the
Wolverines struggled to produce
much else in the game.
Certainly there were pretty
moments. Be it one of Michigan’s
plethora of forward threading
through
defensemen,
timely
passes in front of the net or even
clutch shots that temporarily
snuck through the defense to
Hildebrand,
the
Wolverines
had plenty of pieces in place to
succeed.
Putting it together against
one of the nation’s hottest
goalies, however, was an entirely
different story.
“We
had
our
chances,
absolutely,” said Michigan coach
Red Berenson. “The face-off
play, where Alex Kile hit the
crossbar, and that was a near
goal. We had isolated chances
that maybe they were going in
last week, but they weren’t going
in tonight.”
Berenson had preached for
weeks that, one day, the puck
luck was going to run out.
Finally, it did. The game was far
from the high-scoring games the
team was used to, full of fights,
scrums, turnovers and missed
opportunities.
The defense was tough, but
it couldn’t compensate for what
Michigan State had prepared on
the defensive front.
Hyman
and
freshman
forward Dylan Larkin, who
each continued their eight-game
point streaks, connected on a
pretty power play goal near the
end of the firs period, but even
the pair, who had risen to among
the nation’s best in recent weeks,
were contained by their own
confidence.
“I thought at times (Larkin)
was really good,” Berenson said.
“And at times he tried to be too
good, trying to do too much. A
lot of guys did.”
The Wolverines will have
another shot against Michigan
State next Saturday in Chicago.
But if one lesson is learned from
Friday’s defeat — Michigan’s
first since Dec. 13 — it’s that a
good hockey team needs more
than just a pretty offense.
“You’ve got to get guys in
front of the goalie,” Compher
said. “Get dirty chances, get
rebounds, and tonight we were
shooting from the outside and
once again trying to be too
pretty. That’s not going to cut
it.”
ICE HOCKEY
Abounader shines in defeat
for Michigan vs. Penn State
By OLIVER HENRY
For the Daily
As Matt McCutcheon’s left
shoulder neared the surface of
the mat, sophomore Domenic
Abounader further intensified
his efforts and resolve. With the
possibility of a pin seemingly
imminent, the crowd at Cliff
Keen Arena rose to its feet and
cheered in excitement. In the
closing moments of the second
period, Abounader dug deep
and pushed McCutcheon just
a few more inches and the
referee’s hand hit the mat.
Abounader rose to his feet in
exaltation as the crowd erupted
with cheers after his match in
the 184-pound weight class.
Such was the scene Friday
night as the No. 14 Michigan
wrestling team (3-3 Big Ten,
5-4 overall) lost to No. 5
Penn State, 19-15. Despite a
disappointing team loss, tenth-
ranked
Abounader
provided
the highlight of the night with
a pin on the Nittany Lions’
McCutcheon, ranked No. 17 in
his weight class.
“It
was
a
huge
impact,
a huge boost and a huge
lift. (Abounader) is a fierce
competitor,”
said
Michigan
associate
head
coach
Sean
Bormet. “He doesn’t want to
lose individually and he does
not want the team to lose. He’s
one of those guys that rises up.”
And
that
is
just
what
Abounader did. With his team
down 16-6 and in desperate
need of a boost, Abounader
stepped up to the mat.
During
the
first
period,
Abounader managed to earn
two points on a takedown to
earn an early advantage. The
wrestlers were even for the rest
of the period as time expired.
McCutcheon elected to begin
the second period in the down
position, which in hindsight
was a fatal decision.
“I actually
wasn’t
even
thinking about
it,” Abounader
said
in
reference
to
the pin. “I just
knew that we
were
really
struggling,
and I wanted
to get some of
the energy going back into the
crowd. I thought the best way
to do that was just to wrestle
as best I could, and I’m pretty
good on top so I just tried to
utilize that and get the pin for
the team.”
As the second period began,
Abounader was able to maintain
his hold on McCutcheon and
prevent him from escaping
early. Abounader then wrestled
him down to the mat, making a
series of adjustments to attempt
the pin.
“It was just straightening
that arm out,” Abounader said.
“If his arm starts bending,
he’s able to (escape). He wasn’t
very flexible. He’s very strong,
but he wasn’t the most flexible
(wrestler), so it was a little
bit easier to keep that arm
from being limber, and once I
straightened it and scooped the
head, it was over.”
And with just eight seconds
left
in
the
second period,
Abounader pinned McCutcheon
to bring the crowd to its feet.
But Abounader’s path to
success has not been an easy
one. Despite early setbacks,
Abounader
has
posted
five
victories out of six opportunities
against
nationally
ranked
opponents in
the Big Ten.
“He started
the
season
a little slow
because
he
had a minor
knee surgery,
so he was a
little behind,”
Bormet
said.
“It took him
a while to get his conditioning
back to where it needed to be,
and get his confidence back
to where it needed to be in his
leg and his knee. Since he’s
gotten to that point, he’s just
been working himself over
and over on positions, working
his conditioning, he’s lifting
weights with more intensity
and he’s doing everything with
more intensity.”
Abounader is not relishing
this victory, though, as he
continues to work toward the
postseason.
“I want to keep the train
rolling, and I know my coaches
will continue to prepare me,”
Abounader said. “This (victory)
doesn’t mean a whole lot. What
matters (most) is in March in
the Big Ten Tournament and
the NCAA Tournament. I need
to peak at the end of the season
and just keep getting better
and better and not halt my
progress.”
Urgency missing for ‘M’
By BRANDON CARNEY
Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan men’s wrestling
team just couldn’t find the right
moves in time.
Redshirt sophomore Conor
Youtsey,
freshman
Alec
Pantaleo
and
fifth-year
senior
Max
Huntley all lost matches by one
point in the Wolverines’ 19-15
defeat to Penn State (5-2 Big
Ten, 9-2 overall). A win in any
one of those matches would have
created a six-point swing that
could have put Michigan (3-3,
5-4) on top.
Youtsey and Huntley came
into Friday’s match in winning
form, as both went undefeated
last weekend against Wisconsin
and Indiana. But when it came
down to a crucial point in the
match, Youtsey and Huntley
couldn’t execute the moves to
find the winning points against
their Nittany Lion opposition.
But if there was a loss
that stung the most for the
Wolverines, it was Pantaleo’s
defeat. The freshman led for
a majority of his match and
only had to stall through the
final period. But in the final 10
seconds, Pantaleo was taken
down, giving Penn State’s Zach
Beitz the two points he needed
for an upset victory.
While
Michigan
expected
several
of
Friday’s
matches
to be close and prepared for
that during the week, the lack
of execution was the match’s
most hurtful takeaway for the
Wolverines.
“We had some really tough
moments, and they got tougher
than we did,” said Michigan
associate
head
coach
Sean
Bormet. “That’s disappointing,
and that can’t happen if you’re
going to win close bouts. We lost
some positions we knew we were
going to be in. We didn’t drive
the nail through the board and
finish.”
Bormet also credited the
Nittany Lions for coming out
more
aggressively
than
the
Wolverines did. The four-time
defending national champions
won their first four duals to take
a 12-0 lead, sucking the energy
out of the sold-out crowd at Cliff
Keen Arena.
“The guy that stays more
aggressive is usually going to
win matches,” Bormet said. “We
want offense, because offense
wins matches in our sport. We’re
constantly hammering our guys
about scoring, building leads
and attacking through the whole
match.”
Michigan has been trying to
implement aggressive strategies
like Penn State’s all season, and
sophomore Brian Murphy was
one of the few Wolverines who
came out assertive within his
bout. But even then, Murphy
thought there was more he could
have done.
“I knew we needed to get a
win to get us going,” Murphy
said. “We didn’t end up pulling
it out. For me, winning in the
tough positions (was huge), but I
could have extended the score of
that match a lot (more).”
In addition to Murphy, three
other Wolverine sophomores
pulled out big wins that nearly
got Michigan the points needed
to win. Domenic Abounader
was able to pin his opponent
and get the Wolverines a huge
six-point victory that cut the
Nittany Lion lead to four. Adam
Coon continued his domination
over Big Ten heavyweights,
winning his match 5-2. Redshirt
sophomore Taylor Massa scored
against his opponent early and
gathered nearly two minutes of
riding time in his 6-3 win.
Despite results that leave
room for optimism, the coaching
staff will reevaluate the team
before a weekend of must-win
duels against Nebraska and
Purdue.
“When we got to critical
scoring spots, we needed more
urgency,” Bormet said. “We
needed
urgency
to
control
the ties, we needed urgency
to control the attacks. That’s
what was missing, and that’s
something we’ll be working on.”
WRESTLING
SAM MOUSIGIAN/Daily
Sophomore Adam Coon won 5-2 in the heavyweight class in the Michigan wrestling team’s loss to Penn State on Friday.
MICH. ST.
MICHIGAN
2
1
“I wanted to
get some of the
energy going back
into the crowd.”
PENN STATE
MICHIGAN
19
15
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