Julia Schachinger/Daily
| Tess Crowley/Daily | Design by Sophie Grand
S P O R T S W E D N E S D AY
F
ollowing
the
regular
season
and
conference
tournaments, the NCAA
deploys
PairWise,
a
mathematical
ranking
system,
to seed its postseason hockey
tournament. Facing the defending
NCAA National Champions, the No.
6 Michigan hockey team received a
prime chance to boost its PairWise
rankings entering the second half
of the season.
On Sunday, it was clear that the
Wolverines understood the stakes.
Michigan (16-6-1 overall, 7-5 Big
Ten) fired on all cylinders, defeating
No. 10 Massachusetts (10-6-2), 4-2,
for a pivotal series sweep.
“If you’re a competitor and you’re
a player, you want to play in these
big games,” Michigan coach Mel
Pearson said. “… I thought our
players were dialed in, I give them
a lot of credit.”
Both teams’ forceful backchecks
highlighted much of the first period.
Michigan and Massachusetts made
plenty of entries into its offensive
zones, only to be swarmed by
defending skaters who consistently
broke up odd-man rushes.
Yet, as the game wore on, the
Minutemen’s backcheck weakened
while the Wolverines’ held strong.
The development ultimately gave
Michigan the edge, as crisp passes
and clean zone entries dislocated
and overwhelmed Massachusetts
defenders, guiding the Wolverines
to a comfortable 3-0 lead by the end
of the second period.
“All week, we did a great job just
preparing for what they were going
to bring,” senior defenseman Nick
Blankenburg said. “At the end of
the day, every guy on this team laid
it all on the line this weekend. …
Everyone played for each other and
everyone played the right way.”
Nearly
midway
through
the
first period, Portillo corralled a
shot
from
Minutemen
forward
Ryan Sullivan into his pads, and as
Massachusetts skaters whacked at
him to dislodge the puck, officials
declared the puck frozen and a
scuffle ensued.
As referees cleared the scene, the
puck sat harmlessly in the middle
of the crease. Portillo kept the puck
out of harm’s way throughout the
contest, totaling 28 saves in another
strong showing.
On the other end, with less than
a minute left in the first period, the
Minutemen made their first costly
defensive error.
Sophomore
forward
Matty
Beniers took the puck behind
the left post, and Massachusetts
goaltender Matt Murray easily
poked
the
difficult-angle
shot
away with his stick. The puck
slid towards a conglomeration of
skaters left of the crease, but no one
was able to control it as sophomore
forward Brendan Brisson skated in
from across the ice, snapping it past
Murray.
The momentum carried over
into the second period, where
Massachusetts saw its chances
dwindle by the minute.
Michigan
dominated
the
Minutemen’s power play over the
first two minutes, and less than
four minutes into the period,
the
Wolverines
struck
again.
Sophomore forward Kent Johnson
speedily
entered
the
attacking
third without a contest, finding
Brisson in the slot. Brisson shifted
to his left before finding Beniers
on the right side for a raucous one-
timer goal.
“I think it was a result of us just
working harder than they were,”
Beniers said. “They were working
really hard, they played a good
game, but I think we were just a
little bit better than them.”
Throughout
the
first
seven
minutes of the second period, the
puck practically lived in Michigan’s
offensive zone, and the Wolverines
seized
control
of
the
game.
Michigan outshot Massachusetts,
7-3, in that span and didn’t look
back.
While the Wolverines remained
in command, freshman forward
Dylan
Duke
added
insurance.
Securing his own rebound following
a pad save from Murray, Duke
launched the puck over Murray’s
right pad for Michigan’s third goal.
A
shorthanded
goal
by
Massachusetts
forward
Bobby
Trivigno with six minutes left in
the third period couldn’t derail the
Wolverines, and junior forward
Johnny Beecher’s second empty-
net goal of the weekend sealed the
deal.
With the Big Ten standings
tight and the conference schedule
returning to full-swing, Michigan
enters its final stretch with much-
needed momentum and another
signature victory to add to its
resume.
“The gang’s all back together,”
Pearson said. “… Just really proud
of our team.”
Julia Schachinger/Daily
| Tess Crowley/Daily | Design by Sophie Grand
Michigan marches past Massachusetts,
4-2, sweeping key weekend series
Weapons of umass
destruction
PAUL NASR
Daily Sports Editor