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

