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Frozen Four bound again — Michigan hockey beats MSU, 5-2, in the one that mattered

Chris Balasby:Chris Balas•03/31/24•

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Gavin Brindley and Michigan beat MSU, 5-2, to advance to the Frozen Four. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire)

Michigan entered an NCAA quarterfinal against Michigan State having gone 1-4 against the Spartans after losing a controversial Big Ten title game in East Lansing game. The Wolverines got the last laugh, though, hammering the Spartans with four, third-period goals for a 5-2 victory that will send them to the Frozen Four once again.

Michigan will play Boston College, the overall No. 1 seed and a 5-4 overtime winner over Quinnipiac, Thurs. April 11. Boston U. will play Denver in the other semifinal.

Michigan fell behind 1-0 in the first period despite outshooting the Spartans 13-11. MSU’s Gavin O’Connell, in front of U-M goaltender Jake Barczewski, tipped in a shot from the point right around the shoulders — officials upheld the goal after checking for a high stick, and the Spartans took that lead into the period.

U-M, though, responded in the second. Ethan Edwards took a pass from Dylan Duke and buried it with 14:19 remaining in the period to tie it at 1. Both teams had 11 shots in the period, but neither would score again in the stanza.

The floodgates opened in the third. The Wolverines took their first lead on a goal from Warren Marshall. The Spartans tied it on the power play with 9:34 left, but U-M responded quickly. Dylan Duke’s first of two goals, a beautiful rush and finish from the right side made it 3-2 … only 12 seconds later, Frank Nazar set up Gavin Brindley with an incredible pass on a 2-on-1 break. Brindley buried it for his 25th goal of the year, and Michigan was smelling victory.

Duke all but iced it on the power play with 2:19 remaining. The Spartans were applying pressure with an empty net before taking a slashing minor. Duke tipped in a shot from Brindley to make it a 3-goal game, and the Wolverines ran out the clock to advance to their third consecutive Frozen Four.

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