Frozen Four bound — Michigan hockey beats PSU in OT, 2-1
No. 1 seeded Michigan hockey had to play in front of a partisan Penn State crowd to get to the Frozen Four Sunday night, facing the Nittany Lions in Allentown, Pa. U-M scored a late goal to tie it and won it early in overtime to advance to Tampa.
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The Wolverines came out flying, getting some good scoring opportunities in their first few shifts. Michigan also had a few great scoring chances on their first power play 5 minutes into the period, notching four shots on goal, but couldn’t beat goalie Liam Souliere.
The Wolverines had a number of good chances in the first period, including one that hit the post, but couldn’t cash in. Erik Portillo played well in net for Michigan — both goaltenders had 14 saves, though Souliere faced tougher chances — and PSU dominated face-offs to help negate U-M’s talent advantage. They won 15 to the Wolverines’ 6 and also blocked 8 shots.
It became abundantly clear in the second period that the first goal was going to be huge — and Penn State finally broke through. Michigan shored up the faceoffs — 8 to 8 in the second period — but after failing to score on the power play, the Wolverines went shorthanded when Jackson Hallum went off for hooking.
Michigan had a chance to clear but didn’t. Connor MacEachern scored to give the Nittany Lions all the momentum behind the partisan crowd, and the edge heading into the third period.
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U-M had its chances but couldn’t find the net despite outshooting PSU 14-11 in the second stanza.
The Wolverines carried the play for the first half of the third period, going on their third power play with 15:00 remaining. They still couldn’t solve Souliere. Michigan outshot PSU 12-4 at the halfway point but still trailed 1-0.
Michigan finally broke through with 7:52 remaining, on its fourth power play … and it was freshman phenom Adam Fantilli who came through. Mackie Samoskevich put a shot on goal, and while Rutger McGroarty got the first crack at the rebound, Fantilli scored on the second one, glove side, to finally put the Wolverines on the board.
U-M outshot the Nittany Lions 16-10 in the third period, but neither team would score again in regulation. This one was to be settled in overtime, 20-minute periods of 5-on-5 hockey with a Frozen Four berth on the line.
It only took 52 seconds. Samoskevich wristed a shot through traffic to beat Souliere and advance Michigan to its 27th Frozen Four. The Wolverines will face another No. 1 seed, Quinnipiac in Tampa April 6 at 8:30. No. 2 seed Boston U. faces No. 1 Minnesota in the 5:00 game.
