[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t was a tale of two games over the weekend at Yost Ice Arena. The Michigan Wolverines took on the Dartmouth Big Green in their last non-conference series before Big Ten play opens up at home against the Wisconsin Badgers on December 4th.
Michigan entered the weekend series with Dartmouth coming off a split with the Boston University Terriers, where Michigan won last Saturday with a 4-2. Coming in to this game they were looking to add momentum before they enter Big Ten play. Michigan senior goaltender Steve Racine has gotten the past few starts for the Wolverines and entered the weekend series with a record of 7-1-1.
In the first game of series on Friday night, the Michigan offense came out flying where it saw the team score 3 goals in the first ten minutes of the first period. Junior Tyler Motte got the Wolverines on the board with a goal at 5:05 of the first where he beat Dartmouth’s senior goaltender James Kruger. Just a minute and fifty-three seconds later while on the power play Michigan freshmen scored his team leading seventh goal of the season.
The first period scoring was not over yet, Dartmouth’s defensemen Tim Shoop went to box for interference. Tyler Motte scored his second goal of the night and period when he buried a shot past Kruger to give them an early 3-0 lead. Michigan’s junior captain JT Compher added three assists in the first period.
At the end of the first period Michigan outshot Dartmouth 14-11.
Both Michigan and Dartmouth goaltenders and defense played a hard fought second period. Dartmouth’s John Emsting went to the box for tripping at 16:43. Moments later at 17:55 on the power play defensemen Zach Werenski scored a beautiful goal from the top of the left faceoff circle to give Michigan a 4-0 lead. Michigan didn’t let off the gas. At 18:38 of the period Evan Allen scored off a rebound to add on to the Michigan lead.
Michigan ended the second period with 11 shots on Kruger while Dartmouth ended the period with 10 shots on Racine.
Dartmouth brought the fight to the Wolverines throughout the game but have not been able to capitalize on their opportunities. At 8:01 of the third period Boo Nieves scored his 2nd goal of the season from the left faceoff dot to extend the Michigan lead to 6-0. Zach Werenski added his second goal of the night with a power play goal at 12:27.
Game 1 of weekend series ended with Michigan’s Steve Racine getting the W and his second career shutout, he stopped 33 saves and earned his eighth win of the season. Dartmouth’s James Kruger got the loss allowing 7 goals and stopping 26 saves.
On Saturday, during Game 2 of the series, Dartmouth made a few changes to their lineup. Coach Bob Gaudet started Sophomore Devin Buffalo for his first start of his career.
Yost Ice Arena was a somber crowd with the Michigan Wolverines football team losing to their arch rivals Ohio State. Dartmouth came out during this game ready to play and overcome the 7-0 rout in game 1 of the series.
At the 2:40 mark of the first sophomore center Carl Hesler scored to end Michigan goaltender Steve Racine’s goalless streak. A scary moment occurred during the first period when Racine had to leave the game with a lower body injury at the 14:01 mark of the first. Racine was crashed into earlier in the period but we are unsure if this was a result of that. Coach Berenson put in junior goaltender Zach Nagelvoort into the game from the bench and he performed very well throughout the game.
Michigan and Dartmouth played with passion and aggression throughout the game not allowing either team the momentum in the game.
Through almost two and half periods Michigan’s offense could not muster a goal past Buffalo but at 7:56 of the third Tony Calderone pushed in a rebound past Buffalo. The goal was originally disallowed on the ice but after replay the goal was allowed and Calderone netted his fifth goal of the season and tying the game at 1-1. Neither offense was able to land the game winning goal in regulation. The third period ended with Dartmouth with a 4 on 3 power play.
During overtime neither team were able to capitalize on many scoring opportunities. The game ended in 1-1 tie.
Michigan goaltender junior Zach Nagelvoort got the tie coming for relief of Racine. Nagelvoort stopped all 30 saves. Dartmouth’s sophomore goaltender Devin Buffalo stop 37 saves in his first career start.
Michigan opens its Big Ten Conference play against the Wisconsin Badgers for a two game series starting Friday night. If the current non-conference schedule has shown us anything during the past two months is that Michigan is not only lead by one primary line but has many goal scorers. It is a team mixed with talented freshmen like Kyle Connor and Cooper Marody but also with seasoned veterans like Tyler Motte and JT Compher. The team needs to be more consistent in both the offensive and defensive zones. If Michigan wants to make the Frozen Four tournament at the end of the year, they will need to do these things to be successful but with a talented head coach, a veteran team and strong goaltending the Wolverines could be sitting atop the Big Ten Conference.
Michigan will take on Wisconsin at Yost Ice Arena on Friday December 4th at 7:35 PM EST.
