With the game all tied and Michigan Tech on the power play, freshman Will Lockwood scored his second goal of the season shorthanded with 51.9 seconds remaining to give the Wolverines a 4-3 victory.
“Luckily I was there in the slot and I got all of it,” Will Lockwood said about scoring the game winning goal with fifty-two seconds remaining in regulation.
Michigan returned home to a packed Yost Ice Arena to play in front of a full homecoming weekend crowd. It was a special night for the Wolverines as they would honor the 1995-96 National Championship team during the first intermission. This is arguably one of the best teams that has played for the University of Michigan.
The Wolverine’s entered Friday’s game on a two game win streak and looked to extend the win streak against a struggling 1-4-1 Michigan Tech team. Freshman Hayden Lavigne would get the start against the Huskies. In Lavigne’s last start at Yost was a 4-0 win over Union College, where he earned his first career win and shutout.
Since the first puck drop of the first period, you could tell this was a rivalry game for sure. Both Michigan and Michigan Tech played with a sense of emotion and it showed. Both teams were evenly matched during the first half of the first period. Michigan would get on the scoreboard first and it was one of Michigan’s talented freshman. Jake Slaker would hammer home a loose rebound from Michigan Tech’s Devin Kero to go up 1-0. The first period would end with Michigan leading 1-0 over Michigan Tech.
During the first intermission, the 1996 NCAA Hockey Champions would be honored. NHLer’s like Marty Turco and Brendan Morrison would be honored and would have a group picture at center ice. Michigan coaches Red Berenson and Powers as well as Michigan Tech head coach and former assistant coach Mel Pearson would make the photo before heading to locker rooms.
The second period would begin just like the first period ended. Both teams came out with intensity and just 2:45 into the second, junior Tony Calderone would extend the Wolverines lead to 2.
Michigan Tech would comeback to make the game interesting as sophomore Jack Johnson would get called for a hooking and put the Wolverines on the power play. As the Wolverines power play was coming to an end, Alex Gilles would score shorthanded to cut into the Michigan lead to make it 2-1. Both goaltenders would come up big in the second to keep the game close.
During the second intermission, the 1996 team wasn’t done giving the fans at Yost something to cheer about. Marty Turco, Brendan Morrison and Mike Legg would participate in Score-O. All three Michigan legends would move to the far blue line to compete in the contest. Turco, Morrison and Legg would both score from that distance but Mike Legg would have the best shot of all, when he would use a legal but unconditional method to score similar to his goal against Minnesota in the semifinals of the 1996 NCAA Tournament.
Coach Berenson would change up his lineup heading into the third period.
As the third period started, there was a kind of magic in the air for this game and the fans would not be disappointed. Five minutes into the third on the power player Jake Slaker would score his second goal of the night and give the Wolverines a 3-1 lead. Unfortunately for the Wolverines, Michigan Tech wasn’t going to just give them the victory. Michigan Tech would comeback shortly after the Slaker power play goal when freshman Alex Smith would knock the puck past Lavigne to move the Huskies within 1 of the Wolverines.
A few minutes later the game would be tied as Reid Sturos would knock home a poor rebound from Lavigne to make it 3-3. Both teams would battle in the final ten minutes of the period.
“I didn’t think any line had anything going,” Coach Berenson said after changing all the lines up in the third period. Berenson would switch up his top line by switching Alex Kile with Brendan Warren. “We had to play with a little more desperation.”
Calderone would head to the box after being called for hooking with ninety seconds remaining. This would set up for a great finish at Yost. Shuart would find freshman Will Lockwood with a pass from the corner and he would not hesitate and score his second goal of the season giving the Wolverines a late lead and the eventual game winner.
“They were both ready for this, we saw it from the first workouts off the ice,” Coach Berenson said after the game about the young freshman who came in clutch with Friday night’s victory over Michigan Tech. “They both have some confidence and chemistry. Those two have played well from game 1.”
After the game Michigan moves to 3-1-0 on the season as the Michigan Tech Huskies dropped another close one and move to 1-5-1 on the season.
These two squads will meet again at Yost for game 2 on Saturday night. The puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 PM EST.
