Michigan senior Evan Allen scored two goals in the Wolverines loss to Ohio State 4-2.
Rivals Michigan and Ohio State met Friday night at the Value City Arena for a weekend series that not only holds rivalry bragging rights, but also huge implications in the final three weeks of the regular season.
The two rivals previously split their last weekend series on February 4 and 5, each earning a 6-5 win. Michigan looks seek their revenge on Ohio State after giving up a late period goal to lose on February 5.
Michigan would look to gain whatever momentum they could. And unfortunately for the Wolverines, they could not seem to generate any offense in the opening minutes of the first period. The Wolverines took the early lead when Allen would score with a filthy wrist shot from the top of the slot to give the Wolverines a 1-0 lead.
Ohio State would come back when David Gust would tip the pass past Michigan goalie LaFontaine with .01 second remaining in the first period, seemingly giving Ohio State needed momentum.
After the game, Michigan coach Red Berenson called last minute goals “bad to give up.”
“Those last minute goals hurt you,” he said.
The second period seemed to fall in favor the Buckeyes as Kevin Miller would find the back of the net twice in the early 10 minutes of the second to make it 3-1 Ohio State which seemed to almost take the wind out of Wolverines sails. Allen would try to bring the Wolverines back as he would find the back of the net after being setup by Winborg and Kile to make it 4-2.
Allen has now gotten a point in 10 of his last 11 games and looks to have gained some much needed confidence this season not just through his own eyes but also through the eyes of his coach.
“I think his whole career is coming down to these last few weeks. He’s putting his best foot forward,” Berenson said about the play by Allen in the last few weeks of the season.
Unfortunately for the Wolverines, they would once again give up a late second goal to Ohio State’s Nick Schlilkey to make it 4-2.
Neither Michigan nor Ohio State would find the back of the net in the third period but for the Wolverines the play by freshman goaltender Jack LaFontaine proved to show his great talent.
The Wolverines and Buckeyes will face off in a matinée game at Value City Arena on Saturday at 5 PM EST for their last regular season meeting of the season.
