Michigan won its record 17th Great Lakes Invitational before New Year’s, but the Wolverines’ best-in-the-nation offense was held largely in check in wins over Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan. Rest assured getting two shots at rival Michigan State cured any potential ills.
Michigan’s offense was relentless in a weekend sweep, winning 9-2 in East Lansing on Friday night, and 6-3 on Saturday night.
On Friday night, Michigan State actually led 1-0 thanks to Mason Appleton’s fourth goal of the season, but then the Wolverines opened the floodgates. JT Compher, Tony Calderone and Alex Kile scored in a 1 minute 21 second span. Zach Osburn scored for the Spartans to make it a 3-2 game, but Kyle Connor and Dexter Dancs scored 44 seconds apart to make the score 5-2 after the first period.
Zach Werenski, fresh off captaining the U.S. World Junior team to a bronze medal in Finland, scored in the second period, as did Connor less than two minutes later to chase goalie Jake Hildebrand. Tyler Motte and Compher scored late in the third period on reserve goalie Ed Minney.
Compher and Connor each had five point nights with three assists to go with their two goals each. According to the University of Michigan, the win was the most lopsided in the rivalry since an 8-1 win in 1996.
Saturday night was more competitive from the Spartans’ standpoint, but a four-goal barrage in the second period led Michigan to another win.
For the second straight night, Michigan State took a first period lead when Dylan Pavelek scored his first goal of the season, only to see Dancs tie the game with less than 2 minutes left in the period.
Michigan’s power play went to work in the second period to aid in their offensive explosion. Cooper Marody scored with the man advantage at 1:46 of the second and Michael Downing scored 44 seconds later to make the score 3-1. Werenski scored on the power play and Motte got his second goal of the weekend to give Michigan a 5-1 advantage.
Zach Werenski celebrates his goal against Michigan State on Jan. 9, 2016. Photo courtesy University of Michigan.
Villiam Haag ended the Michigan (13-3-3, 4-1-1-1) run with his third goal of the season and Michael Ferrantino scored on a two-man advantage to make it a 5-3 goal going into the third period. Michigan State (5-15-2, 1-5-0-0) put the pressure on the Wolverines for much of the final period, but Connor iced the win when fired into the empty net with 2:22 left in the game.
Compher didn’t score Saturday, but had two assists for a seven point weekend.
Penn State 3, Minnesota 2 (OT); Minnesota 7, Penn State 1
On Friday night, Minnesota-native Vince Pedrie scored at 3:57 of overtime to lift the Nittany Lions to a 3-2 win. Penn State had jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to second period goals from Zach Saar and Andrew Sturtz. Minnesota rallied to tie behind two Brent Gates goals in the third period.
On Saturday, 11 Golden Gophers picked up at least a point in a 7-1 win. Justin Kloos had four points (1 goal and three assists) and Hudson Fasching scored two short-handed goals to spark Minnesota (9-10-0, 6-4-2). Penn State (13-4-3, 4-3-1) stayed in third place after the split.
Ohio State 2, Wisconsin 0; Wisconsin 4, Ohio State 4 (Badgers win shootout point)
Fresh off defeating Boston College and Cornell in the Florida College Classic, the Buckeyes won their first true road game of the season on Friday night in Madison. Christian Frey notched his second shutout in a row and David Gust broke a scoreless tie with 11:07 left in the third period. Tyler Lundey scored with 4:01 left in the game to seal the win.
On Saturday night, Luke Kunin had a goal and three assists for Wisconsin as the Badgers twice rallied back from two-goal deficits to tie Ohio State 4-4 and pick up the extra point in a shootout. Ohio State led 2-0 late in the first period thanks to the first goals of the season for Kevin Miller and Freddy Gerard. Ryan Wagner scored with 25 seconds left in the first period for the Badgers (4-8-6, 1-3-2-1), before Adam Rockwood tied it 49 seconds into the second.
Lundy and Nick Schilkey gave OSU a 4-2 lead before the Badgers notched another late goal — Kunin scoring with 12 seconds left in the second period. Grant Besse tied the game early in the third period. Wagner scored the lone shootout goal to earn the extra point.
Stars Of The Weekend
The stars of the weekend from the Big Ten are:
First star: JT Compher, Michigan
Second star: Kyle Connor, Michigan
Third star: Luke Kunin, Wisconsin
This Weekend’s Games
Michigan visits Ohio State on Friday night and is home against the Buckeyes on Sunday evening.
Michigan State is at Minnesota for games on Friday and Saturday nights.
Penn State hosts Wisconsin on Friday and Saturday nights.
Follow Lonny on Twitter @lonny_goldsmith and you can always reach him at Lonny.Goldsmith@prohockeynews.com
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