Following a lopsided loss in Minnesota a few weeks ago, Michigan’s season was on the brink of an early exit. The solution was simple: they needed wins.
Flash forward 15 days and the Wolverines are close to a lock for an NCAA tournament invite after winning their fourth in a row, quieting a raucous Minnesota crowd with a 2-1 road victory.
Michigan, seeking its third consecutive playoff crown, will face regular season champ Michigan State next weekend in the Big Ten tournament title game, which will be played in the Spartans’ home rink on Saturday.
Kienan Draper scored early in the first period and Gavin Brindley scored late in the second, as Michigan took control from the get-go. The Wolverines (21-13-3) got 30 saves from Jake Barczewski to all but cement their spot in the 16-team NCAA tournament field.
Minnesota, which was playing its final home game of the season, will now have a week off and will take a 22-10-5 record into the NCAA tournament. The Gophers got 22 saves from Justen Close, but could not solve Barczewski until Jimmy Snuggerud’s extra-attacker goal with 89 seconds left in regulation.
After Michigan survived an early push by the Gophers and Draper gave the visitors a lead, popping in the rebound of a Chase Pletzke shot, it looked briefly like the Wolverines had doubled the lead. Luca Fantilli took a pass from behind the net and beat Close with a shot from the top of the crease. But Minnesota challenged the play, and replay showed the Wolverines offside entering the zone, so the goal was negated.
Michigan thoroughly dominated the middle frame, out-shooting the Gophers 17-5, getting the game’s first power play, and doubling the lead. With less than 90 seconds left in the period, Garrett Schifsky hit Brindley with a long lead pass and Brindley turned it into his team-leading 24th goal of the season.
It was the third consecutive season in which Michigan has come to Minneapolis and won a playoff game. In 2022 and 2023 the Wolverines won at Minnesota in the Big Ten tournament’s finale.
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