Michigan took advantage of Minnesota miscues Saturday night in scoring four straight goals and registering a 4-3 victory to capture its second Big Ten tournament championship before a packed house at 3M Arena at Mariucci.
The win moves Michigan to the top seed in next week’s NCAA tournament.
Michigan goalie Erik Portillo was named the tournament’s most outstanding player after allowing one goal through the first 59 minutes of the game in front of a hostile crowd.
“To find a way to win this game in a tough building says a lot about their character. And we got a goalie,” remarked Michigan coach Mel Pearson.
“When we really need to, we play so hard in front of the net and in front of me. I really appreciate the guys,” added Portillo.
Dylan Duke scored a critical goal midway through the third extending Michigan’s lead to 3-1. The goal came in transition off a Gopher turnover in the neutral zone. Mackie Samoskevich drew the goalie (Justen Close) and fed Duke for the one timer.
“I was just trying to get to the back post,” Duke said. “Playing on the line with Samoskevich, he has so much skill and a lethal shot. I think he fooled the goalie. Kinda got him down and he was able to get it over to my backhand.”
“Once it was 2-1, we needed to clamp down,” Minnesota coach Bob Motzko said. “We turn the one over and that was not a good turnover by us that you can’t do against Michigan.”
Another miscue by the Gophers swung the momentum in the Wolverines favor late in the first when a centering pass from Samoskevich deflected off Minnesota defender Mike Kosterstick over the shoulder of Close.
“It happens to everyone. You just have to shake it off and keep playing. Just a bad bounce,” said Minnesota defenseman Jackson Lacombe.
The scoring started with a flurry as both teams tallied on their first shot on net, Minnesota 32 seconds in and the Wolverines just 45 seconds later.
Minnesota’s Jaxon Nelson open the scoring finishing a partial breakaway. Nelson had cheated into the center of the ice and LaCombe found him. The play turned him around. He recovered the puck and lifted a backhand over Portillo.
Brendon Brisson tied the game also on a backhand after receiving a pretty pass from the left-side wall from Matty Beniers, who fought off a defender and located Brisson in front of the net. Brisson, moving laterally, beat Close to the far side on a backhand.
“You get scored on the first shift,” Duke said. “I just remember thinking when Beniers, Kent (Johnson) and Brisson went out, I was thinking that would be huge if they scored right here.”
“Incredible atmosphere. We get the first one and the building lit on fire and then we made a couple mistakes. One went off our stick, we turn one over in the neutral zone, which you can’t do against Michigan,” noted Motzko.
“We didn’t start the way we wanted to,” added Pearson. “We talked about getting through the first five minutes and trying to take the crowd out of it and then play. This team has been resilient all year. Found a way to come back and that goal was so big.”
“I trust my teammates ability to score goals. I was not really worried about that,” commented Portillo.
The game turned ugly in the third as Minnesota fans became unruly regarding the officials’ calls on the ice. When a five-minute major was called for boarding on Nelson, the fans threw bottles and cans onto the ice. The fans were warned that any more items on the ice would result in a delay of game penalty on Minnesota.
After the ice was cleaned up, Michigan was on an extended 5-on-3 power play, including the five-minute major. They did not capitalize with the extra attacker.
The fans’ frustration started early in the game every time a Gopher found his way to the ice. The officials definitely were letting both teams play. When calls started to come and they were all against the Gophers, it incensed the crowd.
The Gophers added two power-play goals of their own in the final minute to make the game look closer than it was.
Both Minnesota and Michigan will play in next week’s NCAA tournament. Minnesota is the sixth-rated team in the final PairWise Rankings and may find themselves playing out east.
“It’s going to make us better. We needed a game like that, kind of get the cobwebs off from sitting around for a while,” concluded Motzko.
