The Michigan Wolverines are aiming for a third straight Frozen Four appearance with a 5-2 win over the Michigan State Spartans. If Friday's game against North Dakota was a street game, it was Jimmy and Dalton's last. Roadhouse — Only the OG version is accepted here. It's a bitter fight with everything on the line.
Prior to the game, we discussed the keys to Michigan's victory: physicality, second-period wins, and offensive fusion. Check, check, and check. But through two periods, it was anyone's game, and the Wolverines were still without All-Universe defenseman Seamus Casey, who was injured in the first period Friday night.
In the third period, neither team was able to take advantage, and the game ended in a 1-1 draw. Despite a great shot by Ethan Edwards in the second, Michigan was unable to maintain momentum and increase its lead over the region's top seed.
In the third period, head coach Brandon Nowrat decided to stack the line again to create attacking opportunities. Unlike the game against North Dakota, Michigan had five power-play chances in this game, but missed each time. To beat a team as strong as the Spartans, Michigan needed to get this game over as quickly as possible.
On Friday night, the University of Michigan scored three goals in the third period. Against the Spartans, Michigan scored four points.
First, Michigan was back in front after captain Jacob Truscott found Marshall Warren on a D-to-D for a one-timer at 13:31.
The Wolverines grabbed the momentum, but like the previous two periods and the past four games against the Spartans, Michigan State came back and tied it four minutes later.
With eight minutes remaining, it felt like the game was destined to go into extra time. Similar to the last time these teams met, when Michigan State survived against Western Michigan on Friday. But then Dylan Duke took matters into his own hands.
Duker snatched the puck from the neutral zone, drove it across the ice and into the net, burying it to the far side beyond the outstretched pads of Trey Augustin. In some cases, you may have to deal with it yourself.
After the goal, Michigan fans were fully expecting more Michigan State rushing, but the Wolverines weren't done. Just 12 seconds later, Michigan's top line pounced when Frank Nazar made a filthy leg-to-leg pass to a streaking Gavin Brindley to give the Wolverines a 4-2 lead. It was the best assist of the entire NCAA Tournament and an instant highlight reel classic.
The Spartans' final desperate rumblings were abruptly cut short by a slashing penalty with 2:28 remaining. Michigan's power play, previously 0-for-5, finally broke through as Duker redirected Brindley's shot to make it 5-2 and end the game and the region. This was Dylan Duke's second goal of the game and fourth of the weekend.
The third-seeded Wolverines will advance to the Frozen Four for the third consecutive year, joining three remaining top-seeded schools: Boston College, Boston University, and Denver. But after surviving the realm of death, Michigan's path is far from easy. They will next face Boston College, the top overall seed and consensus favorite for the championship, on Thursday, April 11th.
We'll give you a preview next week, but for now it's St. Paul.
