To beat Michigan, the top-ranked men’s hockey team in the country, the Gophers needed great goaltending and timely scoring. They received much of the former for the better part of two periods on Friday, Jan. 16, but not nearly enough of the latter.
The result was a 5-1 victory for Michigan in front of an announced crowd of 9,948 at 3M Arena at Mariucci.
The Wolverines, who average a nation’s best 4.91 goals per game, outshot the Gophers 52-18, including 22-2 in the third period. Gophers goalie Luca Di Pasquo kept his team in the game in the first 30 minutes and tied his career high with 47 saves. The Wolverines attempted 85 shots to the Gophers’ 35, and Di Pasquo denied a handful of point-blank scoring chances. He clearly was the Gophers’ best player on this night.
“The 52-18 wasn’t Michigan; it was us handing it to them,” Gophers coach Bob Motzko said in a postgame radio interview. “We were not responsible enough with the puck.”
The game turned in Michigan’s favor midway through the second period as Michael Hage and Jayden Perron scored 20 seconds apart, breaking a 1-1 tie.
Tyler Duke scored in the first period, and Nick Moldenhauer and T.J. Hughes had power-play goals in the third for the Wolverines (19-4, 10-3 Big Ten, 29 points). Michigan goalie Stephen Peck made 17 saves.
Tanner Ludtke knocked home a rebound past Peck for a power-play goal at 18:33 of the first for the Gophers (8-12-1, 4-6-0 Big Ten, 13 points). Minnesota gave up the first 11 shots on goal, and Michigan scored on the 10th with Duke beating Di Pasquo from the point. Ludtke’s goal tied it 1-1 with LJ Mooney and Luke Mittelstadt getting assists.
“In the second half of the game, our compete and battle level was unacceptable,” Motzko said. “We have to have a complete reversal. You can’t do that against a team like that.”
