Michigan offensive pressure comes together in third period
UM Minnesota
Through the first two periods of the game, the No. 2 Michigan hockey team doubled Ohio State’s shots, 30-15. Even though the Wolverines weren’t finding the back of the net, shots kept rolling off the sticks.
As Michigan entered the third period tied at two a piece, something was waiting to give as its pressure on the Buckeyes’ goaltender Kristoffer Eberly only intensified. And when the Wolverines pushed for a third goal to grab the lead, the flood gates officially opened.
“Those games can go, like it’s all going your way.” Michigan coach Brandon Naurato said. “But it doesn’t go in and they get one. I felt like that was kind of the beginning of the game, but good for our team for continuing to fight.”
Michigan made its offensive presence known starting right in the first period. With consistent shooting and strong power-play attempts, the Wolverines crowded the crease looking for their one of many attempts to break through.
That same frustration bled into the second period as Michigan struggled to grasp the lead. After repetitive tries ended in blocked pucks and clutch saves by Eberly, the Wolverines headed into the third with the same game plan — peppering the net until they could celebrate.
As senior forward T.J. Hughes relentlessly had tried the net through the beginning of the game, he was ready for his moment. Freshman forward Adam Valentini circled from behind the net to the waiting stick of Hughes in the slot. With one shot, Hughes not only silenced Michigan’s scoring woes, but officially started its third-period rally.
“He’s an unbelievable captain and he played well all over the ice tonight,” senior defenseman Luca Fantilli said. “He was laying some big hits and playing amazing defensively. Then he had like five shots in the slot to score, and to see him get that one, it was really well deserved. I was happy he got that.”
The Wolverines didn’t let up from their offensive pressure with only a one-goal cushion supporting them in the final 10 minutes of the game. Michigan dominated the offensive zone time giving Ohio State few opportunities to generate chances of its own.
Eventually in the last five minutes of the game, the Wolverines’ unrelenting shots caused Eberly to blunder. Senior defenseman Tyler Duke sent a slap shot from the blue line looking to get the puck on net and, just as he intended, senior forward Josh Eernisse delivered with a tip to put it away.
As Michigan relished the fruits of its labor, the Wolverines had finally broken down the walls they were chipping away at all night. And when Fantilli saw the open lane and an empty net in the closing minute of the game, he grabbed Michigan’s easiest goal of the game — and watched the bounce go his way for the 5-2 win.
“You just think about that you’re getting the chances,” Fantilli said. “You know what’s going to come, but you just gotta stick to it. You can’t be upset that you missed an opportunity or something. As long as you stick with it, and we keep playing the right way, those bounces are going to go in.”
While the Wolverines incessantly fired pucks, they were fighting to produce a goal in return. By continuing its pressure, Michigan found not only the back of the net, but a win as well.
The Golden Gophers (6-8-1 overall, 3-2-0 B1G) secured their eighth-straight home victory over the Nittany Lions (10-5-0 overall, 3-4-0 B1G) thanks to Axel Begley’s first career goal that kickstarted the offense early in the middle period. Brodie Ziemer followed up Begley’s goal by adding a power-play tally to pull even at 2-2 after PSU scored twice in the first period.
The Maroon and Gold came out of the gates with intensity and less than two minutes into the contest, Beckett Hendrickson’s rebound attempt rang off the right post. It was a relentless forecheck that helped the home side sustain pressure before PSU got its first shot on goal after nearly seven minutes had gone by. The early chances did not pay off, and the visitors struck for the opening goal at the 9:31 mark, capitalizing on a turnover in the defensive zone. The Nittany Lions doubled their lead with 6:57 to play in the frame as a harmless-appearing shot from the point snuck through a screened netminder. Tate Pritchard skated around a PSU defenseman late in the period, but his backhand bid was kicked aside and the visitors held the 2-0 cushion at intermission.
Despite carrying play for most of the game, the Gophers were finally rewarded for that effort during a three-goal second period. The game’s first penalty was assessed to the home team in the first minute of the middle stanza and was quickly erased by the Maroon and Gold. Shortly after the penalty kill, Minnesota returned the favor as Begley’s shot from the point got through traffic and into the back of the net, making it a 2-1 contest at 3:38. Moe started the play with a faceoff win before Mittelstadt and Moore picked up assists on the first-career tally for Begley.
Having cut into the deficit, the Gophers earned their first man advantage at the 7:23 mark as LJ Mooney was cross checked after the whistle. Ziemer made the Nittany Lions pay for the penalty as he hammered home a one-timer from the left circle, igniting the “Ice Out” crowd thanks to Mooney’s perfect, cross-ice feed. Momentum stayed with the Maroon and Gold and just two minutes later, the dogged determination of the fourth line paid dividends as Moe scored on a rebound from the slot, pushing the home side to a 3-2 lead. A late penalty on PSU carried into the final frame as Minnesota took its one-goal lead back to the locker room through 40 minutes.
The remainder of the man advantage was wiped away by the Nittany Lions opening the third period. Goaltender Nathan Airey stood tall as the visitors made a push for the equalizer and a penalty to the Gophers, that was unliked by the fans in attendance, gave PSU another chance on the man advantage. The penalty kill brought the crowd to its feet as Moore and Ziemer helped shut down the opportunity.
The rest of the night belonged to Minnesota as it held off a late charge and Airey closed the door on any comeback from the Nittany Lions, securing the series-opening win, 3-2. Airey finished the night with 27 saves, including 14 during a critical second period.
Noteworthy
Skating in the 39th game of this career, Begley picked up his first NCAA point and goal to kickstart the Minnesota offense Friday … Ziemer struck for his fourth power-play tally this season and pushed his point total to 12 behind his seventh goal … The Chaska, Minn., product has four points during a three-game point streak and is tied for the team’s goal and point lead … For the first time in his young career, Moe has found the back of the net in consecutive games thanks to his fourth goal … It was his first-ever game winner and he is the sixth different player this year to record a game-winning goal … After collecting his first point of the season last Saturday, Mittelstadt made it two-straight outings with a helper, recording multiple points for the second time in his career … The senior also had two assists at home versus Mercyhurst on Jan. 4, 2025 … Moore extended his season-long point streak to four games with an assist on Begley’s tally for the first multi-point effort of his rookie campaign … The freshman now has five assists and seven points overall … Mooney became the third Gopher to reach double-digit points on his sixth power-play assist and seventh total assist … Luke Mittelstadt picked up a power-play assist, stretching his point streak to four games, with his team-leading ninth helper of 2025-26, and also hit double-digit points on the play … The Gophers won the special teams battle going 1-for-3 on the power play, while killing off all three Penn State chances … The Maroon and Gold are now 5-1-0 when not allowing its opposition to score on the power play … Already leading the country in blocked shots, Minnesota added 19 to that total with a full-team effort Friday as 13 different skaters blocked at least one.
Coach Motzko’s Comments
“Our players earned that thing; start to finish,” Minnesota head coach Bob Motzko said. “We had a really good first period, but we found ourselves down 2-0 and then they held strong. We got great goaltending tonight and special teams were critical.”
Next Up: Home vs. Penn State (Nov. 22)
The Gophers skate on home ice for the final time during the 2025 calendar year as they close the series against the fifth-ranked Nittany Lions Saturday night at 7 p.m. live on FOX9+ and streaming on B1G+. Minnesota will host its annual “Teddy Bear Toss” presented by White Bear Mitsubishi following the contest.
