By Roy J. Akers-www.skyviewsports.net
Chicago, Ill. (Wrigley Field) The Big Ten Conference put on its most ambitious outdoor event ever working in tandem with the Chicago Cubs, the NHL, and six of the seven B1G teams played in an event they will never forget. The Big Ten has 15 outdoor games in the past dating back to 2001 at Spartan Stadium and the 2013 GLI where three college games were played. This Frozen Confines showcase has four hockey games including a women’s game between Ohio State and Wisconsin.
Game One: Michigan vs. Ohio State
Michigan is looking to right their season after losing three in a row, all by shutout shortly before the Christmas break. Michigan was ranked fourth in the country and has fallen to No. 9. The Wolverines need some instant goals and can certainly use Michael Hoge and company to get them on the board.
Ohio State is ranked 13th in the USCHO poll, one of four B1G teams ranked in the top 13 in the country. They went into the Christmas Break with a four-game winning streak and sports a record of 13-4-1. Aiden Hansen-Bukata, Gr, D, leads OSU in points with seven assists. Ohio State is looking to pump some life into a slumbering offense.
First Period
With game-time temperatures of 23 degrees, UM and OSU went right to work with up-and-down hockey action. Only one shot per side over the first 5:12 of the game. The Buckeyes put up a pair of shots on Cameron Korpi and the teams come together with a little smoke and no fire in front of the UM netminder. Michigan starts carrying the play around 6:30 of the period and now leads SOG 6-4. Minor scrums developed throughout the period, but the team’s OSU’s Davis Burnside fires point blank at Korpi at 15:14 and he stops the puck glove side to keep the game scoreless. The Buckeyes are carrying the play starting around the 14-minute mark. At 18:14 UM forward Michael Hage scores his 6th goal of the season unassisted picking the pocket of Buckeye defenseman Aiden Hansen-Bukata and makes the score one-nil UM. The period ends. UM 1- OSU- 0. SOG: 11 each.
Second Period
OSU and UM traded four shots over the first 3:39 when Burnside is called for cross-checking, giving the Wolverines the game’s first power play. TJ Hughes makes OSU pay with a power play goal at 4:42 taking a backhanded feed from Will Holcoff behind the net. UM 2, OSU 0. It is Hughes 6th goal of the season. The Maize and Blue kept the pressure up with scoring opportunities and outshooting OSU 6-1 in the first ten minutes of the period. OSU pressures the UM net and Gunnarwolfe Fontaine tries to stuff it by Korpi stymies the OSU forward.
Moments later, OSU goes on the power play after Jacob Truscott is whistled for cross-checking at 11:08. UM’s Hunter Hady is called for elbowing and the Buckeyes go to the two-man advantage for a minute. UM kills the first penalty and goes on a short-handed rush. OSU finally seizes the opportunity and cuts the UM lead in half. Sam Deckhut scores from the circle to a sprawling Korpi who was screened on the play. It’s Deckhut’s 4th goal of the season. Noah Powell and Brent Johnson earn the assists. Score: UM 2, OSU 1. Michigan is called for cross-checking and Michael Estapa goes to the box. OSU has no shots on the man advantage. State ties up the game with Noah Powell earning his second point of the game at 18:37. After the second period, OSU 2, UM 2. SOG OSU 22, UM 20.
Third Period
OSU goes back on the man advantage as Will Horcoff is called for slashing at 2:50. OSU records no shots with the man advantage. Minutes later, UM goes on their own power play and they make the Buckeyes pay. Horcoff scores on a screen that beats Kristoffer Eberly. Ohio State 2, Michigan 3. The assists go to Michael Hage and Jacob Truscott at 9:15. Just under three minutes later, OSU scores the equalizer. Riley Thompson (7th) tips in the rebound by Korpi. The original shot on point earns Aiden Hannsen-Bukata an assist at 12:05. The game is tied at three. UM almost broke the tie at 14:45 as Hage took a one-time feed from Nick Moldenhauer but Eberly made a dandy of a save. OSU had a near breakaway and UM’s Josh Eernisse goes to the box for hooking with just over a minute left. OSU tips in the puck at 19:22. Riley Thompson scores his second of the game. Gunnarwolfe Fontaine and Davis Burnside with the assists. Final: OSU 4, UM 3. SOG 34 all.
These two teams will play the second game of their weekend series in Ann Arbor on Sunday.
Roy J. Akers covers college hockey for www.skyviewsports.net
