Wolverines bounce back against UNH, record first win of 2014-15
By Greg Garno –
ANN ARBOR — The Michigan hockey team was on the verge of being the first team in program history to begin a season 0-3 since the 1940-41 season after it dropped a 5-1 contest to New Hampshire on Friday night.
But on Saturday, it avoided falling into the wrong part of the record books.
Goals from defensemen Michael Downing and Cutler Martin, along with a 31-save performance from sophomore goaltender Steve Racine, propelled the Wolverines to a 2-1 win over the Wildcats to salvage a split.
“It was night and day (difference in performances),” said Michigan coach Red Berenson. “After getting embarrassed last night, I think everyone in that locker room knew they had to play better. They had to contribute in a team way, rather than an individual way.”
Michigan (1-2 overall) scored both goals in the two minutes of the second period, the first just 28 seconds in when Downing fired a shot from just atop the right circle through traffic.
New Hampshire netminder Adam Clark couldn’t make the save as the puck flew under his glove. After he stopped 26 shots the night before, Clark faced more action on Saturday, still managing to turn aside 32 shots.
Martin, in the first game of his career, scored the go-head goal moments later when he one timed a puck that had bounced off the boards. His shot deflected off a Wildcat defenseman in the slot and past the stick of Clark.
“We were in a lot of bad habits last night,” Berenson said, “and I thought we just stuck to hard-nosed, hard-working hockey tonight to get the break we needed.”
Said junior forward Andrew Copp: “I thought we came out with a little bit of a jam, little bit of an attitude and little more swagger. … It was an all around better effort, and I think we gelled and came together over tonight and today.”
New Hampshire jumped on the board with just over five minutes remaining in the second period, as forward Matt Willows blew past Downing and flipped the shot over Racine’s shoulder on a shorthanded attempt.
The Wolverines, after going 0-for-4 on the power play last night, still couldn’t find success on special teams Saturday. After 9:30 of time with an extra man, Michigan finished 0-for-5 to add to its woes.
But its offense at full strength made up for whatever was lacking. Freshman forward Dexter Dancs missed a wide open net from the right of the goal in the second period and Copp was stuffed on a breakaway attempt in the third.
Through three games, the Wolverines have scored just six goals.
“We’ve gotta bury our chances,” Copp said. “We had a lot of grade-A chances that we needed bury. But it’s not just one guy.”
After sophomore Zach Nagelvoort surrendered five goals Friday, Racine stepped in to close out the third period, including 16 saves in the third period, alone. Racine, though, benefitted from improved play in front of him, as Michigan held the Wildcats to just eight shots in the circles.
“They really helped me out, which is nice to have in my first game back there,” Racine said.
The one-goal performance is the best this season from Michigan, which is otherwise allowing 3.33 per game. Still, it couldn’t have come at a better time to avoid falling to one of its worst starts in program history.
“They were as embarrassed as we (coaches) were for them,” Berenson said. “We can play better than we did last night, and we proved it tonight.”