Michigan beats rival Michigan State to capture GLI title

Click on the image above to see a full photo gallery from the GLI title game (photo by Andrew Knapik/MiHockey)
Click on the image above to see a full photo gallery from the GLI title game (photo by Andrew Knapik/MiHockey)

 

By Nick Barnowski –

DETROIT – Most players choose to deflect shots from the point when they’re near the crease.

Wolverines assistant captain Zach Hyman, however, stopped Michael Downing’s shot, turned, and roofed a backhand shot over Michigan State goalie Jake Hildebrand’s blocker.

It was the goal Michigan needed to win the 2014 Great Lakes Invitational, the 16th in program history. Michigan defeated Michigan State, 2-1, in the 300th meeting all-time between the two rivals Monday night at Joe Louis Arena.

“If you would have asked me two weeks ago, what are our chances in the GLI, I would say our team is really going to have to overachieve,” Michigan head coach Red Berenson said.

Hyman’s goal at 12:14 of the second period was the game-winner in another UM-MSU GLI classic.

“I kind of felt like I had a little bit of time, so instead of just tipping it, I stopped it and tried to go high and it went in,” Hyman said.

Hildebrand said didn’t think he gave Hyman any room to find the back of the net.

“Hyman made a really skilled play,” said MSU’s junior goalie, who made 27 saves. “He stopped it and I didn’t think he had anywhere to put it but he put it back bar. It was a good shot.”

Berenson said it was one of his sweetest GLI title wins as Michigan coach, considering his team had struggled in the first half of the season and was missing four of its top players (Dylan Larkin, JT Compher, Zach Werenski and Tyler Motte) due to the World Junior Hockey Championships in Canada.

Berenson said he felt both Michigan Tech and Ferris State were better teams, and Michigan State had a chance to prove itself over the weekend. He also took a chance and started junior Steve Racine in net after he hadn’t played since Nov. 1 against Tech. Racine responded, stopping 31 of 32 MSU shots and 71 total throughout the tournament.

“The guys played great in front of me,” said Racine, who was named tournament MVP.

Hyman commented after, saying the team focused on helping Racine track the puck better.

“We said that if Steve can see it, you’re going to be able to see it,” Hyman said. “So we tried to get bodies out of the way for him to let him see the puck and he did really good.”

The Wolverines commanded the game early on and struck first off of a nice 2-on-1 play that resulted in Andrew Copp beating Hildebrand under the shoulder to make the score 1-0.

“It went under his arm, so I don’t think I was trying to go there,” the Ann Arbor native said. “High blocker is kind of my spot to go to and I saw a little bit of an opening, it was nice to have one of those squeak through.”

Michigan State head coach Tom Anastos said that his team got stronger after surviving the slow start.

“I thought we had nervous energy at the beginning of the game, which I thought negatively impacted us,” Anastos said. “We made a couple of bad decisions, which resulted in us giving up a goal and some scoring chances.”

Hyman’s goal made it 2-0, and the score stayed that way until 4:07 into the third period when Rhett Holland’s shot from just inside the blue line made its way past Racine. It was Holland’s first career goal.

Following Holland’s goal, both teams traded prime scoring chances. Hildebrand made a big save on Alex Kile with 13 minutes remaining on the third and moments later stopped Tony Calderone’s 2-on-1 opportunity to keep MSU within one.

Racine made nine saves in the third, none bigger than at the 7:35 mark when he stopped MSU’s Joe Cox (Chelsea) on a shorthanded breakaway attempt. Multiple Michigan State chances followed, but the Spartans were unable to tie it up.

While Michigan was the one to leave Detroit with the MacInnes Cup, Anastos said his team will learn something from the weekend.

“You learn lessons from success and you learn lessons from failure,” he said. “We had a chance to win hardware tonight, and we didn’t do enough to get that done.”

Berenson, who won his 14th GLI as a coach, said the tournament victory was important to him, his team, and his staff. Michigan improved to 11-8-1 against MSU in the GLI, and is now 8-5 against its rival in the championship game.

“There’s only one winner here,” he said. “It’s a short weekend, it’s a short tournament, but it’s bragging rights for all four teams.”

Notes: The GLI all-tournament team, as voted on by members of the media, was announced after the game: 

Forward – Zach Hyman (Michigan)

Forward – Tanner Kero (Michigan Tech)

Forward – Andrew Copp (Michigan)

Defense – Rhett Holland (Michigan State)

Defense – Michael Downing (Michigan)

Goalie – Steve Racine (Michigan)

Tournament MVP – Steve Racine (Michigan)

It was also announced that Northern Michigan (2015), Western Michigan (2016) and Bowling Green (2017) will join Michigan Tech, Michigan and Michigan State at the next three tournaments.