Dylan Larkin’s four points leads UM to 5-2 win over OSU (with photos/video)
Photos by Andrew Knapik/MiHockey
By @MichaelCaples –
ANN ARBOR – Dylan Larkin recorded one goal and three assists Sunday afternoon.
Considering his University of Michigan team beat the Ohio State Buckeyes 5-2, it’s safe to say he played a substantial role in the victory.
The freshman forward picked up his 12th goal and increased his points total to 38 on the season in the conference win for the Wolverines, providing the offensive punch in Michigan’s first home game since Jan. 10.
Zach Werenski scored twice, while Zach Hyman and Justin Selman also scored for the Wolverines, who improve to 17-11-0 overall, and 9-5-0-0 in Big Ten play.
“I was skating well and had really good support from my buddy (Zach) Hyman,” Larkin said. “On the first goal, just playing on our chemistry I just threw it and I knew he was going to be there and it was going in. We had a good night and more importantly we weren’t out for any goals. It was good to help the team.”
Zach Hyman, Zach Werenski and Dylan Larkin talk about the Wolverines’ win
Steve Racine stopped 28 of the 30 shots he faced in the contest to pick up his seventh win of the season. He now improves to 7-3-0 on the season, and 26-13-4 in his career with the Wolverines.
Hyman started the scoring in the Sunday evening affair at the 13:17 mark of the first period, burying in a one-timer after Larkin spun and shot the puck towards the Ohio State goal.
“We’ve been together since the start of the year, so every game I think that we’ve gotten better,” Hyman said. “We’re great friends off the ice and we have chemistry there. It just carries over onto the ice and we’re starting to know where each other are. I mean Dylan threw that puck and he knew I was going to be there. We’ve been making plays together all year.”
Five minutes into the middle period, Larkin was on the other end of a one-timer, blasting a shot past Ohio State goaltender Christian Frey from the right face-off dot.
“Dylan’s been skating lights out every game,” coach Red Berenson said. “Some nights the pucks are going in for him, but he’s been a force and that line between him and (Zach) Hyman and now (Justin) Selman on the wing, they’re giving us a lot of offensive leadership. They’re making our team a better team.”
Just over three minutes later, Larkin set up fellow freshman Werenski for a wrist shot from just inside the blue line that found its way through traffic and into the back of the net. It was Werenski’s sixth goal of the season.
At the 9:05 mark of the third period, Larkin sent a cross-ice feed through an OSU defender to Selman, who finished off the pass for his seventh tally of the season.
The Buckeyes’ Tanner Fritz scored at the 12:25 mark of the third to cut the Wolverines’ lead to three, but Werenski quickly answered back, firing a shot from the boards into the Buckeyes’ net for his second goal of the game.
Ohio State’s Tyler Lundey scored in the final minute to make the final score 5-2.
Michigan will now prepare to host Wisconsin; the Badgers come to Ann Arbor for Friday and Saturday Big Ten match-ups. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively.
NOTES: Defenseman Michael Downing was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct for a hit on OSU’s Christian Lampasso halfway through the second period. The B1G league office has yet to announce any further discipline for the Canton native.